reason for the assignment

A survey conducted by the Associated Press has revealed that around 58% of parents feel that their child has been given the right amount of assignments. Educators are thrilled that the majority has supported the thought of allocating assignments, and they think that it is just right.

However, the question arises when students question the importance of giving assignments for better growth. Studies have shown that students often get unsuccessful in understanding the importance of assignments.

What key purpose does an assignment have? They often question how an assignment could be beneficial. Let us explain why a teacher thinks it is best to allot assignments. The essential functions of assigning tasks or giving assignments come from many intentions. 

What is the Importance of Assignment- For Students 

The importance of the assignment is not a new concept. The principle of allocating assignments stems from students’ learning process. It helps teachers to evaluate the student’s understanding of the subject. Assignments develop different practical skills and increase their knowledge base significantly. As per educational experts, mastering a topic is not an impossible task to achieve if they learn and develop these skills.  

Cognitive enhancement 

While doing assignments, students learn how to conduct research on subjects and comprise the data for using the information in the given tasks. Working on your assignment helps you learn diverse subjects, compare facts, and understand related concepts. It assists your brain in processing information and memorizing the required one. This exercise enhances your brain activity and directly impacts cognitive growth. 

Ensured knowledge gain   

When your teacher gives you an assignment, they intend to let you know the importance of the assignment. Working on it helps students to develop their thoughts on particular subjects. The idea supports students to get deep insights and also enriches their learning. Continuous learning opens up the window for knowledge on diverse topics. The learning horizon expanded, and students gained expertise in subjects over time.      

Improve students’ writing pattern 

Experts have revealed in a study that most students find it challenging to complete assignments as they are not good at writing. With proper assistance or teacher guidance, students can practice writing repetitively.

It encourages them to try their hands at different writing styles, and gradually they will improve their own writing pattern and increase their writing speed. It contributes to their writing improvement and makes it certain that students get a confidence boost. 

Increased focus on studies 

When your teachers allocate a task to complete assignments, it is somehow linked to your academic growth, especially for the university and grad school students. Therefore, it demands ultimate concentration to establish your insights regarding the topics of your assignments.

This process assists you in achieving good growth in your academic career and aids students in learning concepts quickly with better focus. It ensures that you stay focused while doing work and deliver better results.         

Build planning & organization tactics

Planning and task organization are as necessary as writing the assignment. As per educational experts, when you work on assignments, you start planning to structurize the content and what type of information you will use and then organize your workflow accordingly. This process supports you in building your skill to plan things beforehand and organize them to get them done without hassles.   

Adopt advanced research technique

Assignments expand the horizon of research skills among students. Learners explore different topics, gather diverse knowledge on different aspects of a particular topic, and use useful information on their tasks. Students adopt advanced research techniques to search for relevant information from diversified sources and identify correct facts and stats through these steps.  

Augmenting reasoning & analytical skills 

Crafting an assignment has one more sign that we overlook. Experts have enough proof that doing an assignment augments students’ reasoning abilities. They started thinking logically and used their analytical skills while writing their assignments. It offers clarity of the assignment subject, and they gradually develop their own perspective about the subject and offer that through assignments.     

Boost your time management skills 

Time management is one of the key skills that develop through assignments. It makes them disciplined and conscious of the value of time during their study years. However, students often delay as they get enough time. Set deadlines help students manage their time. Therefore, students understand that they need to invest their time wisely and also it’s necessary to complete assignments on time or before the deadline.  

What is the Importance of Assignment- Other Functions From Teacher’s Perspective: 

Develop an understanding between teacher and students  .

Teachers ensure that students get clear instructions from their end through the assignment as it is necessary. They also get a glimpse of how much students have understood the subject. The clarity regarding the topic ensures that whether students have mastered the topic or need further clarification to eliminate doubts and confusion. It creates an understanding between the teaching faculty and learners. 

Clarity- what is the reason for choosing the assignment 

The Reason for the assignment allocated to students should be clear. The transparency of why teachers have assigned the task enables learners to understand why it is essential for their knowledge growth. With understanding, the students try to fulfill the objective. Overall, it fuels their thoughts that successfully evoke their insights. 

Building a strong relationship- Showing how to complete tasks 

When a teacher shows students how to complete tasks, it builds a strong student-teacher relationship. Firstly, students understand the teacher’s perspective and why they are entrusted with assignments. Secondly, it also encourages them to handle problems intelligently. This single activity also offers them the right direction in completing their tasks within the shortest period without sacrificing quality. 

Get a view of what students have understood and their perspective 

Assigning a task brings forth the students’ understanding of a particular subject. Moreover, when they attempt an assignment, it reflects their perspective on the specific subject. The process is related to the integration of appreciative learning principles. In this principle, teachers see how students interpret the subject. Students master the subject effectively, whereas teachers find the evaluation process relatively easy when done correctly. 

Chance to clear doubts or confusion regarding the assignment  

Mastering a subject needs practice and deep understanding from a teacher’s perspective. It could be possible only if students dedicate their time to assignments. While doing assignments, students could face conceptual difficulties, or some parts could confuse them. Through the task, teachers can clear their doubts and confusion and ensure that they fully understand what they are learning.   

Offering individualistic provisions to complete an assignment 

Students are divergent, and their thoughts are diverse in intelligence, temperaments, and aptitudes. Their differences reflect in their assignments and the insight they present. This process gives them a fair understanding of students’ future and their scope to grow. It also helps teachers to understand their differences and recognize their individualistic approaches.  

Conclusion:

You have already become acquainted with the factors that translate what is the importance of assignments in academics. It plays a vital role in increasing the students’ growth multifold. 

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How to Make Up a Good Excuse for Your Homework Not Being Finished

Last Updated: April 10, 2024 Fact Checked

Choosing an Excuse

Delivering the excuse, potential consequences, moving forward, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 375,114 times. Learn more...

If you did not finish your homework, you may want to find an excuse to avoid being penalized. There are a variety of excuses, from blaming technology to your busy schedule, that sounds like a plausible reason for failing to complete an assignment. When you settle on an excuse, work on delivering the excuse in a believable fashion. However, try to be careful moving forward. You do not want to lie habitually, as this reflects poorly on you as a student. In the future, try to make sure your assignments are done on time.

• This is a great excuse if you had a paper you needed to type and print. It may also work if you have homework you had to do online. You could say you did the whole assignment, but then your internet cut out and you couldn't save anything.
• It might be a bad idea to claim your printer stopped working. Your teacher may request you e-mail him/her the assignment instead, which you won't be able to do if you never did it. Teachers may also suggest you should have printed an assignment at a local library or FedEx instead of coming in with nothing.

• If your parents are divorced, for example, you can claim you were at your mom's last night but left your textbook with your dad this weekend. Many teachers are sympathetic to children from divorced homes. Your teacher may take pity on you if you use an excuse like this. [2] X Research source
• Do you have any younger siblings? You could claim you had to babysit your little sister and she got sick, resulting in your being distracted from your homework. [3] X Research source

• You can try running around in the playground or hallways before class. This can help you look flushed and warm. If you look sick, your teacher will be more likely to believe you.
• However, keep in mind some teachers may require a note from your parents in the event of illness. If your teacher typically demands proof of sickness, you may want to avoid using this excuse.

• Avoid saying you left your homework at home. Your teacher may request you call your mom or dad to have it delivered to the school. This will reveal you are lying.
• Try not to use this excuse more than once or twice a term; otherwise, your teacher may see you as disorganized and be less sympathetic towards you if you need to make other excuses in the future.

• Be careful using this excuse if you're not busy. If you're usually late for classes and do not engage in many extracurricular activities, your teacher may catch onto the fact you're lying.

• Never lie you were absent on the day the homework was set. One glance of the register is all it takes for your teacher to see right through this excuse.

• If your teacher is particularly strict, be prepared to answer a lot of questions. A stricter teacher is likely to grill you, poking holes in your excuse. For example, say you claim you couldn't turn in your online math homework because your internet cut out. A strict teacher might respond with something like, "Then why didn't you go do your homework at a coffee shop?" Have a response ready. Try something like, "My mom was working and there was no one to drive me." [7] X Research source
• Do you know anything about your teacher's personal interests? This can help you gauge what excuse may work for this person. For example, you know your chemistry teacher is the oldest of 7 children. He may be more sympathetic to a story about how watching your younger siblings kept you from getting your work done. [8] X Research source

• Stick to only the important details. For example, say you're planning on claiming your piano recital got out late, and this is why you didn't finish your math homework. Do not go overboard with the details. Simply say, "A few students played their solos too long, so we didn't get done until 9:30 and it was a 45-minute drive home." Do not say, "Chester Mifflin spent 25 minutes on his routine when we were only given 10, and then Lisa Gregory was a little late getting up on stage..." The longer your lie, the more unbelievable it sounds. Most people would not remember this much detail.
• If your teacher presses you for specifics, you can improvise as needed but avoid excessive detail. For example, your teacher might ask, "How long did the recital run over?" Do not say, "It was supposed to run until 8:30 but it was 9:23 when we got out." Instead, say something somewhat vague, like, "I'd say about 45 minutes."

• Take a few deep breaths before going into the room to help yourself stay calm.
• Make eye contact with your teacher most of the time.
• Be conscious of what you're doing with your body. Try to avoid fidgeting excessively.

• Refer to the syllabus for that class. There may be a section about honesty that goes over the consequences of lying to a teacher.
• You should also look at your school's handbook if you have a copy. See if there are any sections about what happens if you breach academic honesty policies.
• Consequences can vary from teacher-to-teacher. In some cases, you may only get a strict talking to. However, some teachers may be required to report these kinds of behaviors to the principal and your parents. This could land you in more serious trouble both at home and at school.

• It may depend on the assignment. Late work may not be accepted, but if the assignment is only worth 10 points, is this really a big deal? However, if the assignment is worth 15% of your grade, it may be worth it to ask for an extension.
• Talk to other students who've had this teacher in the past. How has this teacher reacted to late or missing work? Some teachers may accept late work for lower points. Some teachers may allow you to turn in work late if it's your first time. If this is the case, it may be a good idea to simply admit you didn't do the assignment.

• You can make a pro and con list for each scenario. Write down the possible benefits and possible drawbacks of each option. For example, you can write on the top of a piece of paper "Lying To My Teacher" and then have two columns, one for "pro" and one for "con." Under "pro," you may write something like, "Assignment is worth a lot of points - an extension could help my overall grade." Under "con," you could write, "If Ms. Davies finds out I'm lying, she will report it to the principal and I'll get detention for a week."
• Weigh the pros and cons. If the pros outweigh the cons heavily for one option, this may be the right choice for you.

• Do your homework every day after school. Do not do anything else, like playing video games or playing outside, before finishing your work.
• Write down all the assignments you have to do. Make sure to write down an assignment after a teacher mentions it. This way, you won't forget.

• If you habitually struggle to get your homework done and have an overall inability to concentrate, this can be a symptom of Attention Deficit Disorder. Talk to your parents about getting tested for ADD.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://helpfulprofessor.com/homework-excuses/
• ↑ https://www.brighthubeducation.com/study-and-learning-tips/51072-10-best-homework-excuses/
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/extreme-fear/201005/top-ten-secrets-effective-liars

About This Article

While lying too often could reflect badly on you as a student, if you need a good excuse for your homework not being finished, say you lost it. Just don’t use this excuse often, since your teacher will think you’re unorganized. If the homework was on the computer, try blaming technology. Say your computer crashed or your internet was down. Alternatively, claim you were ill last night and had to rest. Only do this if you don’t think your teacher will call your parents to check or ask for a sick note. If you have a sibling that doesn’t go to your school, you can say they were ill and you had to look after them. Or, if you do a lot of things outside of school and have lots of homework to do, pretend you were too busy and ran out of time. For more tips, including how to make your excuse more convincing, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Module 8: Study Skills

What to do with essay assignments, learning outcomes.

• Identify how to approach common types of college writing assignments

Writing assignments can be as varied as the instructors who assign them. Some assignments are explicit about what exactly you’ll need to do, in what order, and how it will be graded. Some assignments are very open-ended, leaving you to determine the best path toward answering the project. Most fall somewhere in the middle, containing details about some aspects but leaving other assumptions unstated. It’s important to remember that your first resource for getting clarification about an assignment is your instructor—he or she will be very willing to talk out ideas with you to be sure you’re prepared at each step to do well with the writing.

Most writing in college will be a direct response to class materials—an assigned reading, a discussion in class, an experiment in a lab. Generally speaking, these writing tasks can be divided into three broad categories.

Summary Assignments

Being asked to summarize a source is a common task in many types of writing. It can also seem like a straightforward task: simply restate, in shorter form, what the source says. A lot of advanced skills are hidden in this seemingly simple assignment, however.

An effective summary does the following:

• reflects your accurate understanding of a source’s thesis or purpose
• differentiates between major and minor ideas in a source
• demonstrates your ability to identify key phrases to quote
• demonstrates your ability to effectively paraphrase most of the source’s ideas
• captures the tone, style, and distinguishing features of a source
• does not reflect your personal opinion about the source

That last point is often the most challenging: we are opinionated creatures by nature, and it can be very difficult to keep our opinions from creeping into a summary, which is meant to be completely neutral.

In college-level writing, assignments that are only summary are rare. That said, many types of writing tasks contain at least some element of summary, from a biology report that explains what happened during a chemical process, to an analysis essay requiring  you to explain several prominent positions on gun control as a component of comparing them against one another.

Defined-Topic Assignments

Many writing tasks will ask you to address a particular topic or a narrow set of topic options. Even with the topic identified, however, it can sometimes be difficult to determine what aspects of the writing will be most important when it comes to grading.

Defined-topic writing assignments are used primarily to identify your familiarity with the subject matter. You must shape and focus that discussion or analysis so that it supports a claim that you discovered and formulated. Although the topic may be defined, you can’t just grind out four or five pages of discussion, explanation, or analysis. It may seem strange, but even when you’re asked to “show how” or “illustrate,” you’re still being asked to make an argument.

Often, the handout or other written text explaining the assignment—what professors call the writing prompt —will explain the purpose of the assignment, the required parameters (length, number and type of sources, referencing style, etc.), and the criteria for evaluation. Sometimes, though—especially when you are new to a field—you will encounter the baffling situation in which you comprehend every single sentence in the prompt but still have absolutely no idea how to approach the assignment. No one is doing anything wrong in a situation like that. It just means that further discussion of the assignment is required. Below are some tips:

• Focus on the verbs . Look for verbs like compare , explain , justify , reflect, or the all-purpose analyze . You’re not just producing a paper as an artifact; you’re conveying, in written communication, some intellectual work you have done. So the question is, what kind of thinking are you supposed to do to deepen your learning?
• Put the assignment in context . Many professors think in terms of assignment sequences. For example, a social science professor may ask you to write about a controversial issue three times: first, they will ask you to argue for one side of the debate and then they will ask you to argue for another. Finally, you’ll be asked for a more comprehensive and nuanced perspective by incorporating text produced in the first two assignments. A sequence like that is designed to help you think through a complex issue. If the assignment isn’t part of a sequence, think about where it falls in the span of the course (early, midterm, or toward the end), and how it relates to readings and other assignments. For example, if you see that a paper comes at the end of a three-week unit on the role of the Internet in organizational behavior, then your professor likely wants you to synthesize that material in your own way.
• Try a free-write . A free-write is when you just write, without stopping, for a set period of time. The “free” part is what you write—it can be whatever comes to mind. Professional writers use free-writing to get started on a challenging writing task or to overcome writer’s block or a powerful urge to procrastinate. The idea is that if you just make yourself write, you can’t help but produce some kind of useful nugget. Thus, even if the first eight sentences of your free-write are all variations on “I don’t understand this” or “I’d really rather be doing something else,” eventually you’ll write something like “I guess the main point of this is . . . ,” and you’re off and running.
• Ask for clarification . Even the most carefully crafted assignments may need some verbal clarification, especially if you’re new to a course or field. Try to convey to your instructor that you want to learn and you’re ready to work, and not just looking for advice on how to get an A.

Undefined-Topic Assignments

Another writing assignment you’ll potentially encounter is one in which the topic may be only broadly identified (“water conservation” in an ecology course, for instance, or “the Dust Bowl” in a U.S. history course), or even completely open (“compose an argumentative research essay on a subject of your choice”).

Where defined-topic essays demonstrate your knowledge of the content , undefined-topic assignments are used to demonstrate your skills— your ability to perform academic research, to synthesize ideas, and to apply the various stages of the writing process.

The first hurdle with this type of task is to find a focus that interests you. Don’t just pick something you feel will be easy to write about—that almost always turns out to be a false assumption. Instead, you’ll get the most value out of, and find it easier to work on, a topic that intrigues you personally in some way.

The same getting-started ideas described for defined-topic assignments will help with these kinds of projects, too. You can also try talking with your instructor or a writing tutor at your college’s writing center to help brainstorm ideas and make sure you’re on track. You want to feel confident that you’ve got a clear idea of what it means to be successful in the writing and that you’re not wasting time working in a direction that won’t be fruitful.

assignment prompt: instructional material provided by the teacher explaining the purpose of the assignment, required parameters, and criteria for evaluation

summary: a writing task that asks the student to restate in shorter form what the source says

undefined-topic assignment: a writing task based on a broadly identified topic that the student is expected to pull into focus

• College Success. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Writing in College: From Competence to Excellence. Authored by : Amy Guptill. Provided by : SUNY Open Textbooks. Located at : http://textbooks.opensuny.org/writing-in-college-from-competence-to-excellence/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

NCI LIBRARY

Academic writing skills guide: understanding assignments.

• Key Features of Academic Writing
• The Writing Process
• Understanding Assignments
• Brainstorming Techniques
• Planning Your Assignments
• Thesis Statements
• Writing Drafts
• Structuring Your Assignment
• How to Deal With Writer's Block
• Using Paragraphs
• Conclusions
• Introductions
• Revising & Editing
• Proofreading
• Grammar & Punctuation
• Reporting Verbs
• Signposting, Transitions & Linking Words/Phrases
• Using Lecturers' Feedback

Below is a list of interpretations for some of the more common directive/instructional words. These interpretations are intended as a guide only but should help you gain a better understanding of what is required when they are used. 

Communications from the Library:  Please note all communications from the library, concerning renewal of books, overdue books and reservations will be sent to your NCI student email account.

• << Previous: The Writing Process
• Next: Brainstorming Techniques >>
• Last Updated: Apr 23, 2024 1:31 PM
• URL: https://libguides.ncirl.ie/academic_writing_skills

When you receive a paper assignment, your first step should be to read the assignment prompt carefully to make sure you understand what you are being asked to do. Sometimes your assignment will be open-ended (“write a paper about anything in the course that interests you”). But more often, the instructor will be asking you to do something specific that allows you to make sense of what you’ve been learning in the course. You may be asked to put new ideas in context, to analyze course texts, or to do research on something related to the course.

Even if the instructor has introduced the assignment in class, make sure to read the prompt on your own. You’d be surprised how often someone comes to the Writing Center to ask for help on a paper before reading the prompt. Once they do read the prompt, they often find that it answers many of their questions.

When you read the assignment prompt, you should do the following:  

• Look for action verbs. Verbs like analyze , compare , discuss , explain , make an argument , propose a solution , trace , or research can help you understand what you’re being asked to do with an assignment.

Unless the instructor has specified otherwise, most of your paper assignments at Harvard will ask you to make an argument. So even when the assignment instructions tell you to “discuss” or “consider,” your instructor generally expects you to offer an arguable claim in the paper. For example, if you are asked to “discuss” several proposals for reaching carbon neutral by 2050, your instructor would likely not be asking you to list the proposals and summarize them; instead, the goal would be to analyze them in relation to each other and offer some sort of claim—either about the differences between the proposals, the potential outcomes of following one rather than another, or something that has been overlooked in all of the proposals. While you would need to summarize those proposals in order to make a claim about them, it wouldn’t be enough just to summarize them. Similarly, if you’re asked to compare sources or consider sources in relation to each other, it is not enough to offer a list of similarities and differences. Again, this type of assignment is generally asking you to make some claim about the sources in relation to each other.

• Consider the broader goals of the assignment. What kind of thinking is your instructor asking you to do? Are you supposed to be deciding whether you agree with one theorist more than another? Are you supposed to be trying out a particular method of analysis on your own body of evidence? Are you supposed to be learning a new skill (close reading? data analysis? recognizing the type of questions that can be asked in a particular discipline?)? If you understand the broader goals of the assignment, you will have an easier time figuring out if you are on the right track.
• Look for instructions about the scope of the assignment. Are you supposed to consult sources other than those you have read in class? Are you supposed to keep your focus narrow (on a passage, a document, a claim made by another author) or choose your own focus (raise a question that is sparked by course texts, pair texts in a new way)? If your instructor has told you not to consider sources outside of those specified in the assignment, then you should follow that instruction. In those assignments, the instructor wants to know what you think about the assigned sources and about the question, and they do not want you to bring in other sources.
• If you’re writing a research paper, do not assume that your reader has read all the sources that you are writing about. You’ll need to offer context about what those sources say so that your reader can understand why you have brought them into the conversation.
• If you’re writing only about assigned sources, you will still need to provide enough context to orient the reader to the main ideas of the source. While you may not need to summarize the entire text, you will need to give readers enough information to follow your argument and understand what you are doing with the text. If you’re not sure whether you should assume that readers are familiar with the ideas in the text, you should ask your instructor.  
• Ask questions! If you’re not sure what you’re supposed to do, email your instructor or go to office hours and ask.
• picture_as_pdf Tips for Reading an Assignment Prompt

What this handout is about

This handout will define what an argument is and explain why you need one in most of your academic essays.

Arguments are everywhere

You may be surprised to hear that the word “argument” does not have to be written anywhere in your assignment for it to be an important part of your task. In fact, making an argument—expressing a point of view on a subject and supporting it with evidence—is often the aim of academic writing. Your instructors may assume that you know this and thus may not explain the importance of arguments in class.

Most material you learn in college is or has been debated by someone, somewhere, at some time. Even when the material you read or hear is presented as a simple fact, it may actually be one person’s interpretation of a set of information. Instructors may call on you to examine that interpretation and defend it, refute it, or offer some new view of your own. In writing assignments, you will almost always need to do more than just summarize information that you have gathered or regurgitate facts that have been discussed in class. You will need to develop a point of view on or interpretation of that material and provide evidence for your position.

Consider an example. For nearly 2000 years, educated people in many Western cultures believed that bloodletting—deliberately causing a sick person to lose blood—was the most effective treatment for a variety of illnesses. The claim that bloodletting is beneficial to human health was not widely questioned until the 1800s, and some physicians continued to recommend bloodletting as late as the 1920s. Medical practices have now changed because some people began to doubt the effectiveness of bloodletting; these people argued against it and provided convincing evidence. Human knowledge grows out of such differences of opinion, and scholars like your instructors spend their lives engaged in debate over what claims may be counted as accurate in their fields. In their courses, they want you to engage in similar kinds of critical thinking and debate.

Argumentation is not just what your instructors do. We all use argumentation on a daily basis, and you probably already have some skill at crafting an argument. The more you improve your skills in this area, the better you will be at thinking critically, reasoning, making choices, and weighing evidence.

Making a claim

What is an argument? In academic writing, an argument is usually a main idea, often called a “claim” or “thesis statement,” backed up with evidence that supports the idea. In the majority of college papers, you will need to make some sort of claim and use evidence to support it, and your ability to do this well will separate your papers from those of students who see assignments as mere accumulations of fact and detail. In other words, gone are the happy days of being given a “topic” about which you can write anything. It is time to stake out a position and prove why it is a good position for a thinking person to hold. See our handout on thesis statements .

Claims can be as simple as “Protons are positively charged and electrons are negatively charged,” with evidence such as, “In this experiment, protons and electrons acted in such and such a way.” Claims can also be as complex as “Genre is the most important element to the contract of expectations between filmmaker and audience,” using reasoning and evidence such as, “defying genre expectations can create a complete apocalypse of story form and content, leaving us stranded in a sort of genre-less abyss.” In either case, the rest of your paper will detail the reasoning and evidence that have led you to believe that your position is best.

When beginning to write a paper, ask yourself, “What is my point?” For example, the point of this handout is to help you become a better writer, and we are arguing that an important step in the process of writing effective arguments is understanding the concept of argumentation. If your papers do not have a main point, they cannot be arguing for anything. Asking yourself what your point is can help you avoid a mere “information dump.” Consider this: your instructors probably know a lot more than you do about your subject matter. Why, then, would you want to provide them with material they already know? Instructors are usually looking for two things:

• Proof that you understand the material
• A demonstration of your ability to use or apply the material in ways that go beyond what you have read or heard.

This second part can be done in many ways: you can critique the material, apply it to something else, or even just explain it in a different way. In order to succeed at this second step, though, you must have a particular point to argue.

Arguments in academic writing are usually complex and take time to develop. Your argument will need to be more than a simple or obvious statement such as “Frank Lloyd Wright was a great architect.” Such a statement might capture your initial impressions of Wright as you have studied him in class; however, you need to look deeper and express specifically what caused that “greatness.” Your instructor will probably expect something more complicated, such as “Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture combines elements of European modernism, Asian aesthetic form, and locally found materials to create a unique new style,” or “There are many strong similarities between Wright’s building designs and those of his mother, which suggests that he may have borrowed some of her ideas.” To develop your argument, you would then define your terms and prove your claim with evidence from Wright’s drawings and buildings and those of the other architects you mentioned.

Do not stop with having a point. You have to back up your point with evidence. The strength of your evidence, and your use of it, can make or break your argument. See our handout on evidence . You already have the natural inclination for this type of thinking, if not in an academic setting. Think about how you talked your parents into letting you borrow the family car. Did you present them with lots of instances of your past trustworthiness? Did you make them feel guilty because your friends’ parents all let them drive? Did you whine until they just wanted you to shut up? Did you look up statistics on teen driving and use them to show how you didn’t fit the dangerous-driver profile? These are all types of argumentation, and they exist in academia in similar forms.

Every field has slightly different requirements for acceptable evidence, so familiarize yourself with some arguments from within that field instead of just applying whatever evidence you like best. Pay attention to your textbooks and your instructor’s lectures. What types of argument and evidence are they using? The type of evidence that sways an English instructor may not work to convince a sociology instructor. Find out what counts as proof that something is true in that field. Is it statistics, a logical development of points, something from the object being discussed (art work, text, culture, or atom), the way something works, or some combination of more than one of these things?

Be consistent with your evidence. Unlike negotiating for the use of your parents’ car, a college paper is not the place for an all-out blitz of every type of argument. You can often use more than one type of evidence within a paper, but make sure that within each section you are providing the reader with evidence appropriate to each claim. So, if you start a paragraph or section with a statement like “Putting the student seating area closer to the basketball court will raise player performance,” do not follow with your evidence on how much more money the university could raise by letting more students go to games for free. Information about how fan support raises player morale, which then results in better play, would be a better follow-up. Your next section could offer clear reasons why undergraduates have as much or more right to attend an undergraduate event as wealthy alumni—but this information would not go in the same section as the fan support stuff. You cannot convince a confused person, so keep things tidy and ordered.

Counterargument

One way to strengthen your argument and show that you have a deep understanding of the issue you are discussing is to anticipate and address counterarguments or objections. By considering what someone who disagrees with your position might have to say about your argument, you show that you have thought things through, and you dispose of some of the reasons your audience might have for not accepting your argument. Recall our discussion of student seating in the Dean Dome. To make the most effective argument possible, you should consider not only what students would say about seating but also what alumni who have paid a lot to get good seats might say.

You can generate counterarguments by asking yourself how someone who disagrees with you might respond to each of the points you’ve made or your position as a whole. If you can’t immediately imagine another position, here are some strategies to try:

• Do some research. It may seem to you that no one could possibly disagree with the position you are arguing, but someone probably has. For example, some people argue that a hotdog is a sandwich. If you are making an argument concerning, for example, the characteristics of an exceptional sandwich, you might want to see what some of these people have to say.
• Talk with a friend or with your teacher. Another person may be able to imagine counterarguments that haven’t occurred to you.
• Consider your conclusion or claim and the premises of your argument and imagine someone who denies each of them. For example, if you argued, “Cats make the best pets. This is because they are clean and independent,” you might imagine someone saying, “Cats do not make the best pets. They are dirty and needy.”

Once you have thought up some counterarguments, consider how you will respond to them—will you concede that your opponent has a point but explain why your audience should nonetheless accept your argument? Will you reject the counterargument and explain why it is mistaken? Either way, you will want to leave your reader with a sense that your argument is stronger than opposing arguments.

When you are summarizing opposing arguments, be charitable. Present each argument fairly and objectively, rather than trying to make it look foolish. You want to show that you have considered the many sides of the issue. If you simply attack or caricature your opponent (also referred to as presenting a “straw man”), you suggest that your argument is only capable of defeating an extremely weak adversary, which may undermine your argument rather than enhance it.

It is usually better to consider one or two serious counterarguments in some depth, rather than to give a long but superficial list of many different counterarguments and replies.

Be sure that your reply is consistent with your original argument. If considering a counterargument changes your position, you will need to go back and revise your original argument accordingly.

Audience is a very important consideration in argument. Take a look at our handout on audience . A lifetime of dealing with your family members has helped you figure out which arguments work best to persuade each of them. Maybe whining works with one parent, but the other will only accept cold, hard statistics. Your kid brother may listen only to the sound of money in his palm. It’s usually wise to think of your audience in an academic setting as someone who is perfectly smart but who doesn’t necessarily agree with you. You are not just expressing your opinion in an argument (“It’s true because I said so”), and in most cases your audience will know something about the subject at hand—so you will need sturdy proof. At the same time, do not think of your audience as capable of reading your mind. You have to come out and state both your claim and your evidence clearly. Do not assume that because the instructor knows the material, he or she understands what part of it you are using, what you think about it, and why you have taken the position you’ve chosen.

Critical reading

Critical reading is a big part of understanding argument. Although some of the material you read will be very persuasive, do not fall under the spell of the printed word as authority. Very few of your instructors think of the texts they assign as the last word on the subject. Remember that the author of every text has an agenda, something that he or she wants you to believe. This is OK—everything is written from someone’s perspective—but it’s a good thing to be aware of. For more information on objectivity and bias and on reading sources carefully, read our handouts on evaluating print sources and reading to write .

Take notes either in the margins of your source (if you are using a photocopy or your own book) or on a separate sheet as you read. Put away that highlighter! Simply highlighting a text is good for memorizing the main ideas in that text—it does not encourage critical reading. Part of your goal as a reader should be to put the author’s ideas in your own words. Then you can stop thinking of these ideas as facts and start thinking of them as arguments.

When you read, ask yourself questions like “What is the author trying to prove?” and “What is the author assuming I will agree with?” Do you agree with the author? Does the author adequately defend her argument? What kind of proof does she use? Is there something she leaves out that you would put in? Does putting it in hurt her argument? As you get used to reading critically, you will start to see the sometimes hidden agendas of other writers, and you can use this skill to improve your own ability to craft effective arguments.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, Joseph Bizup, and William T. FitzGerald. 2016. The Craft of Research , 4th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Ede, Lisa. 2004. Work in Progress: A Guide to Academic Writing and Revising , 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Gage, John T. 2005. The Shape of Reason: Argumentative Writing in College , 4th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A., and John J. Ruszkiewicz. 2016. Everything’s an Argument , 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Teaching, Learning, & Professional Development Center

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How Do I Create Meaningful and Effective Assignments?

Prepared by allison boye, ph.d. teaching, learning, and professional development center.

Assessment is a necessary part of the teaching and learning process, helping us measure whether our students have really learned what we want them to learn. While exams and quizzes are certainly favorite and useful methods of assessment, out of class assignments (written or otherwise) can offer similar insights into our students' learning.  And just as creating a reliable test takes thoughtfulness and skill, so does creating meaningful and effective assignments. Undoubtedly, many instructors have been on the receiving end of disappointing student work, left wondering what went wrong… and often, those problems can be remedied in the future by some simple fine-tuning of the original assignment.  This paper will take a look at some important elements to consider when developing assignments, and offer some easy approaches to creating a valuable assessment experience for all involved.

First Things First…

Before assigning any major tasks to students, it is imperative that you first define a few things for yourself as the instructor:

• Your goals for the assignment . Why are you assigning this project, and what do you hope your students will gain from completing it? What knowledge, skills, and abilities do you aim to measure with this assignment?  Creating assignments is a major part of overall course design, and every project you assign should clearly align with your goals for the course in general.  For instance, if you want your students to demonstrate critical thinking, perhaps asking them to simply summarize an article is not the best match for that goal; a more appropriate option might be to ask for an analysis of a controversial issue in the discipline. Ultimately, the connection between the assignment and its purpose should be clear to both you and your students to ensure that it is fulfilling the desired goals and doesn't seem like “busy work.” For some ideas about what kinds of assignments match certain learning goals, take a look at this page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons.
• Have they experienced “socialization” in the culture of your discipline (Flaxman, 2005)? Are they familiar with any conventions you might want them to know? In other words, do they know the “language” of your discipline, generally accepted style guidelines, or research protocols?
• Do they know how to conduct research?  Do they know the proper style format, documentation style, acceptable resources, etc.? Do they know how to use the library (Fitzpatrick, 1989) or evaluate resources?
• What kinds of writing or work have they previously engaged in?  For instance, have they completed long, formal writing assignments or research projects before? Have they ever engaged in analysis, reflection, or argumentation? Have they completed group assignments before?  Do they know how to write a literature review or scientific report?

In his book Engaging Ideas (1996), John Bean provides a great list of questions to help instructors focus on their main teaching goals when creating an assignment (p.78):

1. What are the main units/modules in my course?

2. What are my main learning objectives for each module and for the course?

3. What thinking skills am I trying to develop within each unit and throughout the course?

4. What are the most difficult aspects of my course for students?

5. If I could change my students' study habits, what would I most like to change?

6. What difference do I want my course to make in my students' lives?

What your students need to know

Once you have determined your own goals for the assignment and the levels of your students, you can begin creating your assignment.  However, when introducing your assignment to your students, there are several things you will need to clearly outline for them in order to ensure the most successful assignments possible.

• First, you will need to articulate the purpose of the assignment . Even though you know why the assignment is important and what it is meant to accomplish, you cannot assume that your students will intuit that purpose. Your students will appreciate an understanding of how the assignment fits into the larger goals of the course and what they will learn from the process (Hass & Osborn, 2007). Being transparent with your students and explaining why you are asking them to complete a given assignment can ultimately help motivate them to complete the assignment more thoughtfully.
• If you are asking your students to complete a writing assignment, you should define for them the “rhetorical or cognitive mode/s” you want them to employ in their writing (Flaxman, 2005). In other words, use precise verbs that communicate whether you are asking them to analyze, argue, describe, inform, etc.  (Verbs like “explore” or “comment on” can be too vague and cause confusion.) Provide them with a specific task to complete, such as a problem to solve, a question to answer, or an argument to support.  For those who want assignments to lead to top-down, thesis-driven writing, John Bean (1996) suggests presenting a proposition that students must defend or refute, or a problem that demands a thesis answer.
• It is also a good idea to define the audience you want your students to address with their assignment, if possible – especially with writing assignments.  Otherwise, students will address only the instructor, often assuming little requires explanation or development (Hedengren, 2004; MIT, 1999). Further, asking students to address the instructor, who typically knows more about the topic than the student, places the student in an unnatural rhetorical position.  Instead, you might consider asking your students to prepare their assignments for alternative audiences such as other students who missed last week's classes, a group that opposes their position, or people reading a popular magazine or newspaper.  In fact, a study by Bean (1996) indicated the students often appreciate and enjoy assignments that vary elements such as audience or rhetorical context, so don't be afraid to get creative!
• Obviously, you will also need to articulate clearly the logistics or “business aspects” of the assignment . In other words, be explicit with your students about required elements such as the format, length, documentation style, writing style (formal or informal?), and deadlines.  One caveat, however: do not allow the logistics of the paper take precedence over the content in your assignment description; if you spend all of your time describing these things, students might suspect that is all you care about in their execution of the assignment.
• Finally, you should clarify your evaluation criteria for the assignment. What elements of content are most important? Will you grade holistically or weight features separately? How much weight will be given to individual elements, etc?  Another precaution to take when defining requirements for your students is to take care that your instructions and rubric also do not overshadow the content; prescribing too rigidly each element of an assignment can limit students' freedom to explore and discover. According to Beth Finch Hedengren, “A good assignment provides the purpose and guidelines… without dictating exactly what to say” (2004, p. 27).  If you decide to utilize a grading rubric, be sure to provide that to the students along with the assignment description, prior to their completion of the assignment.

A great way to get students engaged with an assignment and build buy-in is to encourage their collaboration on its design and/or on the grading criteria (Hudd, 2003). In his article “Conducting Writing Assignments,” Richard Leahy (2002) offers a few ideas for building in said collaboration:

• Ask the students to develop the grading scale themselves from scratch, starting with choosing the categories.

• Set the grading categories yourself, but ask the students to help write the descriptions.

• Draft the complete grading scale yourself, then give it to your students for review and suggestions.

A Few Do's and Don'ts…

Determining your goals for the assignment and its essential logistics is a good start to creating an effective assignment. However, there are a few more simple factors to consider in your final design. First, here are a few things you should do :

• Do provide detail in your assignment description . Research has shown that students frequently prefer some guiding constraints when completing assignments (Bean, 1996), and that more detail (within reason) can lead to more successful student responses.  One idea is to provide students with physical assignment handouts , in addition to or instead of a simple description in a syllabus.  This can meet the needs of concrete learners and give them something tangible to refer to.  Likewise, it is often beneficial to make explicit for students the process or steps necessary to complete an assignment, given that students – especially younger ones – might need guidance in planning and time management (MIT, 1999).
• Do use open-ended questions.  The most effective and challenging assignments focus on questions that lead students to thinking and explaining, rather than simple yes or no answers, whether explicitly part of the assignment description or in the  brainstorming heuristics (Gardner, 2005).
• Do direct students to appropriate available resources . Giving students pointers about other venues for assistance can help them get started on the right track independently. These kinds of suggestions might include information about campus resources such as the University Writing Center or discipline-specific librarians, suggesting specific journals or books, or even sections of their textbook, or providing them with lists of research ideas or links to acceptable websites.
• Do consider providing models – both successful and unsuccessful models (Miller, 2007). These models could be provided by past students, or models you have created yourself.  You could even ask students to evaluate the models themselves using the determined evaluation criteria, helping them to visualize the final product, think critically about how to complete the assignment, and ideally, recognize success in their own work.
• Do consider including a way for students to make the assignment their own. In their study, Hass and Osborn (2007) confirmed the importance of personal engagement for students when completing an assignment.  Indeed, students will be more engaged in an assignment if it is personally meaningful, practical, or purposeful beyond the classroom.  You might think of ways to encourage students to tap into their own experiences or curiosities, to solve or explore a real problem, or connect to the larger community.  Offering variety in assignment selection can also help students feel more individualized, creative, and in control.
• If your assignment is substantial or long, do consider sequencing it. Far too often, assignments are given as one-shot final products that receive grades at the end of the semester, eternally abandoned by the student.  By sequencing a large assignment, or essentially breaking it down into a systematic approach consisting of interconnected smaller elements (such as a project proposal, an annotated bibliography, or a rough draft, or a series of mini-assignments related to the longer assignment), you can encourage thoughtfulness, complexity, and thoroughness in your students, as well as emphasize process over final product.

Next are a few elements to avoid in your assignments:

• Do not ask too many questions in your assignment.  In an effort to challenge students, instructors often err in the other direction, asking more questions than students can reasonably address in a single assignment without losing focus. Offering an overly specific “checklist” prompt often leads to externally organized papers, in which inexperienced students “slavishly follow the checklist instead of integrating their ideas into more organically-discovered structure” (Flaxman, 2005).
• Do not expect or suggest that there is an “ideal” response to the assignment. A common error for instructors is to dictate content of an assignment too rigidly, or to imply that there is a single correct response or a specific conclusion to reach, either explicitly or implicitly (Flaxman, 2005). Undoubtedly, students do not appreciate feeling as if they must read an instructor's mind to complete an assignment successfully, or that their own ideas have nowhere to go, and can lose motivation as a result. Similarly, avoid assignments that simply ask for regurgitation (Miller, 2007). Again, the best assignments invite students to engage in critical thinking, not just reproduce lectures or readings.
• Do not provide vague or confusing commands . Do students know what you mean when they are asked to “examine” or “discuss” a topic? Return to what you determined about your students' experiences and levels to help you decide what directions will make the most sense to them and what will require more explanation or guidance, and avoid verbiage that might confound them.
• Do not impose impossible time restraints or require the use of insufficient resources for completion of the assignment.  For instance, if you are asking all of your students to use the same resource, ensure that there are enough copies available for all students to access – or at least put one copy on reserve in the library. Likewise, make sure that you are providing your students with ample time to locate resources and effectively complete the assignment (Fitzpatrick, 1989).

The assignments we give to students don't simply have to be research papers or reports. There are many options for effective yet creative ways to assess your students' learning! Here are just a few:

Journals, Posters, Portfolios, Letters, Brochures, Management plans, Editorials, Instruction Manuals, Imitations of a text, Case studies, Debates, News release, Dialogues, Videos, Collages, Plays, Power Point presentations

Ultimately, the success of student responses to an assignment often rests on the instructor's deliberate design of the assignment. By being purposeful and thoughtful from the beginning, you can ensure that your assignments will not only serve as effective assessment methods, but also engage and delight your students. If you would like further help in constructing or revising an assignment, the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center is glad to offer individual consultations. In addition, look into some of the resources provided below.

Online Resources

“Creating Effective Assignments” http://www.unh.edu/teaching-excellence/resources/Assignments.htm This site, from the University of New Hampshire's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning,  provides a brief overview of effective assignment design, with a focus on determining and communicating goals and expectations.

Gardner, T.  (2005, June 12). Ten Tips for Designing Writing Assignments. Traci's Lists of Ten. http://www.tengrrl.com/tens/034.shtml This is a brief yet useful list of tips for assignment design, prepared by a writing teacher and curriculum developer for the National Council of Teachers of English .  The website will also link you to several other lists of “ten tips” related to literacy pedagogy.

“How to Create Effective Assignments for College Students.”  http:// tilt.colostate.edu/retreat/2011/zimmerman.pdf     This PDF is a simplified bulleted list, prepared by Dr. Toni Zimmerman from Colorado State University, offering some helpful ideas for coming up with creative assignments.

“Learner-Centered Assessment” http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_resources/tips/learner_centered_assessment.html From the Centre for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo, this is a short list of suggestions for the process of designing an assessment with your students' interests in mind. “Matching Learning Goals to Assignment Types.” http://teachingcommons.depaul.edu/How_to/design_assignments/assignments_learning_goals.html This is a great page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons, providing a chart that helps instructors match assignments with learning goals.

Additional References Bean, J.C. (1996). Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fitzpatrick, R. (1989). Research and writing assignments that reduce fear lead to better papers and more confident students. Writing Across the Curriculum , 3.2, pp. 15 – 24.

Flaxman, R. (2005). Creating meaningful writing assignments. The Teaching Exchange .  Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008 from http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Sheridan_Center/pubs/teachingExchange/jan2005/01_flaxman.pdf

Hass, M. & Osborn, J. (2007, August 13). An emic view of student writing and the writing process. Across the Disciplines, 4. 

Hedengren, B.F. (2004). A TA's guide to teaching writing in all disciplines . Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Hudd, S. S. (2003, April). Syllabus under construction: Involving students in the creation of class assignments.  Teaching Sociology , 31, pp. 195 – 202.

Leahy, R. (2002). Conducting writing assignments. College Teaching , 50.2, pp. 50 – 54.

Miller, H. (2007). Designing effective writing assignments.  Teaching with writing .  University of Minnesota Center for Writing. Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008, from http://writing.umn.edu/tww/assignments/designing.html

MIT Online Writing and Communication Center (1999). Creating Writing Assignments. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://web.mit.edu/writing/Faculty/createeffective.html .

Contact TTU

What Makes a Good Writing Assignment?

Getting Started

Why include writing in my courses?

What is writing to learn?

WTL Activities

What is writing to engage?

What is writing in the disciplines?

WID Assignments

Useful Knowledge

What should I know about rhetorical situations?

Do I have to be an expert in grammar to assign writing?

What should I know about genre and design?

What should I know about second-language writing?

What teaching resources are available?

What should I know about WAC and graduate education?

Assigning Writing

What makes a good writing assignment?

How can I avoid getting lousy student writing?

What benefits might reflective writing have for my students?

Using Peer Review

Why consider collaborative writing assignments?

Do writing and peer review take up too much class time?

How can I get the most out of peer review?

Responding to Writing

How can I handle responding to student writing?

Sample Grading Sheets

How can writing centers support writing in my courses?

What writing resources are available for my students?

Using Technology

How can computer technologies support writing in my classes?

Designing and Assessing WAC Programs

What is a WAC program?

What designs are typical for WAC programs?

How can WAC programs be assessed?

More on WAC

Where can I learn more about WAC?

Surprisingly, teachers have been known to assign writing tasks without articulating to themselves what the task is supposed to do for students. Good writing assignments always start with a clear goal that the teacher can express, usually on the assignment sheet so that students understand the goal as well.

Good writing assignments also often take shape by thinking backwards. In effect, teachers ask themselves, "What do I want to read at the end of this assignment?" By working from what they anticipate the final product to look like, teachers can give students detailed guidelines about both the writing task and the final written product.

Five Principles

As you think about making up writing assignments, use these five principles:

• Tie the writing task to specific pedagogical goals, particularly those articulated in the overall course goals.
• Note rhetorical aspects of the task, i.e., audience, purpose, writing situation.
• Break down the task into manageable steps.
• Make all elements of the task clear.
• Include grading criteria on the assignment sheet.

Principle 1. Writing Should Meet Teaching Goals

Asking questions like these about your assignment will help guarantee that writing tasks tie directly to your teaching goals in the class:

• What specific course objectives will the writing assignment meet?
• Will informal or formal writing better meet teaching goals?
• Will students be writing to learn course material or writing conventions in the discipline or both?
• Does the assignment make sense?

Work Backward from Goals

Although it might seem awkward at first, working backwards from what you hope the final drafts will look like often produces the best assignment sheets. We recommend jotting down several points that will help you with this step in writing your assignments:

• Why should students write in your class? State your goals for the final product as clearly and concretely as possible.
• Determine what writing products will meet these goals and fit your teaching style/preferences.
• Note specific skills that will contribute to the final product.
• Sequence activities (reading, researching, writing) to build toward the final product.

Beyond the Basics

Writing tasks fill many different roles for students, so defining good writing assignments begins with the specific instructional context. For that reason, the first key to writing a good assignment is tying the task to the specific course goals. After taking your class and its goals into account, though, several other principles can improve the writing tasks you assign and the writing you get from students.

Principle 2. Consider the Rhetorical Situation

Perhaps most important, as noted in the five principles section, is to consider the rhetorical situation. By this, writing experts mean that you should think carefully about the audience you want students to write to as well as the particular genre or format for the final document and the larger context for the document.

Setting up your writing assignment so that the target reader is someone other than you, the teacher, might result in the most improvement in student writing. Students, after all, have had extensive experience writing to teachers, and students know that teachers are a "captive" audience. Your job mandates that you read carefully and respond to their texts. Chinn & Hilgers (2000) explain this role for the teachers as often limited to "corrector." However, instructors can move beyond the corrector role into a "collaborator" role by varying writing tasks, encouraging peer collaboration, and emphasizing professional contexts for writing. So for students, the teacher is not necessarily a reader or audience that will motivate the best possible work on a writing task. Indeed, Hilgers et al . (1999) report that their interview research with 33 upper-division students yielded an intriguing statistic: "56% of the interviewees also described one or more nonteacher audiences" (328) for their academic tasks. In many instances, the assignment called for a hypothetical audience other than the teacher, but even when the assignment didn't prompt students to write for readers other than the teacher, students directed their work toward "an individual they believed has specific content knowledge such as a CEO, coworker, or technician" (328).

Although some experts (Freedman et al ., 1994) argue that setting up a fictitious scenario with a specified audience does not motivate students any more highly than simply writing for the teacher, other practitioners across the disciplines have seen improvement in student writing when they use cases with embedded audiences for students' documents. (See, for instance, Brumberger, 2004; Cass & Fernandez, 2008; Stevens, 2005; Sulewski, 2003.)

A further extension of this move toward providing rich writing contexts beyond the teacher involves writing tasks that actually target real readers. Many senior design projects and management projects in engineering and natural resources involve pairing students with actual clients so that students must take into account the particular needs of their readers. Across many disciplines, teachers are investigating alternative methods to connect undergraduate writers with real audiences, including client-based partnerships (Kiefer & Leff, 2008; Kreth, 2005; Planken & Kreps, 2006;) and service-learning opportunities (Addams et al ., 2010; Bourelle, 2012), among other options.

But even if your particular class doesn't allow you to pair students with actual clients or other readers, consider ways in which you can create a meaningful context with readers beyond the teacher in the classroom (see, for example, Ward, 2009). Chamely-Wiik et al . (2012), for instance, describe in detail how, drawing on materials from The Council of Writing Program Administrators and The Foundation for Critical Thinking, they developed a case study writing context for first-year general chemistry students. As they explain,

Our initial case-study assignment, used for the first two years of the course, required students to explore the scientific principles involved in the Bhopal disaster where thousands of people died in an industrial chemical accident.... The second assignment, used in the third year, required students to formulate and defend an argument whether research in the field of cold fusion should continue to be supported. (504)

Students write with a local audience of classmates and a larger institutional context of the university community in mind. Students responded positively on affective surveys, a typical reaction to carefully designed writing tasks. More significantly, "students in this chemistry course outperformed the majority of students across all undergraduate levels at the university" (506). (For other examples of science students writing to lay audiences, see Martin, 2010; McDermott& Kuhn, 2011; Moni et al ., 2007; Sivey & Lee, 2008).

In addition to audience concerns, students also benefit from understanding how and why a particular format or genre helps them communicate with a target audience (especially when we think of genres as those recurring rhetorical reactions to typical communicative situations). From YouTube videos in organic chemistry (Franz, 2012) to position papers in public relations (Powell, 2012) to posters in physiology (Mulnix, 2003), teachers are helping students to write in genres that immediately connect them with the real readers of their future professional settings. (See also Blakeslee, 2001; Guilford, 2001; Jebb, 2005; LeBigot & Rouet, 2007; Mizrahi, 2003; Motavalli et al ., 2007; Schwartz et al ., 2004; Wald et al ., 2009.)

Why does this attention to audience and genre seem to matter so much to student writing? In recent years, several studies (Adam, 2000; Beaufort, 2004; Belfiore et al ., 2004; Freedman & Adam, 2000; Spinuzzi, 2010) have explored the reasons why writers attentive to specific contexts are more successful. In particular, workplace literacy and socio-cognitive apprenticeship theory (among related theoretical perspectives) both emphasize the role that knowledgeable mentors within a workplace play as they initiate newcomers to the communicative context. (See especially Beaufort, 2000, and Ding, 2008, for social apprenticeship studies and Paretti, 2008, on situated learning and activity theory.) As Dias et al . (1999) explain, writing is not a fixed set of skills that we learn once and then simply plug into as we need to communicate. Rather,

Written discourse... is regularized but not fixed; fluid, flexible, and dynamic; emerging and evolving in exigency and action; reflecting and incorporating social needs, demands, and structures, and responsive to social interpretations and reinterpretations of necessarily shifting, complex experiences. (23)

And, as a result of the fluidity of discourse in varied workplace settings, writers themselves should be prepared for major development of their communication skills when they enter new workplaces. MacKinnon's qualitative study (2000) of new analysts and economists at the Bank of Canada showed that

Overall, the writing-related changes were considerable, consequential, and a shock for some participants: "It's like going to China," said one. For most of the ten participants, the complex totality of the writing-related changes they experienced added up to a "sea change": a major shift in their understanding of what writing is an does in an organization, a revised understanding of the roles they saw for themselves as writing workers and as working writers, and often major changes in various aspects of the macro writing process. (50)

When students have opportunities as undergraduates or graduate/professional students to anticipate these major shifts, then the transitions to workplaces of all sorts become easier. For the most part, moreover, students recognize that apprenticeship learning in academic settings provides both more structured scaffolding of writing tasks and lower-stakes learning. They thus embrace the learning opportunities when offered to them in academic classes.

Principle 3. Break Down the Task into Manageable Steps

The fifth principle noted in the general section on "what makes a good writing assignment?" is to break down the task into manageable steps. Many teachers approach this element of good assignment design by thinking carefully about assignment sequence. One particularly thorough explanation of this process appears in Leydens & Santi (2006). This writing specialist and geoscientist take up the details of designing assignments with an eye to course goals. They also consider the importance of not overwhelming teachers and students (the Less is More approach) as they explain their specific process of questioning their assignments (pp. 493-497). (See also Lord, 2009, and Greasley & Cassidy, 2010.)

Scaffolded assignments, such as the agricultural economics assignment noted in the Additional Resources section, help students reach a larger goal by asking them to collect resources in stages. A final stage requires that students transform each of the earlier stages in a final document. Sequenced assignments, on the other hand, each stand independently, but each task builds on particular skills and challenges to enable students to meet a larger set of goals. Herrington (1997) describes a scaffolded assignment (71-72) with a preliminary plan for a major project followed by an annotated bibliography, early draft (with cover note focused on successes and challenges thus far) and final draft (with cover note). Mulnix & Mulnix (2010) also describe a similar argumentative assignment that uses sequenced tasks to repeat and reinforce critical thinking skills. See also Sin et al . (2007) for a sequence in accounting, Howell (2007) in materials science, Fencl (2010) on a sequence in physics, Zlatic et al . (2000) on pharmaceutical education, and Harding (2005) on freshman mechanical engineering. Coe (2011), on the other hand, describes a series of scaffolded writing tasks to help students build argument skills in philosophy, Alaimo et al . (2009) explain their project for sophomore organic chemistry students, and Lillig (2008) looks at upper-division chemistry.

Principles 4 and 5. Make the Assignment Clear to Students

A well-designed assignment will make the elements of the task clear to students. This includes identifying relevant intermediate assignments and activities, such as topic proposals or literature reviews for longer assignments, as well as providing information about relevant writing, research, and collaboration processes. In general, it is also advisable to list grading criteria on the assignment sheet. Making the assignment clear to students will help them better understand the scope and challenge of the assignment. It also is likely to produce better learning and performance.

Resource: Sample Assignment from an Advanced Undergraduate Agricultural Economics Seminar

Good analytical writing is a rigorous and difficult task. It involves a process of editing and rewriting, and it is common to do a half dozen or more drafts. Because of the difficulty of analytical writing and the need for drafting, we will be completing the assignment in four stages. A draft of each of the sections described below is due when we finish the class unit related to that topic (see due dates on syllabus). I will read the drafts of each section and provide comments; these drafts will not be graded but failure to pass in a complete version of a section will result in a deduction in your final assignment grade. Because of the time both you and I are investing in the project, it will constitute one-half of your semester grade.

Content, Concepts and Substance

Papers will focus on the peoples and policies related to population, food, and the environment of your chosen country. As well as exploring each of these subsets, papers need to highlight the interrelations among them. These interrelations should form part of your revision focus for the final draft. Important concepts relevant to the papers will be covered in class; therefore, your research should be focused on the collection of information on your chosen country or region to substantiate your themes. Specifically, the paper needs to address the following questions.

1. Population

Developing countries have undergone large changes in population. Explain the dynamic nature of this continuing change in your country or region and the forces underlying the changes. Better papers will go beyond description and analyze the situation at hand. That is, go behind the numbers to explain what is happening in your country with respect to the underlying population dynamics: structure of growth, population momentum, rural/urban migration, age structure of population, unanticipated populations shocks, etc. DUE: WEEK 4.

What is the nature of food consumption in your country or region? Is the average daily consumption below recommended levels? Is food consumption increasing with economic growth? What is the income elasticity of demand? Use Engel's law to discuss this behavior. Is production able to stay abreast with demand given these trends? What is the nature of agricultural production: traditional agriculture or green revolution technology? Is the trend in food production towards self-sufficiency? If not, can comparative advantage explain this? Does the country import or export food? Is the politico-economic regime supportive of a progressive agricultural sector? DUE: WEEK 8.

3. Environment

This is the third issue to be covered in class. It is crucial to show in your paper the environmental impact of agricultural production techniques as well as any direct impacts from population changes. This is especially true in countries that have evolved from traditional agriculture to green revolution techniques in the wake of population pressures. While there are private benefits to increased production, the use of petroleum-based inputs leads to environmental and human health related social costs which are exacerbated by poorly defined property rights. Use the concepts of technological externalities, assimilative capacity, property rights, etc., to explain the nature of this situation in your country or region. What other environmental problems are evident? Discuss the problems and methods for economically measuring environmental degradation. DUE: WEEK 12.

4. Final Draft

The final draft of the project should consider the economic situation of agriculture in your specified country or region from the three perspectives outlined above. Key to such an analysis are the interrelationships of the three perspectives. How does each factor contribute to an overall analysis of the successes and problems in agricultural policy and production of your chosen country or region? The paper may conclude with recommendations, but, at the very least, it should provide a clear summary statement about the challenges facing your country or region. DUE: WEEK15.

Adam, C. (2000). "What do we learn from the readers? Factors in determining successful transitions between academic and workplace writing." In P. Dias and A. Paré (Eds.), Transitions: Writing in Academic and Workplace Settings ; pp. 167-182. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Addams, L.H., Woodbury, D., Allred, T., & Addams, J. (2010). Developing Student Communication Skills while Assisting Nonprofit Organizations. Business Communication Quarterly, 73 (3), 282-290.

Alaimo, P.J., Bean, J.C., Langenhan, J.M., & Nichols, L. (2009). Eliminating Lab Reports: A Rhetorical Approach for Teaching the Scientific Paper in Sophomore Organic Chemistry. The WAC Journal, 20 , 17-32.

Beaufort, A. (2004). Developmental gains of a history major: A case for building a theory of disciplinary writing expertise. Research in the Teaching of English, 39 (2), 136-185.

Beaufort, A. (2000). Learning the trade: A social apprenticeship model for gaining writing expertise. Written Communication, 17 (2), 185-224.

Belfiore, M.E., Defoe, T.A., Folinsbee, S., Hunter, J., & Jackson, N.S. (2004). Reading Work: Literacies in the New Workplace. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Blakeslee, A.M. (2001). Bridging the workplace and the academy: Teaching professional genres through classroom-workplace collaborations. Technical Communication Quarterly, 10 (2), 169-192.

Bourelle, T. (2012). Bridging the Gap between the Technical Communication Classroom and the Internship: Teaching Social Consciousness and Real-World Writing. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 42 (2), 183-197.

Brumberger, E.R. (2004). The "Corporate Correspondence Project": Fostering Audience Awareness and Extended Collaboration. Business Communication Quarterly, 67 (3), 349-58.

Cass, A.G., & Fernandes, C.S.T. (2008). Simulated conference submissions: A technique to improve student attitudes about writing. 2008 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Vols. 1-3 ; pp. 1535-1540.   

Chamely,Wiik, D.M., Kaky, J.E., & Galin, J. (2012). From Bhopal to cold fusion: A case-study approach to writing assignments in honors general chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 89 (4), 502-508.

Chinn, P.W.U., & Hilgers. T.L. (2000). From corrector to collaborator: The range of instructor roles in writing-based natural and applied science classes. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 37 (1), 3-25.

Coe, C.D. (2011). Scaffolded writing as a tool for critical thinking: Teaching beginning students how to write arguments. Teaching Philosophy, 34 (1), 33-50.

Dias, P., Freedman, A., Medway, P., & Paré. (1999). "Introduction: Researching Writing at School and at Work." Worlds Apart: Acting and Writing in Academic and Workplace Contexts; pp. 3-13. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Dias, P., Freedman, A., Medway, P., & Paré. (1999). "Situating Writing." Worlds Apart: Acting and Writing in Academic and Workplace Contexts; pp. 17-41. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Ding, H. (2008). The use of cognitive and social apprenticeship to teach a disciplinary genre: Initiation of graduate students into NIH grant writing. Written Communication, 25 (1), 3-52.

Fencl, H.S. (2010). Development of Students' Critical-Reasoning Skills through Content-Focused Activities in a General Education Course. Journal of College Science Teaching, 39 (5), 56-62.

Franz, A.K. (2012). Organic chemistry YouTube writing assignment for large lecture classes. Journal of Chemical Education, 89 (4), 497-501.

Freedman, A., & Adam, C. (2000). "Write where you are: Situating learning to write in university and workplace settings." In P. Dias and A. Paré (Eds.), Transitions: Writing in Academic and Workplace Settings ; pp. 31-60. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Freedman, A., Adam, C., & Smart, G. (1994). Wearing suits to class: Simulating genres and simulations as genre. Written Communication, 11 (2), 193-226.

Greasley, P., & Cassidy, A. (2010). When it comes round to marking assignments: how to impress and how to 'distress' lecturers. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35 (2), 173-189.

Guildford, W.H. (2001). Teaching peer review and the process of scientific writing. Advances in Physiology Education, 25 (3), 167-175.

Harding, B.A. (2005). "A simple mechanism to teach a complex practitioner knowledge set." Innovations in Engineering Education 2005 ; pp. 479-486. ASME.

Herrington, A. (1997). "Developing and responding to major writing projects ." In M.D. Sorcinelli & P. Elbow (Eds.), Writing to learn: Strategies for assigning and responding to writing across the disciplines , pp. 67-75. New directions for teaching the learning, No. 69 . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Hilgers, T.L., Hussey, E.L., & Stitt-Bergh, M. (1999). "As you're writing, you have these epiphanies": What college students say about writing and learning in their majors. Written Communication, 16 (3), 317-353.

Howell, P.R. (2007). "Writing to specification: An approach to teaching scientific literacy, and a prelude to writing 'The World of Materials' essays." In J.E.E. Baglin (Ed.), Proceedings of the Symposium and Forum Education in Materials Science, Engineering and Technology ; pp. 247-289.

Kiefer, K., & Leff, A. (2008). "Client-based writing about science: Immersing science students in real writing contexts." Across the Disciplines , vol. 5 .

Kreth, M.L. (2005). A Small-Scale Client Project for Business Writing Students: Developing a Guide for First-Time Home Buyers. Business Communication Quarterly, 68 (1), 52-59.

LeBigot, L., & Rouet, J.F. (2007). The impact of presentation format, task assignment, and prior knowledge on students' comprehension of multiple online documents. Journal of Literacy Research, 39 (4), 445-470.

Leydens, J., & Santi, P. (2006). Optimizing faculty use of writing as a learning tool in geoscience education. Journal of Geoscience Education , 54 (4), 491-502.

Lillig, J.W. (2008). Writing across the semester: A non-standard term paper that encourages critical data analysis in the upper-division chemistry classroom. Journal of Chemical Education, 85 (10), 1392-1394.

Lord, S.M. (2009). Integrating effective "writing to communicate" experiences in engineering courses: Guidelines and examples. International Journal of Engineering Education, 25 (1), 196-204.

MacKinnon, J. (1993). "Becoming a rhetor: Developing writing ability in a mature, writing-intensive organization." In R. Spilka (Ed.), Writing in the Workplace: New Research Perspectives ; pp. 41-55. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP.

Martin, A.M. (2010). "Astronomy and writing: A first-year cosmology course for nonmajors." In J. Barnes, D.A. Smith, M.G. Gibbs, and J.G. Manning (Eds.), Science Education and Outreach: Forging a Path to the Future . Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series, Vol. 431; pp. 368-371. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

McDermott, M., & Kuhn, M. (2011). Using writing for alternative audiences in a college integrated science course. Journal of College Science Teaching, 41 (1), 40-45.

Mizrahi, J. (2003). Teaching technical writing to university students using the medical report. STC's 50 th Annual Conference Proceedings ; 190-193.

Moni, R.W., Hryciw, D.H., Poronnik, P., & Moni, K.B. (2007). Using explicit teaching to improve how bioscience students write to the lay public. Advances in Physiology Education, 31 (2), 167-75.

Motavalli, P.P., Patton, M.D., & Miles, R.J. (2007). Use of web-based student extension publications to improve undergraduate student writing skills. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, 36 : 95-102.

Mulnix, A.B. (2003). Investigations of Protein Structure and Function Using the Scientific Literature: An Assignment for an Undergraduate Cell Physiology Course. Cell Biology Education, 2 (4), 248-255.

Mulnix, J.W., & Mulnix, M.J. (2010). Using a writing portfolio project to teach critical thinking skills. Teaching Philosophy, 33 (1), 27-54.

Paretti, M.C. (2008). Teaching communication in capstone design: The role of the instructor in situated learning. Journal of Engineering Education, 97 (4), 491-503.

Planken, B., & Kreps, A.J. Raising Students' Awareness of the Implications of Multimodality for Content Design and Usability: The Web Site Project. Business Communication Quarterly, 69 (4), 421-425.

Powell, V. (2012). Revival of the Position Paper: Aligning Curricula and Professional Competencies. Communication Teacher, 26 (2), 96-103.

Schwartz, R.S., Lederman, N.G., & Crawford, B.A. (2004). Developing view of nature of science in an authentic context: An explicit approach to bridging the gap between nature of science and scientific inquiry. Science Education, 88 (4), 610-645.

Sin, S., Jones, A., & Petocz, P. (2007). Evaluating a method of integrating generic skills with accounting content based on a functional theory of meaning. Accounting and Finance, 47 (1), 143-163.

Sivey, J.D., & Lee, C.M. (2008). Using popular magazine articles to teach the art of writing for nontechnical audiences. Journal of Chemical Education, 85 (1), 55-58.

Spinuzzi, C. (2010). Secret sauce and snake oil: Writing monthly reports in a highly contingent environment. Written Communication, 27 (4), 363-409.

Stevens, B. (2005). The Car Accident: An Exercise in Persuasive Writing. Communication Teacher, 19 (2), 62-67.

Sulewski, R. (2003). Integrating communication and technical material int eh first-year engineering curriculum: The role of the laboratory. STC's 50 th Annual Conference Proceedings ; 176-178.

Wald, H.S., Davis, S.W., Reis, S.P., Monroe, A.D., & Borkan, J.M. (2009). Reflecting on reflections: Enhancement of medical education curriculum with structured field notes and guided feedback. Academic Medicine, 84 (7), 830-837.

Ward, M., Sr. (2009). Squaring the learning circle: Cross-classroom collaborations and the impact of audience on student outcomes in professional writing. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 23 (1), 61-82.

Zlatic, T.D., Nowak, D.M., & Sylvester, D. (2000). Integrating general and professional education through a study of herbal products: An intercollegiate collaboration. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 64 (1), 83-94.

Related Web Sites

WAC@NIU ( http://www.engl.niu.edu/wac/ ) has two useful items in their archives under "Ccomputer-intensive assignments" in the first Key Web Sites section of links:

• "checklist, a series of questions to help plan writing assignments"

(If the questions under rhetorical situation confuse you, call our Writing Center for a quick explanation.)

• "setting up a writing assignment"

Writing@CSU includes a much more detailed explanation of how and why to design writing assignments at http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/fys/assignmentwriting.cfm .

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Unlocking Academic Success: The Top 12 Benefits of Assignments

Is it possible that you would reach the end of your degree but didn't attempt any assignment in your academic career? Not really. Well, the importance of assignments is not hidden from us. We all are aware of its significance. Completing assignments is a daunting task, but do you have any idea about their benefits? If not, then keep reading this article. We'll explain the benefits of assignments in detail and how to finish them fast. Before moving forward, let's have a brief overview of what an assignment is and its purpose.

What is an assignment? 

Assignments play an important part in the learning process of students. It is a well known assessment method for teachers as well. Additionally, it is not only for students but also for professors. With the help of assignments, professors can evaluate the skills, expertise, and knowledge of students. It also helps teachers assess whether or not pupils have met the learning objectives. Moreover, it allows them to gauge how much students have learned from their lessons. 

In education, an "assignment" means a piece of schoolwork that teachers give to students. It provides a range of opportunities to practice, learn, and show what you've learned. When teachers assign assignments, they provide their students with a summary of the knowledge they have learned. Additionally, they assess whether students have understood the acquired knowledge. If not, what concerns do they may have?  

Purpose of Giving Assignments to Students

Teachers give homework to help students in their learning. Doing homework shows they are good at it, responsible, and can manage their time wisely. College professors also give homework to check how well students understand what they learned. Clarity is required when planning an assignment on a number of issues. As a result, the following factors are taken into account by your teacher when creating the structure for your assignment.

• Will it be an individual or group assignment?
• How can it be made more effective for students?
• Should I combine two approaches for this project?
• Do I need to observe how students are working on the assignment? Or should I check it once they've finished it?
• What standards must I follow when evaluating this assignment?

What are the aspects of assignment evaluation?

Instructors usually follow these three aspects when evaluating an assignment.

The assignment and the method used to evaluate the results are in line with the learning objectives.

Reliability

Teachers draw distinctions and assign grades based on the outcomes. The score is consistently calculated based on the predefined parameters. It guarantees that the grades are evaluated in a meaningful way.

Objectivity

An assignment's goal should be obvious. The primary goal of this assignment is to teach students what they will learn. Also, how to finish that assignment. Teachers need to specify what they expect from the assignment and how they are going to evaluate it. 

Types of Writing Assignments

There are different types of writings that teachers assign to students at the college or university level. Some of writing assignment types are:

It presents the author's viewpoint on a subject with supporting data and may also argue its case. The essay structure consists of three main components: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Essays are of different types, such as analytical essays, compare and contrast essays, and persuasive essays. You can also buy essays from an online writing service. 

A report offers information about an issue in a clear and organized manner. You may have learned this information through reading, research, experiments, and measurements in the field or lab. You might also have gained it from your personal experiences. Additionally, reports have different structures depending on the subject or discipline. The basic structure of the report consists of an abstract, introduction, methodology, findings, discussion, conclusion, and appendices. 

Literature reviews

A literature review may be assigned as a standalone assignment. In the literature review, the goal is to summarize the key research relating to your topic. Alternatively, it might be a section of a lengthy project, like a research report or thesis. The goal would be to justify the need for more research on the topic you have selected.

Annotated bibliographies

A literature review or essay synthesizes various sources and incorporates them into a single discussion about a topic. In contrast, an annotated bibliography evaluates and summarizes each reading independently. Each reading is typically presented alphabetically based on the first letter of the lead author's surname. It is difficult to generate an annotated bibliography. But you can get expert help by hiring an online annotated bibliography writing service . 

Case studies

In general, a case study requires the integration of theory and practice. This helps you connect theoretical ideas to real professional or practical situations. A case may be a person, any event, idea, etc. You are analyzing the case by mapping it against a theoretical explanation to understand and see the big picture – What has happened? It may take the form of a report or an essay. Consult your lecturer or tutor and review the assignment question.

Research paper

The research paper starts with a topic and your research question. Add data from trustworthy sites and properly cite those sources. Moreover, add a claim or argument as your thesis statement. If you don't know how to write a research paper , you can check our latest guide.

Response paper

In the response paper, discuss what you've read or learned about a particular problem or subject. Evaluate concepts about other readings, talks, or debates. Write in a combination of formal and informal styles. (make sure to consult your professor's guidelines)

Top 12 Benefits of Assignments

For hard working students, assignments can offer many benefits once they get used to them. They help you get the grades you want and show what you have learned in your classes. You'll see the benefits of assignments more clearly when you learn about their different types and what your teacher expects. Assignments are an absolute way to do well in your classes.

We have already talked about what an assignment is and its purpose. Let's explore the impact of homework assignment on students' learning.

1. Enhance the student's knowledge

Teachers assign assignments on a variety of subjects and topics. This will help the students to gain knowledge when they work on different kinds of topics. It is one of the best benefits that students receive from assignments. They are also introduced to significant ideas and insightful information.

Suppose your assignment topic is too complex. You have to spend extra time and effort to conduct detailed research to understand the topic. This way, you will not only be able to complete your assignment. But also gain a lot of new information.

There can be a lot of pressure to memorize information exactly. This pressure may lead to simply repeating it when studying for an exam. Students find it challenging to truly grasp the concepts covered in their courses. This results in a lack of deep understanding. On the other hand, when you undertake a challenging assignment, you'll be applying knowledge to real world issues. These issues often have multiple possible solutions. You'll find that developing this kind of thinking and improving your assignment writing skills will help you throughout the course and the rest of your academic career.

2. Improve student's problem solving skills

Another benefit of assignments is when students work on complex projects; their analytical and critical thinking skills are also enhanced. This is an extremely useful skill for students to possess. Since it will help them in their academic and professional journey. We continue to learn from this process regardless of our age.

A great technique to master your course material is to challenge yourself. Give yourself a complex problem to solve and strive to find a solution. Similar to the benefits of homework , you can only improve at something by putting it into practice and giving it a lot of thought. We are always working on these analytical and problem solving skills, and going back to school will force you to develop them even more. 

3. Boost your writing caliber

We frequently find ourselves with a lot on our minds but unable to properly and clearly explain it in front of the audience. Assignments help us in improving our writing skills. When you have a habit of writing, then you can communicate easily. Your writing skills will improve because your academic task requires you to write. Another benefit of assignments is that they assist you in writing concisely and clearly.

4. Help to think under pressure

Sometimes, you might be assigned a very difficult assignment that requires a lot of knowledge, and you are not familiar with it. Handling these complex tasks assists you in persevering when you don't have enough information. It also helps you to grow confidence in your skills to find the right solution.

Additionally, all students and professionals need to learn how to think under pressure. The assignment gives you the opportunity to do so. Since you probably only have a few days to finish the assignment. You'll need to not only manage your busy schedule to finish it. But also squeeze in a lot of learning and application of what you've learned. Possessing this ability will be beneficial because it will enable you to think clearly under pressure, which will help you succeed in school and in your career.

5. Help in boosting grades

There is more pressure to perform well on exams when a course has few exams that make up for an important part of your final grade. Smaller assignments that account for a smaller portion of your final grade mean that even if you don't perform well on one of them, you will still have more chances to improve your grade.

You can feel more at ease knowing that your grades are divided in this manner. This provides you with multiple chances to work towards a higher grade. Many students prefer smaller assessments. These relieve them of worrying about a single test significantly impacting their final grade.

6. Build time management skills

A study conducted among students revealed that students who completed more assignments performed better in their overall academics. They also achieved higher scores in specific subjects.

Due to these tasks, students gain more time management skills, which further empowers them. They learn the ability to allocate their time between assigned tasks and prioritized activities. They are aware of what needs to be done first. How to solve problems faster, and how to turn in their work ahead of schedule. Furthermore, this practice teaches them to use their time wisely.   

7. Enhance organizing and planning skills

Completing an assignment requires thoughtful planning. Students' organizational skills are improved through the information search, sorting, and use of relevant data. Following that, students will be able to plan out when and how to complete their assigned work. Attempting assignments allows them to effectively handle their learning habits. They also help them to apply their knowledge wisely to improve their academic performance.  

8. Understand how to apply in real life scenarios

Applying theoretical concepts to real world situations also gets easier when one learns how to write theoretical assignments. This enables them to be prepared to deal with any problems that arise in the future.

9. Boosts your knowledge of technical subjects and ideas

When a subject is taught in a classroom environment, it's normal for students to not understand it. They are forced to spend more time comprehending and finishing their work when they are assigned assignments on those subjects, though.

This enables them to respond to those questions with ease and proficiency. Regardless of a concept's technicality, you'll gain a strong command over it. This happens when you write multiple articles on the same topic or idea.

10. Improve research skills

Doing homework and assignments also helps students get better at researching. When a professor assigns any assignment, students perform thorough research on different topics. This allows them to learn the ability to find useful information and sort it accordingly. Their professional life is positively impacted, and their academic performance is improved by this habit.

11. Learn the art of tasks prioritizing

When handling a lot of assignments, you will learn to prioritize the task based on its importance. It is a crucial skill that is needed in professional life. Prioritizing your work will help you to complete all your tasks on time. You will be able to meet the deadlines.

12. Making a personal study space

You can get help from your colleagues and online resources. But the task of implementing that knowledge is your own. This is exactly what you need to understand concepts.

As you work on your assignments, you can create a relaxing study space that increases productivity. You'll be able to create a unique working style by doing this. In addition, you can focus on creativity, productivity, learning, and pursuing interests.

Of course, everything has a negative aspect, even though there are definite advantages. Sometimes, students may question the true value of assignments. They wonder if there are any restrictions on this particular grading scheme. Students usually wonder this when they are having difficulty with their coursework or with specific concepts. These carry significant burdens. They can be stressful for students struggling with course material.

However, this belief has a reason. Even experts can't agree on the best way to evaluate a student's performance in a course. This sparks a lot of discussion.

How to finish assignments fast?

Firstly, make a plan of what steps you will cover in your assignment. It includes how much time is required to complete the assignment. Then, list out all the tasks that you will do in your assignment. Identify what you need to complete this assignment, like a calculator, books, paper, and pen. Find a relaxing and quiet place to work without any distractions. Switch off your phone. Have some light snacks and water. Take quick breaks between assignment tasks. When you're done with the assignment, reward yourself.

Concluding Remarks

Now, you have a clear understanding of what the assignment means and its importance. And how it is beneficial for the student's academic career. Would you like additional information? Or do you simply not have the time to complete it? Stop worrying! You can find the solution at Nerdpapers, all under one roof. Our professionals have years of experience. So, if a student gets stuck on a project or assignment, they can take a variety of actions to help them finish it on time. Not only can our native experts produce high quality assignments. But they can also help you achieve good grades at reasonable costs. Therefore, hire subject related experts for appropriate guidance and assistance rather than compromising your grades. Whether you are a college, university, or high school student, there are several benefits of assignment writing.

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Persuasive essay topics – how to choose one for you, how to write a persuasive essay- expert tips.

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Late assignment submission excuses that don’t fail.

June 27, 2023 • 10 min read

Academic success depends on completing assignments on time, but occasionally unexpected obstacles arise in life. Although it's always best to plan ahead and manage your time well, late submission excuses have become a common part of student life. In these situations, we need to be resourceful. In this article, we examine a few original and creative justifications for late assignment submissions. 

But before you do anything, take a deep breath and think about your options. There are some good excuses for turning in an assignment late, and there are some that are just plain bad.

Good Excuses for Late Assignment Submission:

Although it is typically not advisable to give justifications for late assignment submissions because it is crucial to prioritize responsibility and time management, there might be occasions when unavoidable circumstances arise. Here are a few valid justifications for submitting an assignment after the deadline:

• Personal Illness or Injury: If you had a sudden illness or injury that made it difficult for you to finish the assignment on time, that is a good reason to ask for a deadline extension. To prove your claim, offer the necessary proof, such as a medical certificate.
• Family Emergency: It might be necessary to ask for an extension for your assignment if there is a serious family emergency, such as the hospitalization of a close relative or the occurrence of a natural disaster.
• Technical Problems: There may occasionally be technical issues that are beyond your control, such as a computer crash, an internet outage, or a software malfunction. These problems may make it difficult for you to finish and turn in the assignment on time. Inform your professor right away, and if you can, include proof like screenshots or error messages.
• Unforeseen Events: Unexpected situations, like a last-minute work commitment, transportation problems, or a personal crisis, may make it difficult for you to finish an assignment on time. If such circumstances occur, be open and honest with your professor about them.
• Academic Overload: It can occasionally be difficult to meet all the deadlines if you find yourself overwhelmed with numerous assignments and coursework. In these circumstances, proactive communication with your professor is preferable.

Bad Excuses for Late Assignment Submission:

While it's critical to be open and truthful about legitimate justifications for late assignment submissions, it's equally crucial to identify and refrain from offering lame justifications that lack veracity or show a lack of accountability. Examples of justifications that are typically viewed as inappropriate or unconvincing include the following:

• Procrastination: Blaming procrastination or poor time management for the delay will have a negative impact on your ability to prioritize your obligations. Taking responsibility for your actions is always preferable to using procrastination as a justification.
• Social Events or Partying: Saying that you were unable to finish the assignment because you were out having fun or attending social events, parties, or other entertainment-related activities suggests that you value your leisure time more than your academic responsibilities.
• Internet or Power Outage: Although technical difficulties can occasionally happen, using an internet or power outage as a justification without supporting evidence or documentation may be considered a weak defense. It is a good idea to have backup plans, like local power or alternative internet sources.
• Forgetting the Due Date: Forgetting the due date for an assignment is not a good justification because it shows a lack of planning and focus. It's critical to remember due dates and use calendars, reminders, and other organizational tools to stay on top of things.
• Personal Relationship Problems: It may come across as unprofessional and unconvincing to blame a late submission on relationship issues or disagreements with friends, family, or romantic partners. It is best to keep personal matters separate from academic obligations and seek assistance or support if needed.
• Lack of Resources: It may not be acceptable to claim that you were unable to complete the assignment because you lacked the necessary books or materials. Planning ahead and making prompt use of the resources at hand are crucial.

How to Write an Excuse for a Late Assignment:

If you do have a legitimate reason for turning in an assignment late, it's important to write a clear and concise excuse. Here are some tips:

• Be honest. Don't try to lie or make up excuses. Your professor will be able to tell if you're not being truthful.
• Be specific. Explain exactly what happened and why it prevented you from turning in your assignment on time.
• Be apologetic. Express your sincere apologies for turning in your assignment late.
• Be respectful. Address your professor by their title and last name.

How to ask a professor to accept a late assignment by mail:  

You can use the following example of an email to ask your professor to accept a late assignment:

Dear Professor [Name of the Professor],

I'm writing to ask for a delay in the due date for my [course name and number] assignment, [name of assignment]. The assignment was supposed to be turned in on [original due date], but I need it by [new due date].

I apologize for the submission's tardiness. I am aware that this is not an excuse, but a few unforeseen events kept me from finishing the assignment on time.

I had a family emergency that needed to be attended to first. I had to travel to be with my [relationship to family member] because they were in the hospital. This consumed a substantial amount of time.

Second, my computer was having some technical issues. My files were completely lost when my hard drive crashed. I lost a few days as a result of having to start the assignment from scratch.

Even though I am aware that the circumstances are not ideal, I am determined to do my very best to complete the task. The finished assignment is attached to this email.

I would appreciate it if you would give my request for a delay some thought. I am sure I can finish the assignment by the new due date.

I appreciate your consideration and time.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

Final Thoughts:

While excuses for late assignment submissions can be amusing and humorous, it's important to keep in mind that accountability and time management should always come first. These ingenious justifications ought to be used sparingly and shouldn't serve to reinforce dishonesty or procrastination as bad habits. It's best to be open with your professors, ask for extra time when you need it, and make an effort to turn in assignments on time. Always keep in mind that education is a journey towards growth and development on both a personal and academic level. If you follow these tips, you will increase your chances of having your request granted.

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A Guide to Writing a Deadline Extension Email to Your Professor

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We’ve all been in that tough spot – the one where a deadline is creeping up, and you find yourself racing against time. You desperately need an extension to complete your assignment, but you find yourself at crossroads.

On the one hand, you understand the importance of timely submission, but on the other, you realize that getting that extra time will positively impact the quality of your assignment.

In such a situation, it is a good idea to write a professional email to your professor , asking for an extension. You need to effectively communicate your situation and make a sincere request for additional time.

What are the reasons to ask for an extension on an assignment?

There can be various reasons for requesting extra time for your assignment. While some reasons may be viewed as mere excuses, there are genuine and acceptable circumstances that may warrant asking for an extension. Let's explore some reasons for requesting additional time to work on your assignment.

• Sudden injury or illness (physical and mental).
• Sudden decline in long-term health condition.
• Significant and unexpected personal challenges such as the death of a loved one or family obligations.
• Natural disaster.
• Technical difficulties hinder the assignment.
• Additional research is required.
• Overlapping deadlines or class schedules.

While the last three reasons may not be universally acceptable across all colleges, the key lies in how you communicate and present these reasons to your professor. Proper positioning and articulation can make a difference in how your request is perceived and considered.

That said, if your “reason” is not a legitimate one and you fear that your request will be turned down, why not hire an urgent writing service like Writers Per Hour to write your essay? Our last minute essay writers are trained to research, write and proofread within quick turnarounds ranging from 24 hours and 16 hours to 8 hours and even 5 hours – without compromising the quality.

9 tips for writing an email requesting an assignment deadline extension

While you’re drowning in deadlines, writing a respectful, clear, and concise email to your professor asking for an extension is no joke. Let's explore tips for writing an email that could potentially secure that much-needed additional time.

1. Don’t wait till the last day

It's common to procrastinate when faced with tasks that are challenging or evoke negative emotions. Writing a deadline extension email is one such task, but students don’t realize that waiting till the last minute to write this email can undermine their chances of getting an extension.

Moreover, sending this request a day prior to the deadline (or, worse, on the day of submission) puts unnecessary pressure on the professor. Reaching out early shows that you are proactive in managing your workload and respecting their time.

2. Write a professional subject line

The email subject line is your opportunity to make a strong first impression and ensure your email is noticed promptly. The subject line needs to be concise, clear, and professional. Be sure to keep it simple and stay within the 60-character limit so it appears entirely in the inbox.

Here are examples of some good subject lines for your deadline extension email:

• Request for extension: [Assignment name]
• Seeking extension for [Assignment name]
• Deadline extension request: [Assignment name]
• Request for deadline extension: [Assignment name]

Notice how these subject lines are informative and to the point. One look at it, and the professor will know what you’re getting at.

Here are some examples of subject lines you must avoid:

• Please give me more time!
• Urgent help required
• Extension needed urgently
• Need an extension ASAP

Not only do these subject lines lack clarity, but they also sound demanding, impolite, and entitled.

3. Introduce yourself in brief

Your professor is likely to receive emails from several students, which is why it’s important to start with a brief introduction of yourself. It should include the following:

• Course and section details;
• Assignment details.

Here’s an example of the introduction:

Dear Mr/Ms [first name],

I hope this email finds you well. My name is [your name], and I am a student in your [course name, section number] class. I am writing to kindly request a deadline extension for the [assignment name] that is due on [deadline].

4. Address your commitment to deadlines

Now that you’ve introduced yourself before you move on to the reason for the extension, it’s a good idea to emphasize your commitment to deadlines.

It shows you take academic responsibilities seriously and understand the importance of deadlines. Don’t spend more than a sentence or two on this part.

You can mention that you typically prioritize meeting deadlines and explain that the circumstances leading to the request for an extension are exceptional. For instance, you can write:

Throughout the course, I have consistently strived to submit assignments promptly, recognizing the importance of timely completion in my own learning process. However, unforeseen circumstances have arisen recently that have made it challenging for me to meet the original deadline for this particular assignment.

5. State the reason for the extension

Coming to the meat of the email – the reason for the extension. This is the section that will get maximum attention.

Make sure you clearly state the reasons without beating about the bush. Provide a brief explanation of the circumstances that made it challenging for you to meet the deadline. Remember: stick to the important details instead of getting into unnecessary personal information.

Here’s an example of an appropriate explanation:

The recent unexpected family emergency I experienced required my immediate attention and has significantly disrupted my ability to meet the original deadline.

As opposed to the below that delves into unnecessary, irrelevant details:

Unfortunately, a recent unexpected family emergency occurred, resulting in a series of events that demanded my immediate attention and made it extremely challenging for me to focus on my coursework. The emergency involved a medical situation that required hospitalization and ongoing care for a family member, which caused immense emotional distress and affected my ability to allocate sufficient time to the assignment. I have been juggling multiple responsibilities and attending to various family matters, leaving me unable to give the assignment the attention it deserves.

6. Mention the progress made in the assignment

Many students make the mistake of leaving out the progress they’ve made while writing the deadline extension email.

It’s important to be transparent about the work you’ve done so far because it lets them assess the level of effort you have put in. It shows your willingness and dedication to complete the task to the best of your abilities.

Here’s an example of what you can write to demonstrate the progress made:

I have made significant progress on the assignment. I have conducted thorough research, gathered relevant sources, and started outlining my ideas for the content. I have also completed the introduction and have made substantial headway in developing the main body of the assignment. However, I believe that the remaining sections require more time to refine and polish to meet the desired quality standards.

7. Propose a new deadline

Your deadline extension email is incomplete without a proposed new deadline. It is essential to include a specific timeline as a proposal in your email, demonstrating your commitment to completing the assignment within a reasonable timeframe.

While the ultimate decision lies with your professor, suggesting a new deadline shows your proactive approach and respect for their schedule and course requirements.

Make sure the revised deadline is feasible and gives you time to finish it to the best of your ability. It’s also a good idea to briefly explain the rationale behind why you believe the proposed deadline is reasonable.

8. End the email with gratitude

While ending the deadline extension email, show your appreciation by thanking the professor for their understanding and consideration. Keep it short and simple without introducing any new information.

You must also use this space to show your willingness to discuss this matter or provide further information if needed.

Here’s an example:

Thank you for your understanding and consideration of my request. I truly appreciate your guidance and support in this matter. Should you require any further information or have any suggestions, please let me know. I look forward to your response.

[Your name]

Assignment extension request email sample

Here’s an example of a deadline extension email you can send your professor:

Throughout the course, I have consistently strived to submit assignments promptly, recognizing the importance of timely completion in my own learning process.

However, the recent unexpected family emergency I experienced required my immediate attention and significantly disrupted my ability to meet the original deadline.

I have made significant progress on the assignment. I have conducted thorough research, gathered relevant sources, and started outlining my ideas for the content. I have also completed the introduction and have made substantial headway in developing the main body of the assignment.

I believe that an extension of [proposed deadline] would allow me to complete the assignment to the best of my abilities and ensure a submission that aligns with the quality standards expected.

Thank you for your understanding and consideration of my request. If there are any adjustments or alternative deadlines that better align with your schedule, I am open to discussing them. Thank you for your guidance and support.

Key takeaway

A part of you might shy away from writing a deadline extension email and wonder, “Do I really need to?”. The answer is yes because it shows that you take responsibility and respect your college’s policies.

The next time you find yourself in need of a deadline extension, approach it with confidence, professionalism, and courtesy. With these tips in mind, you can effectively communicate your request and navigate the process with grace.

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31 Best Assignment Extension Excuses

Students need extensions on their assignments all the time. There are good excuses for an extension … and there are not so good excuses. I’m a professor, and I’ve heard them all. So has your professor. Here are the best ones I’ve heard.

The Best Assignment Extension Excuses

Introduction.

>>>BONUS: GET YOUR FREE ASSIGNMENT EXTENSION REQUEST LETTER TEMPLATE

For the rest of this article, I’m going to explain exactly how to ask your professor for an extension – with a focus on just 9 extension excuses.

Some of these are good excuses for turning in a paper late. Others are ones you’ll want to avoid.

Read on to learn which ones to avoid and which to use!

Professors like myself get a lot of extension requests, so knowing how to ask in a way that will get your teacher to grant the extension is very important.

>>>Related Article: 15+ Tips on Requesting an Extension

1. Your Team Members screwed you Over in a Group Assessment

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This extension excuse gets a lot of sympathies.

A little secret: teachers hate group work assignments , too. We usually set them because we have to embed it into a degree as an ‘employability skill’.

So, when you come to your teacher 3 days before submission and say “Teacher, one of my teammates didn’t pull through!”, your teacher will roll their eyes, but totally understand.

What you need to make this excuse work is a paper trail showing evidence that you pulled your weight. Evidence can be:

• Email and Facebook chains of conversations;
• Meeting minutes;
• Completed drafts of sections that you were assigned

If you can show that you’ve put in the effort and genuinely tried to be a good team member, chances are your teacher will want to help you out.

Just beware: you still might lose points for teamwork. It’s an unfortunate reality that sometimes our team members bring our work down and we can’t do anything about it.

But, if you can show you’re a good student and have worked in good faith, this one might just help you pull through and win you that precious extra few days to work on your piece.

2. You’ve had Writer’s Block

>>> Related Post: How to Write an Essay at the Last Minute

This extension excuse gets points for honesty. If you come to your teacher and say “Look, I’ve read all of the readings, but the creativity just hasn’t come” then your teacher might just give you a little extra time.

This reason for asking for an extension on a paper will probably be respected more than most.

Teachers hate when a student comes to them with an obvious lie like:

• Your dog ate your homework,
• Your grandma died (again), or
• your boss is a jerk

These are time-tested lies that we get all the time . It’s rarer for a student to step up and confess: “Look, it’s just a really tough assessment.”

For this excuse to work, it’s best to provide evidence of three things:

• You’ve tried really hard;
• You’ve sought help;
• You’ve come up with a solution so it won’t happen again.

First, show you actually have put hours into the assessment.

Bring to your teacher (either in person or via email) evidence that you’ve read through a lot of readings on the topic.

Bring to the printed readings with highlighting and notes in the margins.

Talk to them about how you thought you might be able to use the information in these pieces for your work.

Second, show that you’ve sought help.

This excuse works best if you’ve primed the teacher already with a few emails spaced out over the previous few weeks asking questions about whether you’re on the right track.

If you’ve already managed to email the teacher a few times about the assignment, send your extension request as your final reply to that email chain of discussion.

Another way of showing that you’ve sought help is showing that you’ve accessed help from the library or another member of the university staff.

Explain to your teacher that you attended a library workshop , talked to your academic advisor, or had ongoing conversations with a Teacher’s Assistant about the assessment.

Third, show how you’ve developed skills to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

Explain to your teacher that you’ve thought up some study solutions that you’ll put in place during the week or so in which the extension would take place.

For example, you could note how some study skills you’ve thought might help you out of this situation might be:

• You’ve found a spot in the library to dig in and do the work;
• You’ve freed up some time in your calendar over the next 7 days;
• You’ve found a study tip that you want to put in place

Make sure you not only tell, but show your teacher you’ve tried hard, you’ve sought help, and you’ve identified solutions. If you do this, you’re more likely to have your extension request granted.

3. Work called you in for Extra Shifts

>>>Related Post: Professor Reveals 21+ Excuses for Skipping Class

Here’s another reason to ask your professor for an extension on a paper that gets a lot of sympathies.

We teachers have been there. Poor, living off microwaved noodle. In fact, many of us are still there with you.

When explaining that work has called you in for extra shifts, make sure your teacher knows you needed that money. You don’t need to cry poor or ask for a sympathy card. But let them know:

• My boss asked me to take on extra shifts; and
• I pay my own way through life, so the extra money meant a lot to me.

This extension excuse strategy works best when you give advance notice. Let your teacher know as soon as you pick up those extra shifts. Send them an email making them feel like they were a part of the discussion ( Click here to download all my Assignment Extension Request Letter Templates ).

You can say:

Hi [Teacher] ,

My boss has just gotten in touch asking me to cover some extra shifts at work for the rest of this week. I’m pretty short on money at this point of the semester with a few bills coming through, so I’d love to be able to take them.

Obviously this gets in the way of the time I’ve set aside this week for completing the upcoming assignment.

I’m wondering, would you please consider giving me an extra three days to submit my assessment so that I can pick up these shifts? It’d mean a lot to me.

Thank you for considering this request.

Sincerely, [Your name] [Your class]

4. You’re taking a pre-planned Vacation

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This reason for asking for an extension on a paper needs to be flagged very early on.

I’ve granted extensions for this extension excuse, but usually only when students let me know in the first week or two of the semester.

The trick here is to show:

• That the vacation was booked well in advance and was not intended to interfere with the course;
• That you really want to complete the course this semester in order to meet a personal goal.

Your personal goal might be to have graduated by a certain date, before your child starts (or finishes) school, or in order to qualify for an internship in a Master’s program that has an application deadline of a specific date.

If you show you’re ambitious and taking your studies seriously, this excuse will go down well.

Teachers don’t always grant this one, so be prepared to be told that your extension is not granted. Your teacher might insist that you submit it before you head off on your vacation, or simply deny the extension.

Something else you need to take into account is that you’re admitting you might miss some classes as well.

It might be worthwhile pointing out that your intention is to complete the weekly readings or tasks in advance of heading off on vacation.

One time when I don’t grant extensions for pre-planned vacations is when the vacation clashes with group work assessments. Your chances are higher if your vacation isn’t putting anyone else out.

Good luck with this one!

5. Computer Issues

This extension excuse gets eye rolls.

Blaming technology issues is a cliché excuse that teachers tend not to take too seriously.

It’s used too often and we expect that more often than not it’s a lie rather than a genuine problem.

If you want to get sympathy for this excuse, provide evidence. Here are some valuable forms of evidence, in order from best to worst:

• A receipt or quote from a computer repairman that contains the current date;
• Evidence you’ve been to see the university’s IT department to see if your data can be recovered;
• A photograph of the broken computer equipment.

Your teacher may even expect you to provide a backup of earlier drafts. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of saving your assignments onto a personal internet cloud like Google OneDrive. Personally, I email drafts to myself to ensure I have regularly saved versions.

You should also expect that your teacher will inform you that the university computers are there, available for you to use.

It’s a good idea to get ahead of this response by letting your teacher know you’ve set aside some time to use the university computers to get back on track.

6. You’re a Carer

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Something that has blown me away as a university teacher is just how many students care for their chronically sick or disabled parents, partners or children.

Carers are, frankly, inspiring people, and you’ll get sympathy from your teacher.

I’d recommend letting your teacher know in advance about your situation.

The best way to do this is to ask your student advisor or the course leader to give your teacher a heads-up on this one. Most universities these days assign student advisors to each student for support on issues like this.

Most universities also have a course leader who takes care of a specific degree program or major. If you know who this is, get in touch with them asap and let them know your situation.

Ask them to let your teachers know that you’re a carer which may mean you need special consideration.

Contact the teacher personally towards the start of the semester. Talk to them in person after the first class, or if you’re a distance learner, send them an email early on.

These early emails help to prime your teacher for when you ask for an extension.

If you haven’t informed the teacher of the situation, I’d recommend talking to them in person as soon as possible, telling them what your situation is, and asking for some additional time on your assessment.

As always, some form of evidence of your situation is really helpful. Doctors, social workers, or other support networks should be able to write a letter for you that you can pass on to your teacher.

There are two illnesses that I hear about the most. It’s either your child who’s been sick or you who’s been sick. Let’s take them in order:

1. Your Child’s Sick.

The ‘My Child’s been Sick’ excuse is one that I get a lot, but also one that I usually find believable.

One reason it’s so believable is that often five or six of my students who are parents will come to me explaining that an illness is going around the school.

It’s also an excuse that is easy to sympathize with. Children take up a lot of time, and with many of my students being single parents, I understand that children come first.

This is one that crops up late, but as usual, try to ask for an extension at least 72 hours (3 days) prior to the submission deadline.

A letter from a doctor goes a long way here but is not always necessary. If you can’t get a letter from a doctor, copy in some evidence that your child has taken the last few days off school. Attach a copy of your sick note to the school when you email your university professor .

2. You’re Sick.

If it’s you who has been sick, a note from a doctor is usually expected. It also requires some advance warning. If you got sick 6 days before the due date, why did you only email your teacher on the day it was due?

If you didn’t give advance warning, it looks pretty bad.

Similarly, if you got sick 3 days before the due date, what have you already done? Shouldn’t you just have finishing touches to do with 3 days to go?

Therefore, when you contact the teacher, you should also attach your most recent draft. You need to say:

• This is what I’ve done;
• This is what I had planned to do in the next 7, 6, 5, 4, or 3 days before submission;
• This is why I’m so sick that I can’t do it.

So remember, if you’ve been sick, the two key things to include are:

• A doctor’s note to prove it’s true;
• Your latest draft to show you’ve not left it to the last minute.
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8. There was a Death in the Family

This is the most common reason for extension requests. Let me be clear: every teacher is bamboozled that there seems to be a spike in the deaths of grandmas whenever assessments are due.

We’re skeptical about this one, to say the least.

If you’re going to use this extension excuse, evidence is a must. Teachers understand that this is a sensitive topic. I’ve accepted a range of evidence for this one, though. This includes:

• Notice of death in the local newspaper;
• A scan of the booklet of funeral proceedings;
• A letter or receipt from a funeral home;
• A copy of the flight to or from the funeral location.

This is obviously a very sensitive issue, and it’s pretty sad that people abuse this reason. Teachers don’t want to offend you: but they also need to know you’re not pulling the wool over their eyes.

Another worrisome point for this excuse is that often the death occurred a month or more before the assessment is due.

Be prepared for your teacher to say: okay, there was a death a month ago. What have you done in the month since the funeral on your work?

If you’re going to use this reason, explain how it’s caused hardship (failure to focus, busy making funeral arrangements, travel to funerals, etc.). You also must think about how you can provide clear evidence that this death did, in fact, happen.

Related: How to Ask a Professor for a Letter of Recommendation

9. You have a Learning Disability

If you have a learning disability, you need to tell your university in advance. There’s really no other way around this one.

Nearly every university these days has support plans for students with learning disabilities .

The most common one is dyslexia . This is the condition in which students struggle with accurate and speedy reading and spelling. It can make university really tough, but universities try to be accommodating for students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia.

Other common personal issues that can qualify for extensions include common migraines and issues with concentration.

Talk to a student advisor at the university about how to get a diagnosis if you think you’ve got a learning disability. Once you’ve received the diagnosis you’ll be able to get a support plan set up.

Support plans are usually sent straight to your teachers at the start of the semester. However, you should also make yourself known to your teacher at the start of the semester. There are additional benefits to this, including that your teacher will be careful not to ask you to read content out loud in class.

If you haven’t told your teacher already that you have a learning disability, but you still want an extension, you’ll need to get in touch as soon as possible.

Highlight how:

• You have made every effort to ensure you got your work done on time;
• Something has happened (did your migraines flare up recently?) that has prevented you from completing on time.

When you ask for the extension, include the support plan, diagnosis, or doctor’s note to increase your chances of receiving the extension that you requested.

Extensions are commonplace, but you need to state your case. We have provided an outline of exactly how to ask for the extension that you might want to consult if you think you qualify for an extension. This outline explains that you need to take some key steps, including the steps in the infographic below (plus some more!):

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Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is Educational Psychology?
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is IQ? (Intelligence Quotient)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples

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The Definition of Random Assignment According to Psychology

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

Materio / Getty Images

Random assignment refers to the use of chance procedures in psychology experiments to ensure that each participant has the same opportunity to be assigned to any given group in a study to eliminate any potential bias in the experiment at the outset. Participants are randomly assigned to different groups, such as the treatment group versus the control group. In clinical research, randomized clinical trials are known as the gold standard for meaningful results.

Simple random assignment techniques might involve tactics such as flipping a coin, drawing names out of a hat, rolling dice, or assigning random numbers to a list of participants. It is important to note that random assignment differs from random selection .

While random selection refers to how participants are randomly chosen from a target population as representatives of that population, random assignment refers to how those chosen participants are then assigned to experimental groups.

Random Assignment In Research

To determine if changes in one variable will cause changes in another variable, psychologists must perform an experiment. Random assignment is a critical part of the experimental design that helps ensure the reliability of the study outcomes.

Researchers often begin by forming a testable hypothesis predicting that one variable of interest will have some predictable impact on another variable.

The variable that the experimenters will manipulate in the experiment is known as the independent variable , while the variable that they will then measure for different outcomes is known as the dependent variable. While there are different ways to look at relationships between variables, an experiment is the best way to get a clear idea if there is a cause-and-effect relationship between two or more variables.

Once researchers have formulated a hypothesis, conducted background research, and chosen an experimental design, it is time to find participants for their experiment. How exactly do researchers decide who will be part of an experiment? As mentioned previously, this is often accomplished through something known as random selection.

Random Selection

In order to generalize the results of an experiment to a larger group, it is important to choose a sample that is representative of the qualities found in that population. For example, if the total population is 60% female and 40% male, then the sample should reflect those same percentages.

Choosing a representative sample is often accomplished by randomly picking people from the population to be participants in a study. Random selection means that everyone in the group stands an equal chance of being chosen to minimize any bias. Once a pool of participants has been selected, it is time to assign them to groups.

By randomly assigning the participants into groups, the experimenters can be fairly sure that each group will have the same characteristics before the independent variable is applied.

Participants might be randomly assigned to the control group , which does not receive the treatment in question. The control group may receive a placebo or receive the standard treatment. Participants may also be randomly assigned to the experimental group , which receives the treatment of interest. In larger studies, there can be multiple treatment groups for comparison.

There are simple methods of random assignment, like rolling the die. However, there are more complex techniques that involve random number generators to remove any human error.

There can also be random assignment to groups with pre-established rules or parameters. For example, if you want to have an equal number of men and women in each of your study groups, you might separate your sample into two groups (by sex) before randomly assigning each of those groups into the treatment group and control group.

Random assignment is essential because it increases the likelihood that the groups are the same at the outset. With all characteristics being equal between groups, other than the application of the independent variable, any differences found between group outcomes can be more confidently attributed to the effect of the intervention.

Example of Random Assignment

Imagine that a researcher is interested in learning whether or not drinking caffeinated beverages prior to an exam will improve test performance. After randomly selecting a pool of participants, each person is randomly assigned to either the control group or the experimental group.

The participants in the control group consume a placebo drink prior to the exam that does not contain any caffeine. Those in the experimental group, on the other hand, consume a caffeinated beverage before taking the test.

Participants in both groups then take the test, and the researcher compares the results to determine if the caffeinated beverage had any impact on test performance.

A Word From Verywell

Random assignment plays an important role in the psychology research process. Not only does this process help eliminate possible sources of bias, but it also makes it easier to generalize the results of a tested sample of participants to a larger population.

Random assignment helps ensure that members of each group in the experiment are the same, which means that the groups are also likely more representative of what is present in the larger population of interest. Through the use of this technique, psychology researchers are able to study complex phenomena and contribute to our understanding of the human mind and behavior.

Lin Y, Zhu M, Su Z. The pursuit of balance: An overview of covariate-adaptive randomization techniques in clinical trials . Contemp Clin Trials. 2015;45(Pt A):21-25. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2015.07.011

Sullivan L. Random assignment versus random selection . In: The SAGE Glossary of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. SAGE Publications, Inc.; 2009. doi:10.4135/9781412972024.n2108

Alferes VR. Methods of Randomization in Experimental Design . SAGE Publications, Inc.; 2012. doi:10.4135/9781452270012

Nestor PG, Schutt RK. Research Methods in Psychology: Investigating Human Behavior. (2nd Ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.; 2015.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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Addressing Work Refusal in the Classroom

As educators grapple with the silent protest of student work refusal, research illuminates the underlying causes—and possible solutions.

In nearly every classroom, especially in middle and high school, there are a handful of students who simply refuse to do the work. They’ll listen to the assignment and maybe even nod their heads, but when the rubber hits the road, they don’t hand anything in—at best, they submit a couple of sentences instead of the essay you asked for.

“Often teachers react defensively to obstinate behavior, creating a situation where teacher and student may become locked in a power struggle or an ineffective pattern of communication,” writes special education teacher Nina Parrish . So how does an educator handle a student who simply refuses to turn in assigned work?

Teachers, it seems, are dying to know what’s behind the issue. When Edutopia asked our audience what topic they’d most want to see the research behind, “work refusal” was the top response—“Not kids who don’t understand or kids who present other behavioral challenges, just kids whose only perceptible issue is refusing to complete work (or hand in completed work),” explained Rebecca, an educator.

The research exploring work refusal, while limited, boils down to a central takeaway: Understand the underlying causes of a student’s failure to complete work, which might involve a desire for more autonomy, a fear of failure or judgment, or a sense that the assigned work is meaningless. There are no simple explanations: What motivates any particular student can be mysterious, and some will inevitably continue to refuse work regardless of your best efforts. But using these targeted, research-backed responses gives you a fighting chance of turning chronic work refusers into more frequent work completers.

LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD

While it can feel tempting to throw up your hands, seeking out root causes can lead to clearer next steps. “Understanding the antecedent of work refusal leads to the development of logical intervention strategies rather than those based on assumptions or trial and error,” writes Texas State University education researcher Glenna Billingsley in a recent review of the research surrounding work refusal.

While every child is different, Billingsley’s research review points to a few key factors that often operate just below the surface of work refusal.

A DESIRE FOR AUTONOMY

Assignments and activities that students consider irrelevant or uninteresting may “trigger misbehavior that enables them to avoid these disengaging conditions,” Billingsley writes in her analysis—but adding “multiple opportunities for responding” that students can choose from, across modalities and at different skill levels, can improve engagement. Because Billingsley’s review found that work refusal was often at its highest when students were asked to “transition from a preferred task to one less enjoyable,” providing students with a range of academic tasks to choose from can help nip work refusal in the bud.

Billingsley’s analysis adds to a growing body of research suggesting that students are more engaged in their learning when given more choice and autonomy. A 2012 study , for example, found that second and third graders who were required to complete mandatory reading logs saw a marked decline in interest toward reading compared with students who voluntarily logged their reading progress. Similarly, eighth graders developed better reading habits when the curriculum allowed them to choose what they read, and in a 2010 article , researchers assert that giving students a say over disciplinary policies can “encourage a sense of well-being and comfort with the way a classroom functions,” while offering choice around assignments can “encourage initial engagement with learning activities.” 

How to address it: There are a number of ways to introduce more curricular choice at all grade levels.

Preschool teacher Oi Ling Hu has students vote for the read-aloud of the day—and even, on occasion, what activities the class will engage in. In later grades, education researcher Robert J. Marzano recommends that teachers allow students to present what they’ve learned “through debates, video reports, demonstrations, or dramatic presentations” (we’d add music, drawing, and coding, too)—not just essays or oral reports. “Choice in the classroom has been linked to increases in student effort, task performance, and subsequent learning,” Marzano writes. To help students feel like you respect their freedom of choice, you can also let students co-create their classroom norms , offer flexible seating options , or give English students a say over what books they’ll read (even at the AP level ).

A FEAR OF FAILURE

Billingsley’s research review lists “expectations and assignments that students perceive as too difficult” as another leading cause of classroom work refusal. “Students with a history of school failure may feel that the current assignment offers only another opportunity to fail,” she summarizes. On the same note, a 2018 study found that academic deficits accounted for a full 20 percent of classroom misbehavior: When students didn’t understand an assignment or found it too difficult, misbehavior was the outlet for their frustration.

.css-1ynlp5m{position:relative;width:100%;height:56px;margin-bottom:30px;content:'';} .css-2tyqqs *{display:inline-block;font-family:museoSlab-500,'Arial Narrow','Arial','Helvetica','sans-serif';font-size:24px;font-weight:500;line-height:34px;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.8px;-moz-letter-spacing:0.8px;-ms-letter-spacing:0.8px;letter-spacing:0.8px;}.css-2tyqqs *{display:inline-block;font-family:museoSlab-500,'Arial Narrow','Arial','Helvetica','sans-serif';font-size:24px;font-weight:500;line-height:34px;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.8px;-moz-letter-spacing:0.8px;-ms-letter-spacing:0.8px;letter-spacing:0.8px;} Students with a history of school failure may feel that the current assignment offers only another opportunity to fail. .css-1ycc0ui{display:inline-block !important;font-family:'canada-type-gibson','Arial','Verdana','sans-serif';font-size:14px;line-height:27px;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.8px;-moz-letter-spacing:0.8px;-ms-letter-spacing:0.8px;letter-spacing:0.8px;text-transform:uppercase;padding-top:24px;margin-bottom:0 !important;}.css-1ycc0ui::before{content:'—';margin-right:9px;color:black;font-size:inherit;} Glenna Billingsley, phd

Student concern over grades can exacerbate matters. A 2018 study found that letter grades “enhanced anxiety and avoidance of challenging courses,” while a 2019 research review suggested that students were more motivated by receiving written feedback from their teacher, or even no feedback at all , than by receiving grades.

How to address it: A 2021 study found that grades and on-task behavior were highest in classes with the highest ratio of praise to reprimands—and while it might feel unnatural to track your language so closely, researchers at Vanderbilt University recommend roughly “six praise statements every 15 minutes.” Remember to praise students for specific actions (“This essay was really well-structured!”), not inherent abilities (“You’re so smart!”), to avoid reinforcing the same kind of fixed mindset that can lead students to feel anxious about their skills in the first place. Try to find opportunities to make your praise sincere and focused around ways that students have improved, even if that improvement is just turning in an essay on time.

It’s also worthwhile to foster a more mistake-friendly classroom . Model your own mistakes, and avoid being overly punitive about errors: Consider policies like dropping each student’s lowest grade , allowing students to retake some assessments , or reducing the amount of work you actively grade. One interesting study revealed that withholding grades until several days after handing back your written feedback can boost student performance on future assignments by up to two-thirds of a letter grade.

A NEED FOR PURPOSE AND BELONGING

When a student consistently refuses to do work, “community and connection are usually the issue,” comments educator Emily Tarr on Edutopia’s thread about work refusal, and the research tends to agree.

Belonging at school—”that sense that we are part of a larger whole, that there is a kind of goodness of fit between me and my environment”—is really important socially and academically, according to the social psychologist Geoffrey Cohen . He points to a 2019 study suggesting that feelings of belonging are greater predictors of college completion than academic success.

An adjacent phenomenon—a lack of purpose—can be equally harmful. “Teachers often underestimate the importance of purpose and relevance in building motivation, and overestimate how good a job they are doing at making the purpose clear,” write education researcher Chris Hulleman and science teacher Ian Kelleher in an article for Edutopia . This shortcoming is sometimes at the root of a student’s hesitancy to work.

How to address it: There are a variety of research-backed interventions that can boost purpose and belonging. In one study , Hulleman found that having ninth-grade science students write brief reflections connecting what they learned in class to their personal lives boosted their grades and made them more likely to take science courses again in the future. In class, teachers should “deliberately and regularly state the purpose of assignments and activities,” Hulleman recommends. Teachers can also connect their lessons to the real-world issues that students care about; in math class , for example, dig into issues like personal finance and sports statistics.

Teachers often underestimate the importance of purpose ... and overestimate how good a job they are doing at making the purpose clear. Chris hulleman, phd and ian kelleher, phd

To tap into students’ passions and interests, education instructor Rebecca Alber recommends sending out a survey at the start of the year that asks questions like “What is something or someone you personally would like to know more about?” or “Make a list of all the things that you don’t currently learn in school but wish you could,” then using student responses to inform your lesson planning and assessment options. (Vanderbilt University offers an example survey that teachers can adjust accordingly.) Hanging posters and incorporating learning materials that reflect the diverse interests and identities of your students signals that they’re “valued learners and belong within the classroom, with far-reaching consequences for students’ educational choices and achievement,” a 2014 study found .

THE ROLE OF TRAUMA

Finally, it’s worth considering how trauma might factor into your students’ refusal to do work. “When you feel the weight of the world bearing down on you, or you simply don’t think you can take another step without imploding or breaking down, don’t you just want to get away from it all?” asks elementary school administrator Matthew J. Bowerman . “Imagine what children are feeling after the last several years.”

A 2011 study led by pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris found that traumatic childhood experiences are tied to a host of learning and behavioral problems, including defiant behavior, fight-or-flight responses, difficulty focusing, and impulse-control issues.

How to address it: “It’s unfair to ask teachers to be therapists or doctors,” Harris told Edutopia in 2020 , but teachers can “deliver that daily dose of buffering care that’s so important for healing.”

Many traumatized students blame themselves for their academic shortcomings, Harris says, so teachers can help kids understand “that what’s going on in their bodies is actually a normal response to the abnormal circumstance that they find themselves in.” Then, teaching social and emotional learning skills—like calming oneself through simple breathing exercises, bringing oneself to focus, and bonding with others—can help get kids back on track. At Fall-Hamilton Elementary in Nashville , for example, every classroom has a designated peace corner with a comfortable chair and soothing toys where students can go when they need to self-regulate. Students who need extra social and emotional support are paired off with an adult (who isn’t their teacher) for two-minute check-ins at the start and end of each day, where they can discuss their goals and what they’re struggling with.

WHAT’S YOUR EXPERIENCE?

Do you have any insights about how to deal with work refusers? What have you tried—what worked, and what didn’t? Let readers know in the comments.

The Study Blog :

How to ask for an extension for your assignment [examples + template].

By Evans Jun 15 2021

Time management is one thing you should get better at within your academic life, particularly when it comes to assignments.   However, regardless of how much you plan your time or stay organized, things might get out of hand. Read the article below to find why and how to ask for an extension. It also provides examples of how to ask for an assignment extension for your reference.

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What is an Extension Deadline?

An extension deadline for your assignment is the additional time you should request from your supervisor or tutor to finish your task. Most projects have a specific due date, and you should complete them on time. However, there are times when you can fall behind for numerous reasons and can't stay on schedule. At this point, you should reach your instructor and request an extension.

You should request an extension immediately you realize you won't be in a position to meet your original deadline. The deadline might affect other parts of your project, like other team members' abilities to complete the work and the project's completion date. Requesting an extension can offer the supervisor more time to readjust your assignment's workflow and schedule. Some of the situations in which you might request a deadline extension include:

·          The assignment needs more research or work than expected

·          Your project's timeline did not put all factors into consideration

·          You're waiting for essential materials to complete your project

·          You had prioritized the completion of another task

·          You were unable to access the required equipment

·          You had an emergency that stopped you from finishing your assignment

How to Ask for Your Extension

To ask for your extension effectively, kindly do the following:

Determine Whether You Can Get the Extension

Whether it is possible to get an extension depends on your work's scope. While some projects have rigid schedules, it will not matter if you submit a couple of days later when it comes to other projects. Please make sure you understand the flexibility in the deadline and develop a plan for completing your work.

Ask for the Extension

Once you realize you will be behind the deadline, notify your lecturer immediately. Choose the most convenient contact method. You can call them, ask in person, or send an email. Some instructors are too busy to check their mail from time to time, making a text message or phone call a more effective method.

When contacting your instructor, show them that you care about your grades. You can start with a statement about your goal and then why you require the extension.

Determine How Long Your Extension Will Be

Your extension should give adequate time to complete your paper based on how long you have taken to work on it.

Consider your facilitator's personality when determining the duration of the extension to request. If the instructor is strict, leave it to them to decide the time to grant. If you can negotiate with them, you can ask them for a three-day extension and expect the professor to negotiate down. And if the professor is lenient, ask for a specific extension.

Provide Evidence

If you offer proof, your professor will be impressed with your preparedness and is more likely to grant you the extension. Some of the evidence lecturers accept include:

·          A doctor's letter

·          A letter from an employer

·          An email from a child's teacher

·          A receipt from your car or computer repair shop

·          Newspaper clippings

Adhere to Your New Deadline and Ensure It Does Not Happen Again

Analyze your work schedule, avoid procrastination and manage your time better in the future. If possible, scale back on some assignments.

Thank Your Tutor

Express your gratitude for the extension granted and apologize for the inconvenience caused.

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Email Template for Requesting More Time to Complete Your Assignment

Feel free to adapt or use this email template to ask for an extension for your assignment

Dear (Title of your Professor, Dr. Mr. Ms., followed by their last name), My name is (name), and I'm a student in your (name) class. I'm writing you to ask if it might be possible to be granted additional time for the (name of assignment) due on (date). Regrettably, I'm behind with this assignment because (reason). I hope to complete this assignment by (date). I look forward to hearing from you about the same. Kind regards, (Your name and student ID number)       

Here are more examples:       

Dear Dr. Andrea,

I'm writing this email to request an extension on the deadline for the web application development assignment. I'm already done with coding, but the testing and debugging are taking more time than I expected. I have also discovered some errors that I'm working on.

I should submit the assignment on June 23, but I will appreciate it if you extend the due date to June 26.

Thank you for your consideration.

Warm regards,

Dear Professor John,

My name is Jackie, and I'm in your chemistry 101 class. Due to a family emergency, I will be traveling over the weekend without the research materials for the assignment due on Wednesday. Consequently, I would like to request an extension and submit my paper on Friday. In the attachment below is a draft that shows the progress I have made so far.

Many Thanks,

Dear Dr. Peterson,

My name is Jane Stephanie, and I'm in your literature class. My assignment is due on the same day as a presentation at my workplace. Do you provide extensions? If you do, I can submit the assignment on July 20 instead of July 16. I understand that late projects receive grade penalties, which I would like to avoid.

Many thanks,

Dear Professional Kellen,

My name is Ivy Johnson, and I'm in your 11 a.m. English class. From the syllabus, I can see that I should submit my assignment on August 13. Unfortunately, I have three other tasks due on that date for other classes.

Is it possible to get a three-day extension on the deadline and submit it on August 16 instead? If you do not grant extensions, can I get the assignment topic early to work on it in advance?

Warm Regards,

What to Do If You Do Not Get an Extension

Most lecturers understand that students are human beings with jobs and lives outside of class. And many instructors will approve any extension request. However, sometimes the professor might say no. Here is what to do should it happen.

If it is a few hours or days to your deadline, ensure you understand the late penalty and determine whether it is more practical to submit your assignment late or rush to meet your deadline. Ensure you deliver pure gold and don't plagiarize your work; it could result in poor grades.

If you had planned early, you have options. You can rearrange your schedule to make time to write your paper, ask your tutor for the paper topics before, or ask for an extension in another class. Alternatively, you can hire an expert writer from our urgent writing service to complete the assignment for you.

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Man or bear? Hypothetical question sparks conversation about women's safety

Women explain why they would feel safer encountering a bear in the forest than a man they didn't know. the hypothetical has sparked a broader discussion about why women fear men..

If you were alone in the woods, would you rather encounter a bear or a man? Answers to that hypothetical question have sparked a debate about why the vast majority say they would feel more comfortable choosing a bear.

The topic has been hotly discussed for weeks as men and women chimed in with their thoughts all over social media.

Screenshot HQ , a TikTok account, started the conversation, asking a group of women whether they would rather run into a man they didn't know or a bear in the forest. Out of the seven women interviewed for the piece, only one picked a man.

"Bear. Man is scary," one of the women responds.

A number of women echoed the responses given in the original video, writing in the comments that they, too, would pick a bear over a man. The hypothetical has people split, with some expressing their sadness over the state of the world and others cracking jokes. Some men were flabbergasted.

Here's what we know.

A bear is the safer choice, no doubt about it, many say

There were a lot of responses, more than 65,000, under the original post. Many wrote that they understood why the women would choose a bear.

"No one’s gonna ask me if I led the bear on or give me a pamphlet on bear attack prevention tips," @celestiallystunning wrote.

@Brennduhh wrote: "When I die leave my body in the woods, the wolves will be gentler than any man."

"I know a bear's intentions," another woman wrote. "I don't know a man's intentions. no matter how nice they are."

Other TikTok users took it one step further, posing the hypothetical question to loved ones. Meredith Steele, who goes by @babiesofsteele , asked her husband last week whether he would rather have their daughter encounter a bear or a man in the woods. Her husband said he "didn't like either option" but said he was leaning toward the bear.

"Maybe it's a friendly bear," he says.

Diana, another TikTok user , asked her sister-in-law what she would choose and was left speechless.

"I asked her the question, you know, just for giggles. She was like, 'You know, I would rather it be a bear because if the bear attacks me, and I make it out of the woods, everybody’s gonna believe me and have sympathy for me," she said. "But if a man attacks me and I make it out, I’m gonna spend my whole life trying to get people to believe me and have sympathy for me.'"

Bear vs. man debate stirs the pot, woman and some men at odds

The hypothetical has caused some tension, with some women arguing that men will never truly understand what it's like to be a woman or the inherent dangers at play.

Social media users answered this question for themselves, producing memes, spoken word poetry and skits in the days and weeks since.

So, what would you choose?

Assignment Writing Purposes You Need to Know

Table of Contents

What Are the Basic Purposes of Assignment Writing?

Whenever you get enrolled in a college, you have defined objectives in mind. For instance, someone keen to become a doctor takes admission into a medical college. Everything including the course outline has a purpose. Likewise, students who are not good at academic tasks contact professional essay writing help to get their homework assignments sorted.

Basic Purposes of Assignment Writing

Enable self-learning.

The main purpose of assignment writing is to enable an individual or a group of individuals, which could be students in the context of this article, to learn by themselves. 

Learning through assignment writing happens when you are assigned to write about something specific in accordance with what your teacher wants you to achieve in the written product. 

Assignment writing also ties into learning because it is specific, so when you are assigned to write about something, you have to learn what you are being asked to focus on for your writing to be successful.

Test Abilities of Students

Writing assignments are designed to test how much students have learned by the time they finish a course. At times, however, it also tests their research skills and initiative in finding information on their own.

Teachers design writing assignments for students to make them think critically, apply knowledge through research, and write about an issue using the information they have got from reading or doing research.

For example, students are asked to complete a medical sociology paper on how doctors find out whether someone has ADHD or not. They have to do research and gather as many sources as possible to find out the diagnostic procedures and techniques used. 

They have to write an essay about these different ways of diagnosis being used so that they can compare and contrast what methods are most effective.

Enable Self-assessment

By completing a writing assignment, a student can see if he or she has learned all there is to learn from a course. You can see whether you have learned the contents of a course or not upon completion of an assignment. 

Such assignments are useful for students because they require them to apply their skills and knowledge, show initiative in finding information, and be creative with how they write about certain topics.

Foster Research Abilities

Writing assignments also involve research, which is why it’s important to learn what you have to in a course so that you know the basics of your topic and can do a successful job in researching it.

Tasks or writing assignments in school are usually fairly simple. For example, students might be assigned to write about an interesting event that happened in their life over the summer break during grade 12. 

They have to give details about what happened, why it was memorable for them, and what lessons they learned from the event. It’s not too challenging of a task because students are allowed to base their papers on personal experiences.

However, at university students are asked to do an assignment that involves research. They might be given one of Shakespeare’s plays and asked to write about the play’s main themes, its central arguments, and how it pertains to what is going on in today’s world.

Students must know how to do a research paper before they attempt something like this because the expectations are different. At school, you’re just expected to write about an event from your life and use a certain number of references, whereas, at university, you have to do all the research on your own and write about it in a way that uses academic language.

What Are the Key Advantages of Assignment Writing?

Assignment writing is a serious business with several reasons why you need to write an assignment. Assignments are written by students for different reasons, which include participation in courses or programs, achievement of particular goals and requirements of the institution.

For instance, some assignments may be part of the student’s work experience before they apply for certain positions. This means that the assignments they write might be very important.

The following are some of the most important advantages of assignment writing :

• a) It helps to develop specific skills and knowledge about certain topics. This means that any individual who wants to acquire information, skills, and knowledge in a given topic has an opportunity through assignment writing. 
• b) It helps to get a better idea of the knowledge or information you have gathered. In this regard, assignment writing ensures that you get a chance to organize your work in a way that best reflects how much you know about certain topics. 
• c) It allows students to test their knowledge and understanding of different concepts to improve on them. 
• d) It provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate and display their academic abilities in a given topic or subject; which is especially important when they are applying for certain positions. 
• e) Assignment writing helps you develop your ability to express thoughts and ideas, make deductions and inferences among other things.
• f) It gives you the perfect chance to get the experience and exposure you will need if you want to become a better writer. 
• g) good assignment writing requires students to conduct extensive research on various topics, which helps them increase their knowledge and understanding of different concepts and subjects. 

This means that assignment writing is useful because it can help improve your grades in any given subject or topic.

• h) When writing assignments, students get a chance to learn more about writing skills like time management, structuring, and formatting essays or reports among other things. 
• i) Assignment writing helps you improve on your ability to work under pressure; especially if it is part of your final assessment for the course or subject you are studying.

Assignment Writing Online:

Assignment writing online refers to the process of completing academic assignments using online platforms and resources. It involves researching, planning, structuring, and writing assignments with the help of digital tools and online resources. This approach is commonly used by students and professionals who prefer the convenience and accessibility of online platforms for their assignment writing needs.

Example: A student enrolled in an online course might be required to submit weekly assignments through an online learning management system. They would access lecture materials, research sources, and write their assignments using various online tools such as Google Docs, online libraries, and academic databases.

Solution: To excel in assignment writing online, students can utilize several online resources and tools. They can conduct comprehensive research using online databases, access digital libraries, and leverage academic search engines. Additionally, students can seek online tutorials, video lectures, and interactive study materials to enhance their understanding of the subject matter. Online writing platforms and collaboration tools enable students to receive feedback and guidance from instructors or peers, ensuring the quality of their assignments.

Assignment Writing For Students:

Assignment writing for students refers to the process of completing academic assignments assigned to them as part of their coursework. It encompasses various tasks such as researching, analyzing, organizing information, and presenting it in a structured and coherent manner. Students often encounter different types of assignments, including essays, reports, case studies, and research papers, which require specific writing skills and knowledge.

Example: A high school student may be assigned a research paper on a historical event. They would need to gather relevant sources, analyze information, develop a thesis statement, and present their findings in a well-structured and coherent manner.

Solution: To improve assignment writing skills, students can follow a systematic approach. They should start by understanding the assignment prompt and requirements, conducting thorough research, and organizing their thoughts before beginning the writing process. Creating an outline helps in structuring the assignment effectively. Students should also pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and citation styles to ensure their work is polished and academically sound. Seeking feedback from teachers or using online writing resources can further enhance the quality of their assignments.

Assignment Writing Service:

Assignment writing services are companies or platforms that provide professional assistance to students or individuals who require help with their assignments. These services typically employ a team of qualified writers who specialize in various academic disciplines and can offer customized solutions for different types of assignments. Assignment writing services aim to provide high-quality, plagiarism-free content that meets the specific requirements of clients.

Example: A college student struggling with a complex case study assignment might hire an assignment writing service to assist them. The service would assign a writer with expertise in the subject matter to research and write a customized solution for the student.

Solution: Students who opt for assignment writing services should carefully choose a reputable and reliable provider. It’s crucial to ensure that the service offers original, plagiarism-free content and guarantees timely delivery. Additionally, students should communicate their assignment requirements clearly to the service provider and maintain open lines of communication throughout the writing process. While using such services can provide assistance, it’s important for students to actively engage in the learning process and understand the content provided to ensure their academic growth.

Assignment Writing Jobs:

Assignment writing jobs refer to employment opportunities where individuals are hired to write assignments for various purposes. These jobs can be found in different sectors such as education, publishing, content development, and freelancing. Assignment writers are typically required to possess strong research, analytical, and writing skills to deliver high-quality content.

Example: An educational publishing company might hire assignment writers to develop study guides and instructional materials for students. These writers would research and write assignments that align with the curriculum and educational standards.

Solution: Individuals seeking assignment writing jobs should focus on enhancing their writing skills, subject knowledge, and research abilities. They can build a portfolio

of writing samples that demonstrate their expertise in different subjects and writing styles. Networking with professionals in the industry and exploring freelance platforms can help find assignment writing job opportunities. It’s important for assignment writers to adhere to ethical guidelines and maintain academic integrity when completing assignments for clients or employers.

How Do You Write an Assignment?

Writing an assignment involves a systematic approach to ensure a well-structured and coherent piece of work. Here are the steps to write an assignment:

a. Understand the requirements: Read the assignment prompt carefully to grasp the topic, guidelines, and specific requirements.

b. Research: Conduct thorough research using reliable sources such as books, scholarly articles, and reputable websites. Take notes and gather relevant information.

c. Plan and outline: Create an outline or a structure for your assignment. Organize your main points, arguments, and supporting evidence in a logical manner.

d. Start writing: Begin with an engaging introduction that presents your topic and provides context. Develop your arguments in the body paragraphs, supporting them with evidence and examples. Ensure smooth transitions between paragraphs.

e. Proofread and edit: Review your assignment for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Check the flow of your ideas and ensure clarity. Make necessary revisions and improvements.

f. Format and cite sources: Format your assignment according to the specified guidelines (e.g., APA, MLA). Include accurate citations and a bibliography for all referenced sources.

g. Final review: Before submission, read your assignment one last time to ensure it meets all the requirements and is well-presented.

How Can I Start an Assignment?

Starting an assignment can sometimes be overwhelming, but with a structured approach, you can get off to a strong start. Here’s how to begin an assignment:

a. Understand the topic: Read the assignment prompt carefully to understand the topic, scope, and requirements. If there are any unclear points, seek clarification from your instructor.

b. Brainstorm and research: Generate ideas related to the topic and conduct preliminary research to gather information and familiarize yourself with key concepts.

c. Create an outline: Organize your thoughts and main points into an outline. This will serve as a roadmap for your assignment, ensuring a logical flow of ideas.

d. Develop a thesis statement: Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that states the main argument or purpose of your assignment. This will guide your writing and provide focus.

e. Start writing: Begin with an engaging introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and introduces the topic and purpose of your assignment. Use a hook, provide background information, and state your thesis.

f. Dive into the body paragraphs: Develop your arguments and ideas in the body paragraphs. Support each point with evidence, examples, and analysis. Ensure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and contributes to the overall argument.

g. Conclude effectively: Summarize your main points and restate your thesis in the conclusion. Avoid introducing new information but leave the reader with a lasting impression.

What Is the Written Assignment?

A written assignment refers to a piece of academic or professional work that requires a written format to convey ideas, arguments, research findings, or information. It can take various forms, such as essays, reports, research papers, case studies, literature reviews, or reflective journals. A written assignment typically follows a specific structure, adheres to academic conventions, and demonstrates critical thinking and effective communication skills.

What Is a Good Assignment?

A good assignment possesses several key qualities that contribute to its effectiveness and value. Here are some characteristics of a good assignment:

a. Clear objectives: A good assignment clearly communicates its objectives and aligns with the learning outcomes of the course. It provides a focused and purposeful task for the students to accomplish.

b. Well-structured and organized: A good assignment has a logical structure, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs that develop coherent arguments, and a concise conclusion. It follows a logical progression and is organized in a way that facilitates understanding.

c. Thorough research and evidence: A good assignment demonstrates thorough research using credible sources. It incorporates relevant evidence, examples, or data to support arguments and strengthen the overall quality of the work.

d. Critical thinking and analysis: A good assignment showcases critical thinking skills by analyzing and evaluating ideas or concepts. It goes beyond description and demonstrates the ability to think critically, make connections, and provide insightful analysis.

e. Proper referencing and citation: A good assignment acknowledges the sources used through accurate referencing and citation. It adheres to the appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) and avoids plagiarism by giving credit to the original authors or researchers.

f. Clarity and coherence: A good assignment communicates ideas clearly and coherently. It uses appropriate language, presents arguments logically, and ensures that the reader can follow the flow of thoughts easily.

g. Originality and creativity: A good assignment demonstrates original thinking and creativity. It goes beyond mere regurgitation of information and presents unique perspectives, innovative ideas, or thoughtful solutions.

h. Meets requirements: A good assignment fulfills all the specified requirements, including word count, formatting guidelines, and specific instructions. It pays attention to detail and demonstrates attention to the assignment brief.

i. Well-written and error-free: A good assignment is well-written, free from grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and typos. It is proofread and edited carefully to ensure clarity, coherence, and professionalism.

By embodying these qualities, a good assignment not only meets the expectations of the task but also demonstrates a student’s understanding, critical thinking skills, and ability to communicate effectively.

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Former Dodgers Outfielder Designated for Assignment By MLB’s Worst Team

The Chicago White Sox selected the contract of outfielder Tommy Pham and designated former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kevin Pillar for assignment on Friday.

According to  The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal , Chicago is designating outfielder Kevin Pillar for assignment to make room for Pham on the 26-man roster. Pillar, a 12-year MLB veteran, was in his first season with Chicago, slashing .160/.290/.360 with one home run and four RBI in 17 games.

Kevin Pillar designated for assignment so White Sox can make room for Tommy Pham, sources tell @TheAthletic . — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) April 26, 2024

Kevin Pillar  told the Foul Territory Show on Friday :

“I think that’s part of the reason the White Sox were attracted to a guy like me: to come into that type of situation and bring that experience of not only being with the Braves but with the Dodgers before, being part of winning cultures and knowing what that attitude is supposed to look like, supposed to feel like.”

“Even if it was just one guy that I gave one little piece of advice that he will carry on throughout his career, or that he will think about me when something happens in a game … then it wasn’t a failure for me. I guess you would have to ask someone still within the organization whether me being there helped, or if it mattered. But it was well worth it for me.”

Pillar has also spent time with the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies,  New York Mets and Atlanta Braves throughout his 12-year big league career.

Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Have you subscribed to our  YouTube channel ? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up-to-date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, livestreams, and more!

Maren Angus

Dodgers' dave roberts confirms 'no level' of concern for tyler glasnow after leaving game early, former dodgers pitcher misses the dodger stadium mound for one simple reason.

You know what team Pillar definitely never spent any time with? The Toronto Blue Jays. They did nothing for him and his career.

Hey! What about five years with the Toronto Blue Jays, the team he came up with and where he made a name for himself! Get with it, Dodgers Nation!

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Fordham lincoln center anti-israel encampment egged on by columbia arrests: student.

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Students at Fordham University set up an anti-Israel tent encampment Wednesday, saying they were motivated by the arrests of hundreds of protesters on the Columbia and City University of New York campuses.

Demonstrators hunkered down with seven tents inside the lobby of the Leon Lowenstein Center — a building at the private Jesuit university’s Lincoln Center campus — while others rallied outside the glass doors.

Protesters — some wearing masks over their faces or keffiyehs — taped a Palestinian flag to the wall and banged on drums while chanting, “Students, students, hold your ground. NYPD back down” and “Israel bombs, Fordham pays, how many kids did you kill today?”

A chaplain spoke briefly with the group, but the conversation ended when student protesters outside the building started to bang on the windows.

“The administration has given our comrades inside one hour to leave or else there will be suspensions,” a participant who previously left the lobby told the outsider demonstrators through a megaphone.

“Fordham is threatening suspensions and arrests for our comrades inside because for whatever reason it is a crime to fight against genocide,” they said.

Fordham’s Vice President for Student Affairs Michele C. Burris later handed the students inside the encampment notices informing them they had been suspended and banned from campus.

The student protesters are barred from “on-campus housing assignment, classes, final examinations, and all events including senior week and commencement,” the letter states.

Shortly before noon, the NYPD arrived outside the Lowenstein Center and set up barriers, according to video footage from Al Jazeera correspondent Gabriel Elizondo.

Tensions flared when NYPD buses – including one splattered with red paint – pulled up near the scene, though there were no reported arrests, police sources said.

Roughly 200 student protesters moved to stand right outside the window of the Lowenstein Center and refused to back down in the face of police officers.

“Move cops, get out the way, we know you’re Israeli trained,” the group chanted.

“The president of Fordham University is responsible for any violence that occurs today,” was another call and response refrain.

The protesters inside the lobby appeared to link arms and sing, though they could not be heard from outside.

“There are police coming in and out. They have barricaded some parts of the lobby,” one Fordham student told police at the scene.

“The administration refuses to meet with the students. They brought in Campus Ministry to mediate, but the mediation was ‘you can leave now or be arrested,” they claimed.

Fordham officials supposedly “acknowledged this is a peaceful protest and there’s no destruction to property, but they don’t want the protest here,” the student added.

“This is not a reaction to Columbia. This is about the genocide in Gaza. We want our tuition money taken out of war profiteering,” they insisted.

But Matthew Smith, an 18-year-old freshman from the university’s Bronx campus, said that the group was actually egged on by the arrests at Columbia Tuesday night.

“It emboldens us more when we see a fascist police state suppressing us,” he told The Post.

Smith wore a keffiyeh a New York City Democratic Socialists of America t-shirt as he led the the outside protesters in chants.

“The police are on the wrong side of this,” he told The Post. “If the police really wanted us to stop, what they would do is go back to their homes, and let us protest.”

The protesters in the building’s lobby wielded signs with phrases including “Divest from Israel,” “Students 4 Palestine Liberation” and “Genocide is not a Jesuit value,” among others.

Fordham maintenance staff put up blue tarp on the roof, and appeared to be getting ready to unfurl the covering to shut the protesters inside the lobby off from those outside.

“It’s a Jesuit school, they’re supposed to support our efforts to champion social justice issues,” Smith said of the Fordham administration.

Though the protesters called for the school to divest from Israel, Smith admitted that they technically did not know if Fordham had any financial interest in the country’s ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“Fordham right now will not disclose what investments they have in Israel and if they’re investing in companies that profit off the ongoing slaughter of civilians in Palestine,” Smith said.

“We ask they disclose it and if they are invested in Israel, we’re asking they divest.”

On Wednesday morning, the administration announced that classes and campus operations were continuing as usual despite the protest.

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“Fordham Public Safety is on hand to protect everyone’s safety. For the safety of our community, the Lowenstein Center entrance has been closed,” the statement read.

Even though classes were running as usual, the entrance closure caused a serious hitch in many students’ plans.

Johnny, a 21-year-old business student, said he was unsure how to get to class  in the Lowenstein Center with the doors blocked off.

“If they feel the need to do it, they feel the need to do it, but it’s pretty inconvenient to get to class,” he told The Post of the protest.

“They’re in the building I need to get to. Now they’ve blocked it off. I don’t know how I get there. There doesn’t seem to be any way to get to class,” he lamented.

“The kids inside the campus are essentially just screaming at each other inside a room, so I don’t know how that’s constructive,” Johnny added of his peers’ protest.

“I’ve seen everything that’s happened at Columbia and I expected this to happen.”

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Internet in Disbelief Over Child's Answer on Spelling Assignment

A picture appearing to show one child's wild answer to a spelling homework assignment has drawn an astonished response on social media—but not for the reasons you might have thought.

In a post titled "Kids today," a Reddit user writing under the handle u/moncking shared an answer sheet from a seemingly straightforward quiz asking whoever it was assigned to correctly spell out a series of jumbled-up words.

At first glance, two of the answers filled in appear entirely correct and nothing out of the ordinary. "Gnerey" is turned into "energy" while "etrse" becomes "trees." However, things take a pretty surprising turn when it comes to the unidentified student's answer to "srtha."

According to the sheet, they think the answer in this instance is "shart," a slang term for the expulsion of feces while breaking wind. This, obviously, is incorrect (the answer is "trash"), but the fact that whoever filled in the sheet put this down as an answer was enough to send social media into a meltdown.

You can take a look at the homework here . Newsweek reached out to u/moncking for comment on the post but could not verify the details of its origins.

Numerous studies have highlighted the importance of correct spelling. A 2017 research paper published in the journal Educational Assessment identified a significant correlation between spelling scores among first-grade children and better word reading and decoding.

But while it's one thing to misspell a seemingly straightforward spelling homework assignment like the one shared on Reddit, interpreting the answer to be something entirely different and of a very explicit nature was what stood out for many on social media who saw the unnamed student's response.

At the time of writing, the post has been upvoted over 21,000 times with Redditors both stunned and amused by it.

Some admitted that, despite knowing the student's answer was wrong, they were struggling to come up with the correct one themselves.

"Guys I think I'm stupid..." one user wrote. Another agreed, commenting: "Initially I thought this was one of those 'the kids are not alright posts,' like showing what's wrong with education. 'I'm reading it like, "damn, I can't believe that kid wrote 'shart' when it's clearly.........'"

A third asked: "Is this really a kids test? Because as an adult, I find it super hard."

Thankfully, someone else was on hand to provide the correct answer . They explained: "I think this is a recycling workbook of some sort."

Even so, another who got the correct answer admitted it "took me way too long to figure that out." Bizarrely, some even wanted to defend the student's use of the word, writing: "Shart is 100 per cent a legitimate modern word. I'll die on that hill."

Others, meanwhile, were left worried for the future of their kids, although that was mainly because they couldn't seem to work out the answers to any of the questions on the spelling assignment. As one worried parent put it: "My kids are screwed when they get to homework age if they need me."

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Nuggets vs. Timberwolves: Three reasons why Anthony Edwards, Minnesota could upset the defending champions

From size to star power, the wolves have what it takes to dethrone denver.

The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves were equally impressive in their opening-round series wins, and now the Western Conference's second and third seeds are set for a titanic battle, starting with Saturday's Game 1. The returning champs appear just as potent as last year, led by the indefatigable superstar duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray , who combined to average over 51 points and 17 assists while dispatching the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.

Meanwhile, the Wolves extinguished any doubts about their legitimacy after a breakout regular season, sweeping a star-laden Phoenix Suns squad whom many picked to win the series. Emerging 22-year-old star Anthony Edwards took center stage, averaging 31 points, eight rebounds and six assists per game while producing as many viral sound bytes as spectacular highlights.

The Wolves are the underdog against the Nuggets, but are receiving plenty of attention as a hot upset pick. SportsLine actually has the Timberwolves winning the series in 58% of simulations. Let's take a look at three reasons why Minnesota could beat the defending champs in the conference semifinals.

1. Familiarity

Not only are the Wolves and Nuggets division rivals who play four times during the regular season, but they also met in a five-game first-round matchup last postseason that led then-Nuggets guard Bruce Brown to call it the "toughest series" of their championship run. 

If last year was tough, this year is going to be a gauntlet for Denver. The Wolves have improved in every facet, finishing just one game back of the Nuggets during the regular season while leading the NBA in defensive efficiency by a wide margin. 

As if the number of times they've played each other over the past year hasn't bred enough familiarity, Minnesota head coach Chris Finch and assistant Michah Nori both spent time under Denver head coach Michael Malone, while Wolves president of basektball operations Tim Connelly helped build the current Nuggets roster before leaving for Minnesota two years ago. These teams know each other front and back, so there will be no adjustment period required.

"We see them four times a year. We saw them in the playoffs last year," Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said, via The Athletic . "We know what they like to do, and they know what we like to do. I think the series will be decided on who can do a better job of taking away the strengths of the other team."

Obviously familiarity alone doesn't lead to success against a team as great as the Nuggets. The Los Angeles Lakers, who played Denver last postseason, were just systematically eliminated in five games. But the confidence that the Wolves gained from last year's playoff series clearly has them eager to dethrone the champions this time around. With the intimidation factor out of the picture, it's going to come down to execution -- an area where the Wolves excelled in their opening-round sweep of Phoenix.

"Discipline has to be huge against this team," said Wolves guard Mike Conley . "That goes down to not fouling, to boxing out, like the little things between this game -- not getting back-door cut. Those things are things we can control, but they're really good at. They don't beat themselves. They're a team that's been there and done it and have a really high IQ as a whole. We have to try to minimize those mistakes."

2. Defending Jokic

Shall we state the obvious? Nobody is going to stop Nikola Jokic. Even prime Bill Russell would have been befuddled by the 7-foot, two-time MVP's unprecedented combination of scoring, playmaking and basketball IQ.

That being said, the Timberwolves are as equipped as any NBA team to contain Jokic, thanks to a trio of big men -- one of which is set to win his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award -- who can alternate pestering and prodding Denver's offensive hub. Minnesota will likely begin the series with Karl-Anthony Towns guarding Jokic, which will allow Rudy Gobert to sag off of Aaron Gordon and provide help. The Wolves used that strategy -- Towns on centers, Gobert on the opponent's least intimidating perimeter threat -- for much of the season, and the defensive results speak for themselves (109 points allowed per 100 possessions with both of them on the floor).

Towns only played in one of the matchups against Denver this season, back on Nov. 1, but he showed in that one game why the Wolves are confident in him defending Jokic. Because of his size, Towns can't be bullied underneath the basket, and he has shown the ability to hold his ground one-on-one. Watch here as Jokic attempts to post up and Towns stonewalls him, leading to a turnover:

Now notice here in the same game, as Gobert completely ignores Gordon on the perimeter and focuses his attention on helping against Jokic. Gobert's double-team makes Jokic kick the ball out, leading to a three-second violation.

The biggest issue for Towns, particularly in the playoffs, has been foul trouble, so it will be vital that he remains disciplined against Jokic. But if he's forced to the bench, Gobert has more than held his own against Jokic in the past, and Naz Reid -- while a bit on the slender side -- has length to at least bother him.

Minnesota's game plan has clearly been to limit Jamal Murray and the supporting cast in recent meetings -- Jokic averaged just four assists per game against the Wolves this season, compared to his usual average of nine. Their ability to do that will largely hinge on Towns, Gobert and Reid containing Jokic.

"It's fun. That's what you play for," Towns said of matching up with Jokic. "To be at the highest level of basketball, playing against the best of the best that this NBA has right now and may ever have, I just wake up every day very excited for the opportunity to go out there and earn my respect."

3. Edwards the closer

If you're going to beat the Nuggets, you need to win the crunch-time minutes -- the problem is, that's been a nearly impossible proposition over the last couple seasons. Denver led the NBA with a plus-24.5 net rating in clutch games (within five points with five minutes remaining) during the regular season, and had an unfathomable plus-41.4 rating in three clutch games against the Lakers in the first round.

Enter Anthony Edwards, who will be tasked with carrying a Timberwolves offense that ranked 22nd in the league during clutch games this season. Just as he did this summer with Team USA, it's clear that Edwards is taking another leap during the postseason in terms of his execution and confidence (who would have thought it could get any higher?). He's talking trash to NBA legends, making borderline obscene gestures during games, and -- most importantly -- backing it all up on the court.

Edwards has averaged the most fourth-quarter points of any NBA player this postseason, shooting 67% from the field in the final frame. He's been an absolute killer late, unafraid to take the game into his own hands with his elite, three-level attack. It's just a rare breed who can throw down a dunk like this in the fourth quarter:

And also bust out a step-back 3-pointer like this:

With the Nuggets' unrelenting crunch-time machine of Jokic and Murray, the Wolves need Edwards to be the answer on the other end if they're going to have a chance at an upset.

"He's amazing. He's really a dangerous player," Jokic said of Edwards. "He's a really talented player who can do everything -- who has everything, actually, in his arsenal. And he has the teammates to back it up. He's actually a really funny guy to be around. Hopefully we're gonna have some fun too."  

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