Academic Skills Advice

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Breaking down your assignment

Breaking down your assignment into smaller tasks and attributing them deadlines can make themmore manageable. Use the steps below and the linked resources to guide you.

Assignment deadline:dd/mm/yyyy

Step 1: What am i being asked?

  • Ensure that you understand your assignment question and what you are being asked to do.
  • Brainstorm – do you already have some ideas of what should be included or areas to research?

I will have completed this by dd/mm/yyyy

Step 2: How should Istart?

  • Identify the key words in your assignment title and use them to guide your research.
  • Look at the reading list provided by your course – are there any sources which seem like they would be useful?
  • Make use of the library, summon, google scholar, and any relevant databases your subject librarian may direct you to.
  • If a source appears to be useful, skim read it before making notes. Organising your notes by theme, rather than source, can save a lot of time when it comes to writing your assignment – just make sure you keep track of where the information has come from.

I will have completed this by dd/mm/yyyy

Step 3: What next?

  • Go back to your original brainstorm and expand.
  • Use thisplanningresource to plot your assignment. What ideas will you include? What order will you present them in?

I will have completed this by dd/mm/yyyy

Step 4: How do I go about drafting?

  • Use your plan to guide you as you start writing, organising your ideas into paragraphs.
  • As a general rule, paragraphs are between 150-200 words, with one idea per paragraph as a good maxim.
  • Critical analysis is often an important apart of most assignments, so think about why what you are saying is significant? How does it relate back to the question? Is it clear to the reader?
  • Remember all assignments need an introduction and conclusion.

I will have completed this by dd/mm/yyyy

Step 5: How many times should I edit my draft?

  • Remember your first draft will not be the last; it is normal to review and edit your draft several times before submission.
  • This editing checklist can help to guide you in improving your assignment, or you might like to make your own.
  • Look at your feedback from previous work – often it will be transferable and can stop you making the same mistakes again. This ‘taking action’ guide can help you to decipher your feedback.
  • Don’t forget to follow the University referencing guide when using in-text citations and making your reference list.

I will have completed this by dd/mm/yyyy

Step 6: Is proofreading really that important?

  • It is important to do a thorough proofread of your work before submission. You’ve already done the hard work (researching, reading, drafting, editing), why lose marks for typographical errors?
  • Our tips on effective proofreading can help.
  • Don’t forget to proofread your references. Do they follow the formatting in the referencing guide? Are commas and italics in the correct places?

I will have completed this by dd/mm/yyyy

Step 7: Where can I get more advice?

  • Instant Study Skills Advice
  • Writing Skills Clinics
  • Workshops
  • 24/7 Writing Skills Workshops

E: : 01274 236849@UniBradSkills

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