assignment college format

Search form

How to write the best college assignments.

By Lois Weldon

When it comes to writing assignments, it is difficult to find a conceptualized guide with clear and simple tips that are easy to follow. That’s exactly what this guide will provide: few simple tips on how to write great assignments, right when you need them. Some of these points will probably be familiar to you, but there is no harm in being reminded of the most important things before you start writing the assignments, which are usually determining on your credits.

The most important aspects: Outline and Introduction

Preparation is the key to success, especially when it comes to academic assignments. It is recommended to always write an outline before you start writing the actual assignment. The outline should include the main points of discussion, which will keep you focused throughout the work and will make your key points clearly defined. Outlining the assignment will save you a lot of time because it will organize your thoughts and make your literature searches much easier. The outline will also help you to create different sections and divide up the word count between them, which will make the assignment more organized.

The introduction is the next important part you should focus on. This is the part that defines the quality of your assignment in the eyes of the reader. The introduction must include a brief background on the main points of discussion, the purpose of developing such work and clear indications on how the assignment is being organized. Keep this part brief, within one or two paragraphs.

This is an example of including the above mentioned points into the introduction of an assignment that elaborates the topic of obesity reaching proportions:

Background : The twenty first century is characterized by many public health challenges, among which obesity takes a major part. The increasing prevalence of obesity is creating an alarming situation in both developed and developing regions of the world.

Structure and aim : This assignment will elaborate and discuss the specific pattern of obesity epidemic development, as well as its epidemiology. Debt, trade and globalization will also be analyzed as factors that led to escalation of the problem. Moreover, the assignment will discuss the governmental interventions that make efforts to address this issue.

Practical tips on assignment writing

Here are some practical tips that will keep your work focused and effective:

–         Critical thinking – Academic writing has to be characterized by critical thinking, not only to provide the work with the needed level, but also because it takes part in the final mark.

–         Continuity of ideas – When you get to the middle of assignment, things can get confusing. You have to make sure that the ideas are flowing continuously within and between paragraphs, so the reader will be enabled to follow the argument easily. Dividing the work in different paragraphs is very important for this purpose.

–         Usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ – According to the academic writing standards, the assignments should be written in an impersonal language, which means that the usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ should be avoided. The only acceptable way of building your arguments is by using opinions and evidence from authoritative sources.

–         Referencing – this part of the assignment is extremely important and it takes a big part in the final mark. Make sure to use either Vancouver or Harvard referencing systems, and use the same system in the bibliography and while citing work of other sources within the text.  

–         Usage of examples – A clear understanding on your assignment’s topic should be provided by comparing different sources and identifying their strengths and weaknesses in an objective manner. This is the part where you should show how the knowledge can be applied into practice.

–         Numbering and bullets – Instead of using numbering and bullets, the academic writing style prefers the usage of paragraphs.

–         Including figures and tables – The figures and tables are an effective way of conveying information to the reader in a clear manner, without disturbing the word count. Each figure and table should have clear headings and you should make sure to mention their sources in the bibliography.

–         Word count – the word count of your assignment mustn’t be far above or far below the required word count. The outline will provide you with help in this aspect, so make sure to plan the work in order to keep it within the boundaries.

The importance of an effective conclusion

The conclusion of your assignment is your ultimate chance to provide powerful arguments that will impress the reader. The conclusion in academic writing is usually expressed through three main parts:

–         Stating the context and aim of the assignment

–         Summarizing the main points briefly

–         Providing final comments with consideration of the future (discussing clear examples of things that can be done in order to improve the situation concerning your topic of discussion).

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

Lois Weldon is writer at  Uk.bestdissertation.com . Lives happily at London with her husband and lovely daughter. Adores writing tips for students. Passionate about Star Wars and yoga.

7 comments on “How To Write The Best College Assignments”

Extremely useful tip for students wanting to score well on their assignments. I concur with the writer that writing an outline before ACTUALLY starting to write assignments is extremely important. I have observed students who start off quite well but they tend to lose focus in between which causes them to lose marks. So an outline helps them to maintain the theme focused.

Hello Great information…. write assignments

Well elabrated

Thanks for the information. This site has amazing articles. Looking forward to continuing on this site.

This article is certainly going to help student . Well written.

Really good, thanks

Practical tips on assignment writing, the’re fantastic. Thank you!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that he or she will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove her point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, he or she still has to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and she already knows everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality she or he expects.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

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

Make a Gift

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Common Writing Assignments

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

These OWL resources will help you understand and complete specific types of writing assignments, such as annotated bibliographies, book reports, and research papers. This section also includes resources on writing academic proposals for conference presentations, journal articles, and books.

Understanding Writing Assignments

This resource describes some steps you can take to better understand the requirements of your writing assignments. This resource works for either in-class, teacher-led discussion or for personal use.

Argument Papers

This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.

Research Papers

This handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding sources.

Exploratory Papers

This resource will help you with exploratory/inquiry essay assignments.

Annotated Bibliographies

This handout provides information about annotated bibliographies in MLA, APA, and CMS.

Book Report

This resource discusses book reports and how to write them.

Definitions

This handout provides suggestions and examples for writing definitions.

Essays for Exams

While most OWL resources recommend a longer writing process (start early, revise often, conduct thorough research, etc.), sometimes you just have to write quickly in test situations. However, these exam essays can be no less important pieces of writing than research papers because they can influence final grades for courses, and/or they can mean the difference between getting into an academic program (GED, SAT, GRE). To that end, this resource will help you prepare and write essays for exams.

Book Review

This resource discusses book reviews and how to write them.

Academic Proposals

This resource will help undergraduate, graduate, and professional scholars write proposals for academic conferences, articles, and books.

In this section

Subsections.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Check your paper for plagiarism in 10 minutes, generate your apa citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• College essay
• College Essay Format & Structure | Example Outlines

College Essay Format & Structure | Example Outlines

Published on September 24, 2021 by Meredith Testa . Revised on May 31, 2023.

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay, but you should carefully plan and outline to make sure your essay flows smoothly and logically.

Typical structural choices include

• a series of vignettes with a common theme
• a single story that demonstrates your positive qualities

Table of contents

Formatting your essay, outlining the essay, structures that work: two example outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

You should keep the formatting as simple as possible. Admissions officers need to work very quickly, so fancy formatting, unnecessary flourishes, and unique fonts will come off as more distracting than individual. Keep in mind that, if you’re pasting your essay into a text box, formatting like italics may not transfer.

Your essay will be easier for admissions officers to read if it is 1.5- or double-spaced. If you choose to attach a file, ensure that it is a PDF.

You don’t need a title for your essay, but you can include one, especially if you think it will add something important.

Most importantly, ensure that you stick to the word count. Most successful essays are 500–600 words. Because you’re limited in length, make sure that you write concisely . Say everything that you need to express to get your point across, but don’t use more words than necessary, and don’t repeat yourself.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Once you’ve finished brainstorming topics but before you start writing, think about your writing’s trajectory: how you’ll start the essay , develop it, and end it .

Do you want to organize it chronologically? Would you prefer to make a “sandwich” structure by introducing a topic or idea, moving away from it, and then coming back to it at the end? There’s a variety of options (and a pair of strong examples below), but make sure you consider how you’d like to structure the essay before you start writing.

Although you should organize your thoughts in an outline, you don’t have to stick to it strictly. Once you begin writing, you may find that the structure you’d originally chosen doesn’t quite work. In that case, it’s fine to try something else. Multiple drafts of the same essay are key to a good final product.

Whatever structure you choose, it should be clear and easy to follow, and it should be feasible to keep it within the  word count . Never write in a way that could confuse the reader. Remember, your audience will not be reading your essay closely!

Vignettes with a common theme

The vignette structure discusses several experiences that may seem unrelated, but the author weaves them together and unites them with a common theme.

For example, a student could write an essay exploring various instances of their ability to make the best of bad situations. A rough outline for that essay might look like this:

• In a rehearsal for a school play when a lighting fixture malfunctioned and the set caught fire, I helped extinguish it.
• To help the situation, I improvised fixes for the set and talked with the director about adding lines referencing the “disaster.”
• I didn’t get into my first-choice high school, but I became class president at the school where I ended up.
• When I had ACL surgery, I used the downtime to work on my upper body strength and challenged my friends to pull-up contests.
• How these qualities will serve me in college and in my career

Single story that demonstrates traits

The narrative structure focuses on a single overarching story that shows many aspects of a student’s character.

Some such essays focus on a relatively short event that the author details moment by moment, while others discuss the story of a longer journey, one that may cover months or years.

For example, a student might discuss trying out for a sports team as a middle schooler, high school freshman, and high school senior, using each of those instances to describe an aspect of their personality. A rough outline for that essay might look like this:

• Confident, there to have fun
• Very passionate and in love with the sport
• Little sister was born that day, so I had to go alone with a friend’s parents
• Learned to be independent and less self-centered
• Realized that as much as I love gymnastics, there are more important things
• Gave up first homecoming of high school, had to quit other activities, lost countless hours with friends
• I had to repeat level 9 and didn’t progress quickly
• I had a terrible beam routine at one competition the previous year and still had a mental block
• I got stuck on some skills, and it took over a year to learn them
• Passion from age 7, perspective from age 11, diligence from age 15

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

• A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
• A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

Your college essay’s format should be as simple as possible:

• Use a standard, readable font
• Use 1.5 or double spacing
• If attaching a file, save it as a PDF
• Stick to the word count
• Avoid unusual formatting and unnecessary decorative touches

You don’t need a title for your college admissions essay , but you can include one if you think it adds something important.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Testa, M. (2023, May 31). College Essay Format & Structure | Example Outlines. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/college-essay/format-outline-structure/

Is this article helpful?

Meredith Testa

Other students also liked, how to revise your college admissions essay | examples, what do colleges look for in an essay | examples & tips, how to research and write a "why this college" essay, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

• Sign Up for Mailing List
• Search Search

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

Resources for Teachers: Creating Writing Assignments

This page contains four specific areas:

Creating Effective Assignments

Checking the assignment, sequencing writing assignments, selecting an effective writing assignment format.

Research has shown that the more detailed a writing assignment is, the better the student papers are in response to that assignment. Instructors can often help students write more effective papers by giving students written instructions about that assignment. Explicit descriptions of assignments on the syllabus or on an “assignment sheet” tend to produce the best results. These instructions might make explicit the process or steps necessary to complete the assignment. Assignment sheets should detail:

• the kind of writing expected
• the scope of acceptable subject matter
• the length requirements
• formatting requirements
• documentation format
• the amount and type of research expected (if any)
• the writer’s role
• deadlines for the first draft and its revision

Providing questions or needed data in the assignment helps students get started. For instance, some questions can suggest a mode of organization to the students. Other questions might suggest a procedure to follow. The questions posed should require that students assert a thesis.

The following areas should help you create effective writing assignments.

Examining your goals for the assignment

• How exactly does this assignment fit with the objectives of your course?
• Should this assignment relate only to the class and the texts for the class, or should it also relate to the world beyond the classroom?
• What do you want the students to learn or experience from this writing assignment?
• Should this assignment be an individual or a collaborative effort?
• What do you want students to show you in this assignment? To demonstrate mastery of concepts or texts? To demonstrate logical and critical thinking? To develop an original idea? To learn and demonstrate the procedures, practices, and tools of your field of study?

Defining the writing task

• Is the assignment sequenced so that students: (1) write a draft, (2) receive feedback (from you, fellow students, or staff members at the Writing and Communication Center), and (3) then revise it? Such a procedure has been proven to accomplish at least two goals: it improves the student’s writing and it discourages plagiarism.
• Does the assignment include so many sub-questions that students will be confused about the major issue they should examine? Can you give more guidance about what the paper’s main focus should be? Can you reduce the number of sub-questions?
• What is the purpose of the assignment (e.g., review knowledge already learned, find additional information, synthesize research, examine a new hypothesis)? Making the purpose(s) of the assignment explicit helps students write the kind of paper you want.
• What is the required form (e.g., expository essay, lab report, memo, business report)?
• What mode is required for the assignment (e.g., description, narration, analysis, persuasion, a combination of two or more of these)?

Defining the audience for the paper

• Can you define a hypothetical audience to help students determine which concepts to define and explain? When students write only to the instructor, they may assume that little, if anything, requires explanation. Defining the whole class as the intended audience will clarify this issue for students.
• What is the probable attitude of the intended readers toward the topic itself? Toward the student writer’s thesis? Toward the student writer?
• What is the probable educational and economic background of the intended readers?

Defining the writer’s role

• Can you make explicit what persona you wish the students to assume? For example, a very effective role for student writers is that of a “professional in training” who uses the assumptions, the perspective, and the conceptual tools of the discipline.

Defining your evaluative criteria

1. If possible, explain the relative weight in grading assigned to the quality of writing and the assignment’s content:

• depth of coverage
• organization
• critical thinking
• original thinking
• use of research
• logical demonstration
• appropriate mode of structure and analysis (e.g., comparison, argument)
• correct use of sources
• grammar and mechanics
• professional tone
• correct use of course-specific concepts and terms.

Here’s a checklist for writing assignments:

• Have you used explicit command words in your instructions (e.g., “compare and contrast” and “explain” are more explicit than “explore” or “consider”)? The more explicit the command words, the better chance the students will write the type of paper you wish.
• Does the assignment suggest a topic, thesis, and format? Should it?
• Have you told students the kind of audience they are addressing — the level of knowledge they can assume the readers have and your particular preferences (e.g., “avoid slang, use the first-person sparingly”)?
• If the assignment has several stages of completion, have you made the various deadlines clear? Is your policy on due dates clear?
• Have you presented the assignment in a manageable form? For instance, a 5-page assignment sheet for a 1-page paper may overwhelm students. Similarly, a 1-sentence assignment for a 25-page paper may offer insufficient guidance.

There are several benefits of sequencing writing assignments:

• Sequencing provides a sense of coherence for the course.
• This approach helps students see progress and purpose in their work rather than seeing the writing assignments as separate exercises.
• It encourages complexity through sustained attention, revision, and consideration of multiple perspectives.
• If you have only one large paper due near the end of the course, you might create a sequence of smaller assignments leading up to and providing a foundation for that larger paper (e.g., proposal of the topic, an annotated bibliography, a progress report, a summary of the paper’s key argument, a first draft of the paper itself). This approach allows you to give students guidance and also discourages plagiarism.
• It mirrors the approach to written work in many professions.

The concept of sequencing writing assignments also allows for a wide range of options in creating the assignment. It is often beneficial to have students submit the components suggested below to your course’s STELLAR web site.

Use the writing process itself. In its simplest form, “sequencing an assignment” can mean establishing some sort of “official” check of the prewriting and drafting steps in the writing process. This step guarantees that students will not write the whole paper in one sitting and also gives students more time to let their ideas develop. This check might be something as informal as having students work on their prewriting or draft for a few minutes at the end of class. Or it might be something more formal such as collecting the prewriting and giving a few suggestions and comments.

Have students submit drafts. You might ask students to submit a first draft in order to receive your quick responses to its content, or have them submit written questions about the content and scope of their projects after they have completed their first draft.

Establish small groups. Set up small writing groups of three-five students from the class. Allow them to meet for a few minutes in class or have them arrange a meeting outside of class to comment constructively on each other’s drafts. The students do not need to be writing on the same topic.

Require consultations. Have students consult with someone in the Writing and Communication Center about their prewriting and/or drafts. The Center has yellow forms that we can give to students to inform you that such a visit was made.

Explore a subject in increasingly complex ways. A series of reading and writing assignments may be linked by the same subject matter or topic. Students encounter new perspectives and competing ideas with each new reading, and thus must evaluate and balance various views and adopt a position that considers the various points of view.

Change modes of discourse. In this approach, students’ assignments move from less complex to more complex modes of discourse (e.g., from expressive to analytic to argumentative; or from lab report to position paper to research article).

Change audiences. In this approach, students create drafts for different audiences, moving from personal to public (e.g., from self-reflection to an audience of peers to an audience of specialists). Each change would require different tasks and more extensive knowledge.

Change perspective through time. In this approach, students might write a statement of their understanding of a subject or issue at the beginning of a course and then return at the end of the semester to write an analysis of that original stance in the light of the experiences and knowledge gained in the course.

Use a natural sequence. A different approach to sequencing is to create a series of assignments culminating in a final writing project. In scientific and technical writing, for example, students could write a proposal requesting approval of a particular topic. The next assignment might be a progress report (or a series of progress reports), and the final assignment could be the report or document itself. For humanities and social science courses, students might write a proposal requesting approval of a particular topic, then hand in an annotated bibliography, and then a draft, and then the final version of the paper.

Have students submit sections. A variation of the previous approach is to have students submit various sections of their final document throughout the semester (e.g., their bibliography, review of the literature, methods section).

In addition to the standard essay and report formats, several other formats exist that might give students a different slant on the course material or allow them to use slightly different writing skills. Here are some suggestions:

Journals. Journals have become a popular format in recent years for courses that require some writing. In-class journal entries can spark discussions and reveal gaps in students’ understanding of the material. Having students write an in-class entry summarizing the material covered that day can aid the learning process and also reveal concepts that require more elaboration. Out-of-class entries involve short summaries or analyses of texts, or are a testing ground for ideas for student papers and reports. Although journals may seem to add a huge burden for instructors to correct, in fact many instructors either spot-check journals (looking at a few particular key entries) or grade them based on the number of entries completed. Journals are usually not graded for their prose style. STELLAR forums work well for out-of-class entries.

Letters. Students can define and defend a position on an issue in a letter written to someone in authority. They can also explain a concept or a process to someone in need of that particular information. They can write a letter to a friend explaining their concerns about an upcoming paper assignment or explaining their ideas for an upcoming paper assignment. If you wish to add a creative element to the writing assignment, you might have students adopt the persona of an important person discussed in your course (e.g., an historical figure) and write a letter explaining his/her actions, process, or theory to an interested person (e.g., “pretend that you are John Wilkes Booth and write a letter to the Congress justifying your assassination of Abraham Lincoln,” or “pretend you are Henry VIII writing to Thomas More explaining your break from the Catholic Church”).

Editorials . Students can define and defend a position on a controversial issue in the format of an editorial for the campus or local newspaper or for a national journal.

Cases . Students might create a case study particular to the course’s subject matter.

Position Papers . Students can define and defend a position, perhaps as a preliminary step in the creation of a formal research paper or essay.

Imitation of a Text . Students can create a new document “in the style of” a particular writer (e.g., “Create a government document the way Woody Allen might write it” or “Write your own ‘Modest Proposal’ about a modern issue”).

Instruction Manuals . Students write a step-by-step explanation of a process.

Dialogues . Students create a dialogue between two major figures studied in which they not only reveal those people’s theories or thoughts but also explore areas of possible disagreement (e.g., “Write a dialogue between Claude Monet and Jackson Pollock about the nature and uses of art”).

Collaborative projects . Students work together to create such works as reports, questions, and critiques.

• Walden University
• Faculty Portal

Common Assignments: Journal Entries

Basics of journal entries, related webinar.

Didn't find what you need? Search our website or email us .

Read our website accessibility and accommodation statement .

• Previous Page: Writing a Successful Response to Another's Post
• Next Page: Read the Prompt Carefully
• Office of Student Disability Services

Walden Resources

Departments.

• Academic Residencies
• Academic Skills
• Career Planning and Development
• Customer Care Team
• Field Experience
• Military Services
• Student Success Advising
• Writing Skills

Centers and Offices

• Center for Social Change
• Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services
• Office of Degree Acceleration
• Office of Research and Doctoral Services
• Office of Student Affairs

Student Resources

• Doctoral Writing Assessment
• Form & Style Review
• Quick Answers
• ScholarWorks
• SKIL Courses and Workshops
• Walden Bookstore
• Walden Catalog & Student Handbook
• Student Safety/Title IX
• Legal & Consumer Information
• Website Terms and Conditions
• Cookie Policy
• Accessibility
• Accreditation
• State Authorization
• Net Price Calculator
• Contact Walden

Walden University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com Walden University is certified to operate by SCHEV © 2024 Walden University LLC. All rights reserved.

Let's start a new assignment project together, Get Exclusive Free Assistance Now!

Need Help? Call Us :

• Assignment Writing Service
• Assignment Editing Service
• Assignment Masters
• Assignment Provider
• Buy Assignment Online
• Do My Assignment
• Assignment Writers
• College Assignment Help
• Essay Writing Service
• Online Essay Help
• Do My Essay
• Write My Essay
• Essay Assignment Help
• Essay Writer
• Essay Typer
• College Essay Help
• Essay Editor
• Types Of Essays
• Expository Essays
• Types Of Expository Essays
• Narrative Essays
• Narrative Essay Examples
• Narrative Essay Hooks
• Narrative Essay Childhood Memory
• Descriptive Essay About An Event
• Types Of Essays In Ielts
• Application Essay
• Argumentative Essay
• Essay Writing
• Essay Types
• Paper Writing Service
• Research Paper Help
• Term Paper Help
• Write My paper
• Paper Editor
• Research Proposal Help
• Thesis Writing Help
• Thesis Statement Help
• Homework Help
• Do My Homework
• Statistics Homework Help
• Physics Homework Help
• Word Problem Solver
• Accounting Homework Help
• Math Homework Help
• Solve my Math Problem
• College Homework Help
• Online Tutoring Service
• Algebra Homework Help
• CPM Homework Help
• Homework Answers
• Lab Report Help
• Pestel Analysis Help
• Business Report Help
• Book Review Help
• Book Report Help
• University Assignment Help
• Capstone Project Help
• Resume Writing Services
• Annotated Bibliography
• Ghostwriter
• Personal Statement Help
• Speech Writer
• Proofreading
• computation assignment help
• dbms assignment help
• microprocessor assignment help
• oracle assignment help
• pascal assignment help
• perl assignment help
• ruby assignment help
• sql assignment help
• uml assignment help
• web designing assignment help
• epidemiology assignment help
• nursing assignment help
• pharmacology assignment help
• psychology assignment help
• brand management assignment help
• construction management assignment help
• customer relationship management
• healthcare management assignment help
• mba assignment help
• myob assignment help
• recruitment assignment help
• strategy analysis assignment help
• pricing strategy assignment help
• business analytics assignment help
• business communication assignment help
• e commerce assignment help
• international finance assignment help
• quantitative analysis assignment help
• engineering mathematics assignment help
• civil engineering assignment help
• transportation assignment
• electronics assignment help
• geotechnical engineering assignment help
• telecommunication assignment help
• biomedical engineering assignment help
• mechanical engineering assignment help
• system analysis and design assignment help
• rationalism assignment help
• religion assignment help
• physics assignment help
• biology assignment help
• botany assignment help
• bioinformatics assignment help
• eviews assignment help
• linear programming assignment help
• minitab assignment help
• probability assignment help
• spss assignment help
• stata assignment help
• android assignment help
• c programing assignment help
• c sharp assignment help
• c plus plus assignment help
• fortran assignment help
• haskell assignment help
• html assignment help
• java assignment help
• python programming assignment help
• sap assignment help
• web programming assignment help
• Taxation Law Aassignment Help
• Constitutional Law Assignment help
• contract law assignment help
• civil law assignment help
• company law assignment help
• property law assignment help
• international law assignment help
• human rights law assignment help
• agriculture assignment help
• anthropology assignment help
• childcare assignment help
• english assignment help
• fashion assignment help
• music assignment help
• How It Works
• Assignment Help
• Experts Tips on College Assignment Formats & Structure with Examples

Experts Tips on College Assignment Formats & Structure with Examples

The first thing that every student should consider while beginning any assignment is a complete understanding of the assignment format. Depending upon the type of the assignment its structure and formatting requirements vary. Students are generally given guidelines from their professors regarding the assignment formatting such as file format, font, layout, word count, referencing style, headers, footers, numbering and heading requirements. In case you have no idea what should be the structure of your assignment, the following article presents some common assignment formats with examples.

Basic Structure Elements of an Assignment

Our online assignment help experts always suggest the students to at least maintain the generalized structure of the assignment if their instructor has not specified any format. A university assignment typically comprises of the following six sections. Along with these, there can be certain presentation schemes to be followed such as providing a proper referencing format, leaving adequate margins, line spacing, page numbers, and font style and font size.

• Table of Contents
• Introduction

Also Read: Assignment Cover Sheet Sample and Templates

Research Paper Assignment Format

A research paper is divided into the following parts:

•    Title of the Research
•    Abstract
•    Table of Contents
•    Introduction
•    Research Methodology
•    Findings and discussions
•    Conclusions
•    References and Citations
•    Appendices

The presentation of the research paper is based on the referencing format suggested by your college instructor. For instance, if you are using MLA referencing format you will name the source page as ‘Works Cited” while in case of APA format you will name it as ‘References”. Below you can find a sample MLA assignment format.

Essay Assignment Format

An essay consists of the following five parts. Below them, you can find a sample template elaborating the significance of each section.

•    Thesis Statement
•    Conclusion
•    Citations

You should always keep this basic format in mind while preparing your college essays. In this way, you will be able to divide your content accordingly. Each paragraph of an essay can also be divided into three parts namely, the topic sentence of the paragraph, the supporting details and the conclusion statement.

Project Report Assignment Format

A project report is generally a compulsory academic assignment for students. Most of the university professors prefer that the report should be written as per an academic standard. A project report has the following structure:

•    Title Page
•    Acknowledgement
•    Problem definition
•    Objective
•    Background
•    Methodology
•    Analysis
•    Discussion
•    Conclusion / Recommendations
•    References / Bibliography

Case Study Assignment Format

A case study assignment includes the following sections:

•    Background knowledge
•    Alternatives and constraints
•    Proposed Solutions
•    Recommendations

The following example of a case study assignment depicts the sections stated above. You can find more case study templates and our expert assignment help on writing an effective case study on our website. Our experts will provide you with a step by step guide to writing a case study assignment.

Article Review Assignment Format

The format of a review paper includes:

• Body (Subtopics)

The college students are expected to use a standardized referencing system such as APA, AMA, MLA, Chicago etc. Each section has an appropriate word count associated with it and students have to maintain that. Consider the template of a literature review format given below.

Reflective Journal Assignment Format

Reflective journal assignments are of various types such as peer reviews, essays, journal, long book or learning diary. Each journal entry includes the given sections:

• Triggering event or situation
• Exploration
• Conclusion or Integration

Below you can find an example of a learning journal entry in which the author is presenting their weekly reflection. Read carefully and go through the numbered points and always consider them while writing a reflective assignment.

Annotated Bibliography Format

The annotated bibliography comprises two elements: the citation and annotation. The citation part is formatted according to the referencing format suggested by your university professors such as MLA or APA . The annotation part is a summary of 100-300 words about the source. Here is an example of an annotated bibliography written in MLA style.

Tips on Formatting Assignments Accurately

• Read your instructor’s guidelines carefully before beginning an assignment. Make sure you understand every instruction correctly and you are following them while writing the assignment.
• If there is any confusion regarding the presentation or format of the assignment you can just cross-check with your professor once again. You can also seek assistance from our experts. They are well-versed in academic assignment writing formats.
• Also, always make sure that you understand the writing task. The format of every assignment is different. Sometimes students misinterpret an assignment question and then have to reconsider the format as well.
• Go through some assignment format examples first to understand the pattern of writing. You can find assignment samples from our website anytime. If your professor provides you with some examples make sure you go through them first.
• Take note of the referencing format you are using in your assignment. You should know all the formatting guidelines for the referencing style so that you can work accordingly.

Also Read: How to Write a Perfect Assignment?

Need Help with college assignment formats & structure?

Your courses may have different specific requirements. Make sure you carefully read the task requirements and inquire about how they will be complied with by your professor or teacher or simply order with us.

We at GoAssignmentHelp, a leading assignment help services with the best and experienced assignment Writers based in Brisbane operating online in Sydney , Melbourne , Perth , Canberra , Adelaide , Darwin and across the major cities of Australia can help you with assignment writing services in essays , research papers , thesis , dissertation , homework .

0 responses on "Experts Tips on College Assignment Formats & Structure with Examples"

Leave a message cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recent Posts

• Figurative Language and Its Importance
• A’s and B’s: The True Story Behind The Letter Grades
• How to Write an Article Review: Tips, Outline, Format
• Explanatory Essay Writing Guide
• Poem Analysis Essay Guide: Outline, Template, Structure

Securing Higher Grades is no more expensive!

We can help you boost your grades at best price., get exclusive 20% off.

[email protected] | (+1)617-933-5480

187 Wolf Road, Albany, New York, 12205, USA

100% Secure Payment

We offer assignment writing services in :

• Los Angeles

Disclaimer: Any material such as academic assignments, essays, articles, term and research papers, dissertations, coursework, case studies, PowerPoint presentations, reviews, etc. is solely for referential purposes. We do not encourage plagiarism in any form. We trust that our clients will use the provided material purely as a reference point in their own writing efforts.

GoAssignmentHelp Rated 4.4/5 based on 123 Reviews Copyright © 2010-2024 | www.goassignmenthelp.com | All rights reserved.

Tap to Chat

Get instant assignment help

Eberly Center

Teaching excellence & educational innovation, creating assignments.

Here are some general suggestions and questions to consider when creating assignments. There are also many other resources in print and on the web that provide examples of interesting, discipline-specific assignment ideas.

Consider your learning objectives.

What do you want students to learn in your course? What could they do that would show you that they have learned it? To determine assignments that truly serve your course objectives, it is useful to write out your objectives in this form: I want my students to be able to ____. Use active, measurable verbs as you complete that sentence (e.g., compare theories, discuss ramifications, recommend strategies), and your learning objectives will point you towards suitable assignments.

Design assignments that are interesting and challenging.

This is the fun side of assignment design. Consider how to focus students’ thinking in ways that are creative, challenging, and motivating. Think beyond the conventional assignment type! For example, one American historian requires students to write diary entries for a hypothetical Nebraska farmwoman in the 1890s. By specifying that students’ diary entries must demonstrate the breadth of their historical knowledge (e.g., gender, economics, technology, diet, family structure), the instructor gets students to exercise their imaginations while also accomplishing the learning objectives of the course (Walvoord & Anderson, 1989, p. 25).

Double-check alignment.

After creating your assignments, go back to your learning objectives and make sure there is still a good match between what you want students to learn and what you are asking them to do. If you find a mismatch, you will need to adjust either the assignments or the learning objectives. For instance, if your goal is for students to be able to analyze and evaluate texts, but your assignments only ask them to summarize texts, you would need to add an analytical and evaluative dimension to some assignments or rethink your learning objectives.

Name assignments accurately.

Students can be misled by assignments that are named inappropriately. For example, if you want students to analyze a product’s strengths and weaknesses but you call the assignment a “product description,” students may focus all their energies on the descriptive, not the critical, elements of the task. Thus, it is important to ensure that the titles of your assignments communicate their intention accurately to students.

Consider sequencing.

Think about how to order your assignments so that they build skills in a logical sequence. Ideally, assignments that require the most synthesis of skills and knowledge should come later in the semester, preceded by smaller assignments that build these skills incrementally. For example, if an instructor’s final assignment is a research project that requires students to evaluate a technological solution to an environmental problem, earlier assignments should reinforce component skills, including the ability to identify and discuss key environmental issues, apply evaluative criteria, and find appropriate research sources.

Think about scheduling.

Consider your intended assignments in relation to the academic calendar and decide how they can be reasonably spaced throughout the semester, taking into account holidays and key campus events. Consider how long it will take students to complete all parts of the assignment (e.g., planning, library research, reading, coordinating groups, writing, integrating the contributions of team members, developing a presentation), and be sure to allow sufficient time between assignments.

Check feasibility.

Is the workload you have in mind reasonable for your students? Is the grading burden manageable for you? Sometimes there are ways to reduce workload (whether for you or for students) without compromising learning objectives. For example, if a primary objective in assigning a project is for students to identify an interesting engineering problem and do some preliminary research on it, it might be reasonable to require students to submit a project proposal and annotated bibliography rather than a fully developed report. If your learning objectives are clear, you will see where corners can be cut without sacrificing educational quality.

Articulate the task description clearly.

If an assignment is vague, students may interpret it any number of ways – and not necessarily how you intended. Thus, it is critical to clearly and unambiguously identify the task students are to do (e.g., design a website to help high school students locate environmental resources, create an annotated bibliography of readings on apartheid). It can be helpful to differentiate the central task (what students are supposed to produce) from other advice and information you provide in your assignment description.

Establish clear performance criteria.

Different instructors apply different criteria when grading student work, so it’s important that you clearly articulate to students what your criteria are. To do so, think about the best student work you have seen on similar tasks and try to identify the specific characteristics that made it excellent, such as clarity of thought, originality, logical organization, or use of a wide range of sources. Then identify the characteristics of the worst student work you have seen, such as shaky evidence, weak organizational structure, or lack of focus. Identifying these characteristics can help you consciously articulate the criteria you already apply. It is important to communicate these criteria to students, whether in your assignment description or as a separate rubric or scoring guide . Clearly articulated performance criteria can prevent unnecessary confusion about your expectations while also setting a high standard for students to meet.

Specify the intended audience.

Students make assumptions about the audience they are addressing in papers and presentations, which influences how they pitch their message. For example, students may assume that, since the instructor is their primary audience, they do not need to define discipline-specific terms or concepts. These assumptions may not match the instructor’s expectations. Thus, it is important on assignments to specify the intended audience http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/pop10e.cfm (e.g., undergraduates with no biology background, a potential funder who does not know engineering).

Specify the purpose of the assignment.

If students are unclear about the goals or purpose of the assignment, they may make unnecessary mistakes. For example, if students believe an assignment is focused on summarizing research as opposed to evaluating it, they may seriously miscalculate the task and put their energies in the wrong place. The same is true they think the goal of an economics problem set is to find the correct answer, rather than demonstrate a clear chain of economic reasoning. Consequently, it is important to make your objectives for the assignment clear to students.

Specify the parameters.

If you have specific parameters in mind for the assignment (e.g., length, size, formatting, citation conventions) you should be sure to specify them in your assignment description. Otherwise, students may misapply conventions and formats they learned in other courses that are not appropriate for yours.

A Checklist for Designing Assignments

Here is a set of questions you can ask yourself when creating an assignment.

• Provided a written description of the assignment (in the syllabus or in a separate document)?
• Specified the purpose of the assignment?
• Indicated the intended audience?
• Articulated the instructions in precise and unambiguous language?
• Provided information about the appropriate format and presentation (e.g., page length, typed, cover sheet, bibliography)?  
• Indicated special instructions, such as a particular citation style or headings?  
• Specified the due date and the consequences for missing it?
• Articulated performance criteria clearly?
• Indicated the assignment’s point value or percentage of the course grade?
• Provided students (where appropriate) with models or samples?

Adapted from the WAC Clearinghouse at http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/pop10e.cfm .

CONTACT US to talk with an Eberly colleague in person!

• Faculty Support
• Graduate Student Support
• Canvas @ Carnegie Mellon
• Quick Links

• Utility Menu

GA4 Tracking Code

fa51e2b1dc8cca8f7467da564e77b5ea

• Make a Gift
• Join Our Email List

How to Write an Effective Assignment

At their base, all assignment prompts function a bit like a magnifying glass—they allow a student to isolate, focus on, inspect, and interact with some portion of your course material through a fixed lens of your choosing.

The Key Components of an Effective Assignment Prompt

All assignments, from ungraded formative response papers all the way up to a capstone assignment, should include the following components to ensure that students and teachers understand not only the learning objective of the assignment, but also the discrete steps which they will need to follow in order to complete it successfully:

• Preamble.  This situates the assignment within the context of the course, reminding students of what they have been working on in anticipation of the assignment and how that work has prepared them to succeed at it. 
• Justification and Purpose.  This explains why the particular type or genre of assignment you’ve chosen (e.g., lab report, policy memo, problem set, or personal reflection) is the best way for you and your students to measure how well they’ve met the learning objectives associated with this segment of the course.
• Mission.  This explains the assignment in broad brush strokes, giving students a general sense of the project you are setting before them. It often gives students guidance on the evidence or data they should be working with, as well as helping them imagine the audience their work should be aimed at.  
• Tasks.  This outlines what students are supposed to do at a more granular level: for example, how to start, where to look, how to ask for help, etc. If written well, this part of the assignment prompt ought to function as a kind of "process" rubric for students, helping them to decide for themselves whether they are completing the assignment successfully.
• Submission format.  This tells students, in appropriate detail, which stylistic conventions they should observe and how to submit their work. For example, should the assignment be a five-page paper written in APA format and saved as a .docx file? Should it be uploaded to the course website? Is it due by Tuesday at 5:00pm?

For illustrations of these five components in action, visit our gallery of annotated assignment prompts .

For advice about creative assignments (e.g. podcasts, film projects, visual and performing art projects, etc.), visit our  Guidance on Non-Traditional Forms of Assessment .

For specific advice on different genres of assignment, click below:

Response Papers

Problem sets, source analyses, final exams, concept maps, research papers, oral presentations, poster presentations.

• Learner-Centered Design
• Putting Evidence at the Center
• What Should Students Learn?
• Start with the Capstone
• Gallery of Annotated Assignment Prompts
• Scaffolding: Using Frequency and Sequencing Intentionally
• Curating Content: The Virtue of Modules
• Syllabus Design
• Catalogue Materials
• Making a Course Presentation Video
• Teaching Teams
• In the Classroom
• Getting Feedback
• Equitable & Inclusive Teaching
• Advising and Mentoring
• Teaching and Your Career
• Teaching Remotely
• Tools and Platforms
• The Science of Learning
• Bok Publications
• Other Resources Around Campus

Aihber Khan

romanticizing life

June 5, 2023

The Ultimate College Assignment Formatting Guide

In this blog post, we’re going to dive headfirst into everything that has to do with college assignment formatting and talk about its significance. We’ll explore the impact of formatting on our academic journey and why paying attention to this often underestimated detail can make a world of difference in our grades and overall success.

Let’s face it: formatting assignments can be a daunting task. What font do you use? How do you structure your paragraphs? How can you create a bibliography? Fear not! By the end of this blog post you will have the answer to all your questions.

This post will cover everything from the essential elements of a properly formatted college assignment to refining your formatting skills.

This post is all about college assignment formatting.

Table of Contents

Header & footer, margins & spacing, introduction, in-text citations, bibliography, fine-tuning your assignment format, font & typography, headings & subheadings, figures, tables, and appendices, proofreading and editing, formatting checklist, this post was all about college assignment formatting., other posts you may like:, understanding the basics of college assignment formatting.

The title page is the gateway to your assignment, providing essential information about the work you’ve produced. When it comes to formatting the title page, there are a few key elements to include. First, make sure your title accurately describes the content of your assignment. It should be concise, captivating, and informative, while setting the tone for the rest of the assignment.

Furthermore, your title page should also include your full name as the author of the assignment, followed by the course and professor for which you are submitting the assignment. This is important to ensure proper identification of the assignment.

Next, be sure to include the submission date. This helps establish a timeline and ensures that your assignment is submitted on time.

Finally, use a clean and legible font style, such as Times New Roman or Arial, and use a font size of 12 points. Align your text in the center of the page to create a balanced look.

Headers and footers play an important role in assignment formatting by providing essential information continuously throughout your document. Headers are located at the top of each page, while footers are placed at the bottom.

In the header, include your last name and the page number. This helps keep track of all the pages and identify them as yours. The page numbers should be positioned flush right, aligning with the right margin of your document.

For an extra layer of identification, you can also include your student identification number in the header.

Footers can be utilized to display other relevant information, such as the course name or the title of your assignment. However, the footer section is not typically used for substantial content.

Margins and spacing are important elements of college assignment format, as they effect readability and organization. The recommended margin size for most assignments is 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides of the page allow for sufficient white space and provides room for professors to add comments if need be.

Spacing is equally important when it comes to formatting your assignment and double-spacing is the standard practice. Make sure your entire document, including the main body, quotations, and references, follows the double-spacing convention.

Note that there may be times where specific formatting requirements differ. For example, some professors may request single-spacing or different margin sizes so it is important that you review your professor’s own assignment guidelines and follow those instructions!

Structuring Your Assignments

The introduction is a crucial part of your assignment, capturing the reader’s attention and guiding them through your work. Provide background information and state your thesis clearly. Outline the main points you’ll cover in the body paragraphs to give the reader an overview of the assignment’s structure. Keep it concise and about one to three paragraphs long. A well-crafted introduction sets the stage for a compelling assignment.

In the main body of your assignment, present your arguments, evidence, and analysis in a structured manner. Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main point. Provide supporting evidence and examples to strengthen your arguments. Use transitional words to connect your ideas smoothly. Maintain a balanced structure by giving appropriate attention to each point. You can also use subheadings for further organization if necessary.

For your assignment to be completed and to have an impact, a powerful conclusion is necessary. Without presenting additional material, summarize your essential ideas. Restate your thesis and consider the importance of your findings. Finally, give the reader a compelling final thought that motivates additional thought.

References & Citations

When writing academic assignments, you need to acknowledge the sources you have used to support your arguments and ideas. In-text citations serve as brief references within the body of your assignment, indicating where specific information or ideas originated.

Different citation styles, such as APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), or Chicago, have specific guidelines for in-text citations. Familiarize yourself with the citation style recommended by your professor and follow it consistently throughout your assignment.

In-text citations usually include the author’s last name and the year of publication. For direct quotations, it is important to include the page number as well. Place the in-text citation immediately after the information you have derived from the source, making sure that the citation is placed within parentheses or as a part of the sentence.

A reference list or bibliography is crucial for your assignment as it lists all the sources you cited during your research. It helps readers locate and verify your sources’ credibility. Follow the specific formatting guidelines of your chosen citation style. Alphabetize the entries by the author’s last name or the title of the work. Be sure to double-check the accuracy of each entry, including capitalization, punctuation, and formatting. Proper referencing strengthens your arguments and demonstrates academic integrity which is incredibly important especially in academic writing. Familiarize yourself with citation style guidelines and apply them diligently to avoid plagiarism accusations and penalties.

Like we briefly covered before, the choice of font and typography can significantly impact the readability and visual appeal of your assignment. Select a legible and professional font style, such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri, and maintain consistency throughout your assignment.

Furthermore, a font size of 12 points is recommended for the main body of your assignment, however, consult your assignment guidelines to confirm the font size requirements. Avoid using excessively large or small font sizes, as they can make your work difficult to read and look unprofessional.

Additionally, use double-spacing or whatever your professor instructs and ensure that your paragraphs are indented consistently, usually by half an inch, to signify new paragraphs and aid in visual organization.

Headings and subheadings are helpful guiding the reader through its structure. They make it easier for the reader to navigate and comprehend your work.

Use descriptive headings that accurately reflect the content of each section. Depending on the length and complexity of your assignment, you may have multiple levels of headings, such as main headings (Level 1), subheadings (Level 2), and further subheadings as needed.

Figures, tables, and appendices enhance your assignment by providing supplementary information, data, or visual representations. Follow formatting guidelines to maintain consistency and professionalism.

Number figures sequentially and add descriptive captions. Place figures near relevant text and refer to them within your assignment.

Similarly, number and title tables clearly. Format tables consistently with proper headers and labels. Explain their relevance and findings in your assignment.

Lastly, you can use appendices for additional materials that support your main arguments. Label them with letters or numbers and provide clear titles.

Polishing Your Assignment

Editing and proofreading your assignment is essential for improving its quality before submission. Here are some practical strategies to catch errors:

• Take a break: Step away from your assignment after the initial draft. Returning with fresh eyes helps you spot mistakes and areas for improvement.
• Read aloud: Reading your assignment aloud helps identify awkward phrasing and grammar errors. Pay attention to sentence structure, punctuation, and flow.
• Use grammar and spelling tools: Word processing software often includes checking tools. While not perfect, they can catch basic errors. However, use them as a complement to proofreading.
• Seek feedback: Ask a friend, classmate, or professor to review your assignment. They may spot errors and offer suggestions for improvement.
• Check formatting: Follow the formatting requirements provided by your instructor. Ensure consistency in font, spacing, indentation, margins, in-text citations, reference list, and figures/tables.

By dedicating time to editing and proofreading, you can enhance your assignment’s clarity, conciseness, and accuracy.

To help you ensure that your assignment meets all the necessary formatting requirements, here is a handy checklist:

• Title Page: Verify that your title page includes the required elements such as the title of the assignment, your name, the course name, the instructor’s name, and the submission date.
• Header and Footer: Confirm that your headers and footers contain the necessary information, such as page numbers and your name.
• Margins and Spacing: Check that your assignment adheres to the recommended margin sizes and spacing guidelines. Ensure that your paragraphs are properly indented, and your text is double-spaced unless instructed otherwise.
• Font and Typography: Ensure consistency in font style and size throughout your assignment.
• Headings and Subheadings: Ensure consistent formatting.
• In-text Citations: Verify that your in-text citations follow the designated citation style. Check that you have included all necessary information, such as the author’s name and publication year, and that they are properly formatted within parentheses or as part of the sentence structure.
• Bibliography: Ensure that your reference list or bibliography follows the formatting guidelines of the citation style you are using. Double-check the accuracy of each entry, including the correct formatting of authors’ names and publication information
• Figures and Tables: Review the formatting of any figures or tables in your assignment. Ensure that they are appropriately labeled, numbered, and referenced within the text.
• Appendices: If you have included any appendices in your assignment, ensure that they are properly labeled and organized.
• Proofreading: Lastly, thoroughly proofread your assignment for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Check for consistency in tense, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure.

Remember, formatting is not just a mundane task; it is an essential part of your journey as a student. Embrace it as an opportunity to refine your writing skills, enhance your academic work, and pave the way for success in your studies.

• Dorm Inspiration: 21+ Inspo Pictures You Will Love
• 31 College Dorm Room Ideas: From Drab To Fab
• 21 Useful College Organization Tips To Try Right Now

Get on the List

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

On the Blog

• Productivity
• Privacy Policy

Join the List

Copyright © 2024 Aihber Khan · Theme by 17th Avenue

The Bookshelf

Exploring edtech and cognitive psychology.

• NSF Funds Work on Flagging Bad Online Behavior
• Testing AI Fairness in Predicting College Dropout Rate
• Pandemic Lockdowns Boost, Democratize Online Education
• Study Reveals Key Course Features that Draw Diverse Students
• Study: No Single Solution Helps All Students Complete MOOCs

How to Ace Your College Assignments

College can be tough. You’re juggling classes, homework, a social life, and maybe a job on the side. It’s no wonder that sometimes your college assignments don’t get the attention they deserve. But did you know that there are tricks to acing your college assignments? Here are some tips and strategies that will help you get better grades in school!

For many students, college is a big learning curve. It’s a time in your life that involves a lot of change and getting used to many new things. When it comes to college assignments, many students find that things work differently from when they were in high school. The format and types of assessments are different, the criteria for passing can feel unfamiliar, and of course, the level of learning is a step up from high school too.

But getting good grades has a direct impact on your success at college, so it’s important to do as well as you can. So what can you do to get to grips with college assignments so you ace them? Here are some tips.

Read The Instructions

Start by reading the assignment instructions carefully. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to make sure you understand what the task is and what your lecturer or professor is looking for. If you’re unsure about anything, ask for clarification from your instructor. They are there to help you, so you should never feel unsure about going to ask for clarification, or for a little extra direction. You could even ask them what they’re looking for in order to give good grades. For example, is it more about research, or a good writing style? Any tips you can glean from the people marking your assignments will help.

Use Past Papers And Study Materials

When you have a better understanding of what’s required, it can be helpful to use past papers and college study materials to give yourself an idea of the sort of thing that might be expected. Study materials can also give you an idea of the level of detail required and the standard expected by your college. If you’re not sure where to find these things, ask your instructor or librarian for help. Getting hold of some of these past materials will help to give you a framework for your learning, understand the types of assignments your college sets, and what success looks like to them.

Create A Plan And Work Schedule

Once you have a good understanding of the task at hand and what’s expected of you, it’s time to create a plan. This should be a detailed document that outlines everything you need to do in order to complete the assignment to a high standard. Your plan should include a timeline and deadlines for each task, as well as what resources you’ll need and any other information that will help you to complete the assignment.

Work In Short Bursts

One of the best pieces of advice for college students is to work in short bursts . This means setting a timer for a certain amount of time and working on the task at hand for that amount of time, before taking a break. This method is often recommended for students because it’s a more effective way of working than trying to power through for hours on end. It’s also a lot easier to stay focused when you’re working in short bursts. When you take a break, make sure you get up and move around, have a snack, or do something to take your mind off of your work so you can come back refreshed and ready to focus again.

Take Regular Breaks

It’s important to take regular breaks when you’re working on an assignment. This will help to keep you from getting too bogged down in the task and will allow you to come back to it with fresh eyes. When you’re taking a break, make sure you get up and move around, have a snack, or do something to take your mind off of your work so you can come back refreshed and ready to focus again.

Set A Deadline For Yourself

As well as any deadlines set by your instructor, it can be helpful to set a deadline for yourself. This should be a date or time by which you will have completed the assignment. Having a personal deadline will help to keep you on track and motivated to get the work done.

Don’t Leave It To The Last Minute

One of the worst things you can do is leave your college assignment to the last minute. This will only lead to stress and will likely result in a rushed and poorly done piece of work. If you start the assignment early, you’ll have more time to do it properly and you’ll be less likely to make mistakes. It will also give you time to deal with any unexpected circumstances, such as some additional research you decide you need to do, or dealing with a cold that leaves you feeling under the weather for a few days.

Start With The Easy Stuff

When you’re starting an assignment, it can be helpful to start with the easy stuff. This will help to get you into the flow of working on the task and will give you a sense of accomplishment. Once you’ve completed the easy stuff, you can move on to the more challenging tasks. This will help you to stay focused and motivated, and will make the whole process less daunting.

About The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf was founded by a group of Cornell students with the goal of bringing together thought leaders in the field of Educational Technology (EdTech) and cognitive psychology.

If you have any questions about our blog, please get in touch !

We use cookies to ensure we give you the best experience of our website. By browsing this site you accept we use cookies to improve and personalise our services and marketing. Read our privacy statement for more about what we do with your data, as well as your rights and choices.

• Studying by distance learning
• Get prepared for study
• How much time will you need?
• International and studying from overseas
• About our qualifications
• How to decide what to study
• Full-time or part-time study?
• How we'll support your studies
• Online tools and resources
• Te tautoko i te angitū o ngā ākonga Māori - Supporting Māori learner success
• Pasifika learner support
• Disability and Access Services
• Access to local campus services
• Fees free study
• What fees you need to pay
• Paying your fees
• Student loans
• Scholarships, awards and financial assistance
• Learner stories
• Choose courses
• How to apply to enrol
• Enrolment dates
• Recognising previous study and experience
• English language entry requirements
• Providing proof of your identity
• Terms and conditions of enrolment
• Fees and funding
• Changes to your enrolment
• Changes to benefit Open Polytechnic learners
• Student Advisory Group
• Disclaimer and copyright statement
• Notice of meetings
• Jobs at Open Polytechnic
• Who are our learners?
• Our Māori learners
• Our Pasifika learners
• Media Contact
• Publications
• First Impressions Survey
• Academic research
• Supporting new blended delivery models
• Access to Open Polytechnic digital courseware
• iQualify for business divisions
• Hei whaiwhakaaro i mua i tō ako - Some things to think about before you study
• Te whakatau he aha hei ako māu - Deciding what to study
• Whakawhiwhinga ākonga Māori - Scholarships and awards for ākonga Māori
• Message from Pule Ma’ata - Pasifika
• Meet our kaimahi Pasifika
• Pasifika success
• Scholarships for Pasifika
• Getting started with online learning
• Course and study support
• Supporting Māori learner success
• Dyslexia and the Dyslexia-Friendly Quality Mark
• Meet some of our learners
• Get help with academic writing and research skills
• Mental health support
• Using iQualify
• MyOP learner portal and app download
• Accessing your learner email and free Microsoft software
• Our library
• Assistive technology tools
• Helperbird free assistive technology tool
• How to re-enrol
• Withdrawals and course transfers
• Learner forms
• Get your student ID card
• How your work will be assessed
• How to submit your assessment for marking
• Submitting your work in te reo Māori
• How to request an assessment extension
• Special Consideration for in-course assessments
• Grading scales
• Academic Integrity
• Assessment writing
• Referencing
• Word limits and word count guidelines
• Using AI - Artificial Intelligence services
• Exam dates and venue information
• Exam admittance information and permitted materials
• Information for exam day
• Sitting exams from overseas
• Getting assistance with exams
• Reconsiderations, resits and the return of exam papers
• Aegrotat consideration
• Getting your final results
• Get started
• Make a plan
• Set study goals
• Reading skills
• Active learning
• Taking notes
• Mind mapping
• Researching
• Evaluating information
• Critical thinking for reading and research
• Step-by-step guide to tackling assessments
• Assessment types
• Plan your assessment
• Understand your assessment task
• Writing skills

Formatting and presenting assessments

• Assessments information
• Referencing and plagiarism
• How to reference
• Preparing for exams
• Types of exam questions
• Planning your time for an exam
• Information for sitting exams
• Research ethics for doing research projects
• Te whare tapa whā
• The Fonofale model of health
• Taha tinana – physical wellbeing
• Taha hinengaro – mental wellbeing
• Taha whānau – family, community and social wellbeing
• Taha wairua – spiritual wellbeing
• Free mental health support
• Rainbow learner support
• Applying to graduate
• Attending a graduation ceremony
• Academic transcripts
• Graduation Live Stream
• Tertiary and International Learners Code of Practice
• Complaints and concerns
• iQualify LMS
• Learning Engine LMS
• CPD and training services
• Digital design, video, animation and software development
• Instructional design
• Content licensing
• Digital design, video and animation

Formatting and presenting your assessments correctly is important because many include marks for presentation.

This may include marks for things such as:

• formatting and layout
• APA referencing
• writing style
• grammar and spelling.

Before you start on your assessment:

• check your assessment question, emails from your course leader, and learning materials for how it should be presented
• read the instructions carefully. Make sure you understand them and follow them exactly
• if you're not sure about what’s required contact your course leader.

General guidelines for electronic submissions

• Most assessments should be produced using Microsoft Word.
• You can also submit assessments using: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx or .rtf.
• if you don’t have Microsoft Word go to My Open Polytechnic to download and access your free version
• if you're not sure about the file type required, contact your course leader.
• Use a clear, readable font, such as Verdana, Calibri, Tahoma or Arial and use the same font throughout.
• Use black text on a white background.
• Avoid coloured backgrounds or text in a colour other than black, unless you have special permission to use them.
• Use 11 or 12 point font for the body of your assessment.
• Use 1.5 spacing and 2.53 cm (1”) wide margins.
• Leave a blank line between paragraphs.
• If the questions are short, leave a blank line between each question. If they are long, start each question on a new page.
• Left-justify your work (also known as left-aligned).
• Use bold for headings.
• Essays don’t usually need subheadings; reports usually do.

Most assessments need a title page, which should include:

• the title and number of the assessment
• the course number and name
• the due date
• your full name and student number.

Centre this information on the page, starting approximately one-third of the way down the page.

• Number and clearly label figures and tables.
• Add numbers as follows: Figure 1, Figure 2, Table 1, Table 2, and so on.
• Put table and figure captions above the table.
• Don't number the items in a reference list.

For more help with figures and tables, check:

Get more help with tables  and figures – APA  Style website

Headers and footers

Insert a header or footer on each page (except the title page). It should contain:

• your name (last name, first name/s)
• your student number
• the course code
• the assessment number
• page numbers.

Reference list

The reference list comes at the end of the assessment and should start on a new page labelled 'References'.

Need more help with reference lists? Check out the guides below:

Quick referencing APA guidelines  (PDF 47 KB; opens in a new window)

Guide to APA referencing  (PDF 395.11 KB; opens in a new window)

Appendices are used for information that:

• is too long to include in the body of your assessment
• supplements or complements the information you are providing.

Start each appendix (if applicable) on a new page. If there's just one appendix label it ‘Appendix’ without a number. If there is more than one, label them Appendix A, Appendix B, and so on.

In the main text of your assessment, refer to the Appendix by the label – for example, Appendix A.

Tops and bottoms of pages

Check the top and bottom of your pages to ensure they avoid:

• widows – single lines of text at the top of a page
• orphans – first lines of paragraphs at the bottom of a page
• tombstones – headings or subheadings alone at the bottom of a page
• split lists – lists that are divided between two pages (if possible).

General guidelines for hard copies

Most of the guidelines above also apply to hard copies (printed or handwritten documents).

If your course requires or allows handwritten assessments, be sure to follow the course instructions on presenting handwritten assessments.

Word limits and word count guidelines 

Word limits support the development of concise writing skills. Word count guidelines help you to understand the expectation of workload for an assessment.

 For more detailed information about these go to:

Word limits and word count guidelines  

Got a question?

If you want to talk with someone about formatting and presenting your assessments, contact The Library and Learning Centre | Te Whare Pukapuka Wāhanga Whakapakari Ako. 

Contact the Library and Learning Centre

Templates for college and university assignments

Include customizable templates in your college toolbox. stay focused on your studies and leave the assignment structuring to tried and true layout templates for all kinds of papers, reports, and more..

Keep your college toolbox stocked with easy-to-use templates

Work smarter with higher-ed helpers from our college tools collection. Presentations are on point from start to finish when you start your project using a designer-created template; you'll be sure to catch and keep your professor's attention. Staying on track semester after semester takes work, but that work gets a little easier when you take control of your scheduling, list making, and planning by using trackers and planners that bring you joy. Learning good habits in college will serve you well into your professional life after graduation, so don't reinvent the wheel—use what is known to work!

• How it works

Academic Assignment Samples and Examples

Are you looking for someone to write your academic assignment for you? This is the right place for you. To showcase the quality of the work that can be expected from ResearchProspect, we have curated a few samples of academic assignments. These examples have been developed by professional writers here. Place your order with us now.

Assignment Sample

Discipline: Sociology

Quality: Approved / Passed

Discipline: Construction

Quality: 1st / 78%

Discipline: Accounting & Finance

Quality: 2:1 / 69%

Undergraduate

Discipline: Bio-Medical

Quality: 1st / 76%

Discipline: Statistics

Quality: 1st / 73%

Discipline: Health and Safety

Quality: 2:1 / 68%

Discipline: Business

Quality: 2:1 / 67%

Discipline: Medicine

Quality: 2:1 / 66%

Discipline: Religion Theology

Quality: 2:1 / 64%

Discipline: Project Management

Quality: 2:1 / 63%

Discipline: Website Development

Discipline: Fire and Construction

Discipline: Environmental Management

Discipline: Early Child Education

Quality: 1st / 72%

Analysis of a Business Environment: Coffee and Cake Ltd (CC Ltd)

Business Strategy

Application of Project Management Using the Agile Approach ….

Project Management

Assessment of British Airways Social Media Posts

Critical annotation, global business environment (reflective report assignment), global marketing strategies, incoterms, ex (exw), free (fob, fca), cost (cpt, cip), delivery …., it systems strategy – the case of oxford university, management and organisation in global environment, marketing plan for “b airlines”, prepare a portfolio review and remedial options and actions …., systematic identification, analysis, and assessment of risk …., the exploratory problem-solving play and growth mindset for …..

Childhood Development

The Marketing Plan- UK Sustainable Energy Limited

Law assignment.

Law Case Study

To Analyse User’s Perception towards the Services Provided by Their…

Assignment Samples

Research Methodology

Discipline: Civil Engineering

Discipline: Health & Manangement

Our Assignment Writing Service Features

Subject specialists.

We have writers specialising in their respective fields to ensure rigorous quality control.

We are reliable as we deliver all your work to you and do not use it in any future work.

We ensure that our work is 100% plagiarism free and authentic and all references are cited.

Thoroughly Researched

We perform thorough research to get accurate content for you with proper citations.

Excellent Customer Service

To resolve your issues and queries, we provide 24/7 customer service

Our prices are kept at a level that is affordable for everyone to ensure maximum help.

Loved by over 100,000 students

Thousands of students have used ResearchProspect academic support services to improve their grades. Why are you waiting?

"I am glad I gave my order to ResearchProspect after seeing their academic assignment sample. Really happy with the results. "

Law Student

"I am grateful to them for doing my academic assignment. Got high grades."

Economics Student

Frequently Ask Questions?

How can these samples help you.

The assignment writing samples we provide help you by showing you versions of the finished item. It’s like having a picture of the cake you’re aiming to make when following a recipe.

Assignments that you undertake are a key part of your academic life; they are the usual way of assessing your knowledge on the subject you’re studying.

There are various types of assignments: essays, annotated bibliographies, stand-alone literature reviews, reflective writing essays, etc. There will be a specific structure to follow for each of these. Before focusing on the structure, it is best to plan your assignment first. Your school will have its own guidelines and instructions, you should align with those. Start by selecting the essential aspects that need to be included in your assignment.

Based on what you understand from the assignment in question, evaluate the critical points that should be made. If the task is research-based, discuss your aims and objectives, research method, and results. For an argumentative essay, you need to construct arguments relevant to the thesis statement.

Your assignment should be constructed according to the outline’s different sections. This is where you might find our samples so helpful; inspect them to understand how to write your assignment.

Adding headings to sections can enhance the clarity of your assignment. They are like signposts telling the reader what’s coming next.

Where structure is concerned, our samples can be of benefit. The basic structure is of three parts: introduction, discussion, and conclusion. It is, however, advisable to follow the structural guidelines from your tutor.

For example, our master’s sample assignment includes lots of headings and sub-headings. Undergraduate assignments are shorter and present a statistical analysis only.

If you are still unsure about how to approach your assignment, we are here to help, and we really can help you. You can start by just asking us a question with no need to commit. Our writers are able to assist by guiding you through every step of your assignment.

Who will write my assignment?

We have a cherry-picked writing team. They’ve been thoroughly tested and checked out to verify their skills and credentials. You can be sure our writers have proved they can write for you.

What if I have an urgent assignment? Do your delivery days include the weekends?

No problem. Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve – our only days off. We know you want weekend delivery, so this is what we do.

Explore More Samples

View our professional samples to be certain that we have the portofilio and capabilities to deliver what you need.

USEFUL LINKS

LEARNING RESOURCES

COMPANY DETAILS

• How It Works

Assignment Front Page Format, Design, and PDF File

Today we are sharing the assignment first page format for schools and college students. This format very useful for students for their assignment submission in school, college and university. You can also download this assignment front page design in word file format.

Note: There is a no specific and pre-defined format for assignment cover page. The front page of assignment define by school, college, university, etc. But there is general format for assignment submission which is use globally. You can change or modified this format according to you.

1. Assignment Front Page Format

2. assignment cover page design.

3. Download Assignment Design PDF & Word File

Here you can download the assignment front page format in word download. You can easily download assignment design file and edit it as per your need. You can also find this files in your Microsoft Office. Choose you best assignment front page design and impress your teachers or professors.

Source File & Credit: Microsoft Office

Use Microsoft Word to edit this file. You can easily edit this file in Microsoft Office. Replace the file with your college name, logo, etc.

Assignment is a very crucial part in academic. Your project report front page or assignment first page design play an important role like first impression is last impression. If you impress your processor or teacher then you will score good mark.

See More: General Topics for Presentation