The First Pages of Your New Assignment – How to Begin?
3/14/2016
So here is your new assignment and you don’t know what to do with this one since writing first few pages of your assignments has always been a struggle. Well, this is the key problem with most of the students who lack an idea on where to and how to begin their assignments. Whether they should pick up the easiest part or just blend what all information they have in the introduction part.
A simple formula to begin with the writing bit for any piece of work is to break the task into pieces. Similarly, while writing assignments, it is important to assess each and every section thoroughly. If you will attempt to fill the first pages of an assignment with all the information you have in hand, it will give you a tough time. Here are certain tips that will help you in focusing on each section and make the task look much more manageable:
- Focus on collecting the information: The first step towards assignment writing is to gauge as much information as you can. Make sure that the data you collect is relevant to the core of your assignment. Next step is to take a print of everything including the assignment task sheet, criteria sheet also known as CRA (Criterion Referenced Assessment) Report, Assessment Proforma or a Criteria Matrix. You must include notes taken during sessions / lectures related to that particular topic.
- Evaluate the job in hand: Once you have all the relevant information in hand, underline or highlight the keywords which are important to be stressed upon. Circle all these words highlight and mark only those that can guide you in what to do with that set of information. Preparing such glossary of task words also termed as directive words, will keep your data organized and provide immediate reference points when you are lost in a large pool of information. This is possibly the most effective way to tackle your assignment taking one section at a time and avoids overwhelming you by the entire task.
- Prepare a checklist of dos’: As stated earlier, assignments writing can be little overpowering and there is a possibility that you might miss out on certain tasks. To avoid such a scenario, you can prepare a checklist of everything which needs to be included in the assignment. The checklist will work as a reference point once your assignment is completed and ready to be submitted.
- Note down your research points: Prepare a list of everything crucial information that is lying untouched and needs research. The first point of research should be your textbook and lecture notes. Dive into the Course Materials Database for that particular unit to gain general understanding of that topic.
- Take the enjoyable and easier parts first: For the first pages, give yourself the option to choose what you want to include and decide the most interesting order to complete it. Map out the most appealing and interesting steps to begin with the introduction and preface of your assignment which will keep more inclined to get going on the piece.
- New to writing? Writing is the next step and perhaps the most challenging one. For this, you must dedicate your extreme focus on continuous writing for five minutes at a stretch. This helps to build momentum, flow and connection with the words. Also, this practice enables the students to view the assignment as an easier task than what they originally thought.