You’ve just been given an assignment and now have to figure out what to do with it. The difference between earning an A or a C can depend on how well you have read and understand the assignment sheet. This tutorial is going to give you a set of basic assignment components to look for as well as a few tips to help you succeed in completing an assignment without any surprises.
The first step is look for basic information: due date, type of assignment, length of assignment, citation style and formatting, and required sources.
Since assignments are generally based on concepts or information introduced in class, identify the assignment topic then look through your notes for related information.Read over the instructions, looking for prompts and questions to be answered in your project. Think about the assignment: If you can’t easily give a basic description of the task, revisit the assignment sheet and ask your instructor for clarification.
Let’s take a look at the major parts of the research and writing process. Some parts of this process are recursive, you will move back and forth between one or more steps several times. As an example, when reflecting on your first draft you may notice the need for an additional source to support a specific argument, you will move back to the finding sources stage to meet this need.
At some point in your assignment you will probably need evidence beyond the exploratory stage. You may want to speak to a librarian first for help in formulating a search strategy and identifying appropriate tools and resources for your search. Always bring your assignment sheet with you when asking for help.
Ask your instructor to clarify any uncertainties or questions early on to avoid stress and rushed work later. When you get a final draft of the assignment finished, leave some time to reflect on your work.
This guide is based on information from the Western Oregon University Hamersly Library CLIP Project. Hamersly Library has made the tutorials available for adaptation via Creative Commons NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.
