How to approach assignment writing

For those new to study or returning to it for the first time in many years, writing an academic essay can be the most daunting barrier to overcome. But with good planning, it doesn’t need to be as frightening as it may seem. ICE’s expert study tutor, David Galbraith, guides us through the best way to approach an assignment.

Structuring an essay

Once you get your assignments, sub-divide your course period into the amount of time you have. So, for example, if you’re enrolled on a 12-week course and have two assignments, it may help to consider that you have six weeks for each piece of coursework.

Continuing that example, think about how you might break down that period for writing an essay or report. Most academic writing consists of an introduction, main section and conclusion. An introduction might consist of roughly 10% of your word count and therefore your time. A main section is probably around 80% while the conclusion makes up the remaining 10%. So, if you’re planning for a six-week chunk of work, that equates to a week on the introduction, a week on the conclusion and four weeks on the main body.

Deconstructing your question

When you receive an assignment topic, the first thing to do is deconstruct the question. That means highlighting keywords for emphasis so that you know how to target your reading and planning. Here’s an example:

“How far do you agree with the claim that trickle-down economics has been a core feature of Republican Party politics in the USA since the 1980s?”

Here, the key terms are “Do you agree”, “trickle-down economics”, “core feature of Republican Party politics” and “since the 1980s”. That gives you four chunks to get stuck into, as opposed to simply going at it all in one go, and means that when you turn to your reading, you’ll know what you’re looking for from the outset.

Develop a plan and check your output

A plan can be in linear form or spider diagram, it doesn’t matter. Either way, begin without doing any reading at all. Just jot down what occurs to you in a very provisional plan. And then, as you go through your reading, you can tie up those chunks with the right places to look in each book and fill out or filter out that plan accordingly. Towards the end of the process, it’s important to do a very rough plan and use it to timetable your writing thereafter. At this stage, it can just be bullet points that lead you towards your next, and eventually final, draft.

What you’re looking for from a well-written assignment can be sub-divided into a checklist of seven areas. It should:

1. Answer the question – not the one you want to answer but then one that’s been asked.

2. Identify and address key issues raised by the question and its topic area.

3. Stay relevant to the question and not waffle.

4. Be analytical and discursive rather than merely descriptive.

5. Present an argument which is logically developed throughout with effective use of evidence.

6. Display clear thought and careful planning and, ideally, some creative thinking too.

7. Be fluent and succinct with its sources fully and accurately cited.

If you’ve done those things then that’s what all the planning was for and you know you’ve done all that you can.

Right now, it’s easy to get swept up in the tension and pressure that comes with the current uncertainty. But planning in this way is all about giving yourself confidence. And don’t forget the reasons why you’re studying in the first place. Remember to enjoy it, be stimulated by the experience and understand that your tutors are right behind you.