college assignment sheet

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!

Creating Your Assignment Sheets

Main navigation.

In order to help our students best engage with the writing tasks we assign them, we need as a program  to scaffold the assignments with not only effectively designed activities, but equally effectively designed assignment sheets that clearly explain the learning objectives, purpose, and logistics for the assignment.

Checklist for Assignment Sheet Design

As a program, instructors should compose assignment sheets that contain the following elements.

A  clear description of the assignment and its purpose . How does this assignment contribute to their development as writers in this class, and perhaps beyond? What is the genre of the assignment? (e.g., some students will be familiar with rhetorical analysis, some will not).

Learning objectives for the assignment .  The learning objectives for each assignment are available on the TeachingWriting website. While you might include others objectives, or tweak the language of these a bit to fit with how you teach rhetoric, these objectives should appear in some form on the assignment sheet and should be echoed in your rubric.

Due dates or timeline, including dates for drafts .  This should include specific times and procedures for turning in drafts. You should also indicate dates for process assignments and peer review if they are different from the main assignment due dates.

Details about format (including word count, documentation form) .  This might also be a good place to remind them of any technical specifications (even if you noted them on the syllabus).

Discussion of steps of the process.  These might be “suggested” to avoid the implication that there is one best way to achieve a rhetorical analysis.

Evaluation criteria / grading rubric that is in alignment with learning objectives .  While the general  PWR evaluation criteria  is a good starting place, it is best to customize your rubric to the specific purposes of your assignment, ideally incorporating some of the language from the learning goals. In keeping with PWR’s elevation of rhetoric over rules, it’s generally best to avoid rubrics that assign specific numbers of points to specific features of the text since that suggests a fairly narrow range of good choices for students’ rhetorical goals. (This is not to say that points shouldn’t be used: it’s just more in the spirit of PWR’s rhetorical commitments to use them holistically.)

Canvas Versions of Assignment Sheets

Canvas offers an "assignment" function you can use to share assignment sheet information with students.  It provides you with the opportunity to upload a rubric in conjunction with assignment details; to create an upload space for student work (so they can upload assignments directly to Canvas); to link the assignment submissions to Speedgrader, Canvas's internal grading platform; and to sync your assigned grades with the gradebook.  While these are very helpful features, don't hesitate to reach out to the Canvas Help team or our ATS for support when you set them up for the first time. In addition, you should always provide students with access to a separate PDF assignment sheet. Don't just embed the information in the Canvas assignment field; if students have trouble accessing Canvas for any reason (Canvas outage; tech issues), they won't be able to access that information.

In addition, you might creating video mini-overviews or "talk-throughs" of your assignments.  These should serve as supplements to the assignment sheets, not as a replacement for them.

Sample Assignment Sheets

Check out some examples of Stanford instructors' assignment sheets via the links below. Note that these links will route you to our Canvas PWR Program Materials site, so you must have access to the Canvas page in order to view these files: 

See examples of rhetorical analysis assignment sheets

See examples of texts in conversation assignment sheets

See examples of research-based argument assignment sheets

Further reading on assignment sheets

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• Writing Tips

Assignment Tracker Template For Students (Google Sheets)

• 6-minute read
• 18th May 2023

If you’re a student searching for a way to keep your assignments organized, congratulate yourself for taking the time to set yourself up for success. Tracking your assignments is one of the most important steps you can take to help you stay on top of your schoolwork .

In this Writing Tips blog post, we’ll discuss why keeping an inventory of your assignments is important, go over a few popular ways to do so, and introduce you to our student assignment tracker, which is free for you to use.

Why Tracking Is Important

Keeping your assignments organized is essential for many reasons. First off, tracking your assignments enables you to keep abreast of deadlines. In addition to risking late submission penalties that may result in low grades, meeting deadlines can help develop your work ethic and increase productivity. Staying ahead of your deadlines also helps lower stress levels and promote a healthy study-life balance.

Second, keeping track of your assignments assists with time management by helping prioritize the order you complete your projects.

Third, keeping a list of your completed projects can help you stay motivated by recording your progress and seeing how far you’ve come.

Different Ways to Organize Your Assignments

There are many ways to organize your assignment, each with its pros and cons. Here are a few tried and true methods:

• Sticky notes

Whether they are online or in real life , sticky notes are one of the most popular ways to bring attention to an important reminder. Sticky notes are a quick, easy, and effective tool to highlight time-sensitive reminders. However, they work best when used temporarily and sparingly and, therefore, are likely better used for the occasional can’t-miss deadline rather than for comprehensive assignment organization.

• Phone calendar reminders  

The use of cell phone calendar reminders is also a useful approach to alert you to an upcoming deadline. An advantage to this method is that reminders on your mobile device have a good chance of grabbing your attention no matter what activity you’re involved with.

On the downside, depending on how many assignments you’re juggling, too many notifications might be overwhelming and there won’t be as much space to log the details of the assignment (e.g., related textbook pages, length requirements) as you would have in a dedicated assignment tracking system.

• Planners/apps

There are a multitude of physical planners and organization apps for students to help manage assignments and deadlines. Although some vow that physical planners reign superior and even increase focus and concentration , there is almost always a financial cost involved and the added necessity to carry around a sometimes weighty object (as well as remembering to bring it along with you).

Mobile organization apps come with a variety of features, including notifications sent to your phone, but may also require a financial investment (at least for the premium features) and generally will not provide substantial space to add details about your assignments.

• Spreadsheets

With spreadsheets, what you lose in bells and whistles, you gain in straightforwardness and customizability – and they’re often free! Spreadsheets are easy to access from your laptop or phone and can provide you with enough space to include whatever information you need to complete your assignments.

There are templates available online for several different spreadsheet programs, or you can use our student assignment tracker for Google Sheets . We’ll show you how to use it in the next section.

How to Use Our Free Writing Tips Student Assignment Tracker

Follow this step-by-step guide to use our student assignment tracker for Google Sheets :

• Click on this link to the student assignment tracker . After the prompt “Would you like to make a copy of Assignment Tracker Template ?”, click Make a copy .

Screenshot of the “Copy document” screen

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2. The first tab in the spreadsheet will display several premade assignment trackers for individual subjects with the name of the subject in the header (e.g., Subject 1, Subject 2). In each header, fill in the title of the subjects you would like to track assignments for. Copy and paste additional assignment tracker boxes for any other subjects you’d like to track, and color code the labels.

Screenshot of the blank assignment template

3. Under each subject header, there are columns labeled for each assignment (e.g., Assignment A, Assignment B). Fill in the title of each of your assignments in one of these columns, and add additional columns if need be. Directly under the assignment title is a cell for you to fill in the due date for the assignment. Below the due date, fill in each task that needs to be accomplished to complete the assignment. In the final row of the tracker, you should select whether the status of your assignment is Not Started , In Progress , or Complete . Please see the example of a template that has been filled in (which is also available for viewing in the Example tab of the spreadsheet):

Example of completed assignment tracker

4. Finally, for an overview of all the assignments you have for each subject throughout the semester, fill out the assignment tracker in the Study Schedule tab. In this tracker, list the title of the assignment for each subject under the Assignment column, and then color code the weeks you plan to be working on each one. Add any additional columns or rows that you need. This overview is particularly helpful for time management throughout the semester.

There you have it.

To help you take full advantage of this student assignment tracker let’s recap the steps:

1. Make a copy of the student assignment tracker .

2. Fill in the title of the subjects you would like to track assignments for in each header row in the Assignments tab.

3. Fill in the title of each of your assignments and all the required tasks underneath each assignment. 

4. List the title of the assignment for each subject and color code the week that the assignment is due in the Study Schedule .

Now that your assignments are organized, you can rest easy . Happy studying! And remember, if you need help from a subject-matter expert to proofread your work before submission, we’ll happily proofread it for free .

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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

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Anatomy of an Assignment Sheet

Guides & tips.

In this guide, we invite instructors to think through the different sections of an assignment sheet and perhaps take a fresh look at their own assignment sheets. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find some insights into more effective assignment sheets from Writing Consultants working in the CAS Writing Center .

Key Elements

Things to Consider

• While an assignment does not necessarily have to have a title (this one’s a clunky mouthful), it can help students connect an individual assignment to the bigger context of the class.
• Start by telling students the purpose of the assignment, connecting it to the course goals, especially the ones having to do with writing as opposed to course content. Why are students being asked to do the work assigned? What are they supposed to learn?
• The due dates (or submission guidelines) section is a chance to draw students’ attention to how the assignment will be scaffolded.
• Under assignment (or task ), tell students what they are supposed to do clearly and succinctly. Including a central motivating question can be helpful, though sometimes the assignment will call for students to develop that question themselves.
• In the comments section (or additional information) you can include elaborations, warnings, guiding questions, etc. in a separate section. Here you can be more discursive than in the statement of task, but try not to go on for too long. Going over a page can overwhelm students.

Additional Resources

• Learn more about transparent assignment design  and use a template for transparent assignments ( Winkelmes 2013-2016 ).
• Look at the Writing Program’s templates for major assignments in WR 120 to begin customizing your own assignment sheets.

Tips from Tutors: What Writing Consultants Say About More Effective Assignment Sheets

Keep assignment sheets short (~1 page if possible)..

• Students genuinely want to understand what’s being asked of them, but if there is too much information, they don’t always know how to prioritize what to focus on.
• Focus on specific questions you want students to answer or tasks you want them to complete. Avoid content that isn’t specifically related to the assignment itself.
• It’s generally best not to include all assignments for the semester in a single document. While it can be helpful to have one sheet or section of the syllabus with all assignments listed, it’s best to give each assignment its own document with detailed expectations.
• Students need some guidelines for assignments. Following the WP “anatomy of an assignment” guidelines (above) helps students as they move from one WR course to the next, and it also helps consultants figure out where to find key information more quickly.

Give students some choices, but be (overly) clear about your expectations.

• It’s especially challenging for WR 120 students to come up with their own “research question” and then answer it. If you’re asking them to do that, be very specific about what you want them to do and what parameters they should work within.
• Don’t give students a long list of questions to consider — or, if you do, be incredibly explicit about what questions are intended to generate ideas as opposed to what questions they actually need to answer in their paper.
• The best assignment sheets tend to be those that give students a set number of options and then ask them to pick one to answer.

Give clear (as in legible and also as in straightforward) feedback.

• Provide typed rather than handwritten comments.
• Avoid cryptic feedback like “awkward” or “?” that could be interpreted in different ways.
• If you write comments in shorthand, be sure to provide students with a key.
• Provide feedback as specific questions that students can either address themselves, or discuss with a writing consultant (or you!)

Remember WR courses are introductory courses.

• Choose course readings for written assignments that lend themselves to teaching writing as opposed to seminal texts or your personal favorites.
• Go over all readings that students are expected to write about in class and devote extra time to particularly challenging ones. If you are working on difficult topic and/or dense texts, don’t assume your students can navigate them without explicit scaffolding in class.
• Not all students have been taught how to analyze quotations and use them as evidence to support their argument, so be sure to spend time teaching these skills.
• Don’t take anything for granted. Students are coming from all kinds of educational backgrounds, and our courses meant to reinforce (but sometimes teach for the first time) skills all students will need for future college papers.  You may also want to read about the “hidden curriculum” in writing classes when considering inclusivity and assumptions.

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5 ways to organize your college assignments.

BY JANE HURST

Weekly assignments, midterms, final papers… all piling up each day, making every year of your college life seem more difficult than the previous one. But it doesn’t have to be this hard.

There are several different ways to help you sort out your assignments and actually get started with completing them. Whether you prefer putting all your notes and ideas on paper or would rather reduce your carbon footprint and go all in for tech, here are 5 ways to organize your student assignments:

• Assignment binders and planners

Perhaps the most accessible method for organizing your student assignments is creating a binder to hold all your papers, reminders, and auxiliary materials. You can either create one for each class or a separate binder for your assignments only. Alternatively, you can put together an up-to-date semester agenda with assignments and their due dates so you can check it out each week to see what’s next for you to prepare and if you’re on track with college work.

These two options are strong organization tools you can reach out to at any time. Try color-coding or sorting them in a specific order of your choice to find the files you need more easily. For instance, you can divide your assignments binder into 3 parts: a red folder for assignments you have to complete, a yellow one for the ones you’re working on, and a green folder for any papers you’ve already delivered. Be careful here not to put an assignment you’re done with into the green folder until you’ve delivered it to your teacher.

• Digital Kanban boards

If you’d rather have a tool remind you when your assignments are due, try digital Kanban boards. A Kanban visual board is a practical method that lets you track all assignments and college work through 3 simple stages: To Do, In Progress, and Finished/Delivered.

You’ll receive email notifications or alerts whenever an assignment’s deadline is approaching. The best part is that these tools can also be used together with your classmates in case you’ve got group projects to work on.

Free project management software options like Paymo often offer a Kanban feature in addition to simple to-do lists that will also allow you to keep track of any other duties you have be they personal or college related.

• Consider a cloud-based file storage solution

If you’re always on the run going from one class to another, you probably won’t want to keep all your files, binders, and notes with you. Online file storage options like Dropbox or Google Drive help you store all of these in a single place.

This way, you’ll be able to access your assignments and class notes from anywhere whether you’re on your laptop, smartphone, or classroom computer. You can also become a power user of these digital solutions by learning how to organize your files into folders so you’ve got every structured according to your year of study, semester, and class.

• The classical desktop folders

For those of you who like taking their laptop to class and writing down all notes digitally, you might want to stick to organizing all files in your computer. This is an accessible and free method that will also allow you to get started with an assignment without having to download any external files.

An example for this filing system could be: Assignments -> Molecular Foundations -> Midterm Assignments -> To Do -> DNA recombination paper (file).

To make sure you don’t miss a deadline, just pair this method with a project management tool or your calendar app to send you regular reminders in time.

• The Big6 Organizer 

Now that you’ve got your files sorted, you need a strategy to get started with working on your assignments. The Big6 method is a 6-step process that helps you conduct your research through a series of clear stages. This way you’ll never be stuck again wondering what you’re supposed to do next.

The 6 stages are:

• Task definition – Define your information-related problem and find the facts and figures you need. 2. Information seeking strategies – Identify all potential information sources and establish the best ones. 3. Location and access – Locate these sources and find the info you need within them. 4. Use of information – Engage with the information you found by reading any written content, watching a video, or experimenting and extract only the information that is relevant to your research. 5. Synthesis – Organize the info you found in your multiple sources and present it in a structured manner. 6. Evaluation – Judge the effectiveness of your results and analyze if the research process was efficient and you’ve covered all of the assignment’s aspects.

Test a few of these methods for organizing your student assignments before you decide to rigorously follow one. Pay particular attention to how stress-free you feel when using one or another of these techniques. For example, if you’re feeling anxious at all times thinking you’ll forget to hand in an assignment, then perhaps it’s better for you to go for one of the digital methods that will notify you whenever a due date is approaching.

Jane Hurst has been working in education for over 5 years as a teacher. She loves sharing her knowledge with students, is fascinated about edtech and loves reading, a lot. Follow Jane on Twitter.

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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.

21 Best Free College Printables Every Student Should Know About

This site contains affiliate links, view the disclosure for more information.

This post is all about the best college printables.

I am obsessed with staying organized in college and one of my favorite ways to do this is by using college printables. Even better...free college printables!

There are so many talented designers that I have rounded up the best college printables that you can use to keep yourself organized.

College Printables:

1. college packing list.

(source @ By Sophia Lee )

One of the most popular college printables out there...this College Packing List.

This keeps you insanely organized while getting prepared to go to college! It really is the best.

You can download this printable here.

2. Budget Printable

(source @ Lightroom Presets )

Money is always on a college students mind. And if you're anything like me, it's in a very stressful way!

This college printable helps you budget and keep track of all your money. College is stressful enough without having to worry about money so allow this printable to help you destress in at least one area of your life! 

3. Grocery List Printable 

It's a known fact that you have to go into a grocery store with a list or you will walk out with everything you don't need, and nothing that you do.

This printable helps you stay on track at the grocery store so that you get just what you need!

You can find this free college printable here.

{RELATED POST: 40 Genius Dorm Essentials Every Freshman Needs To See }

4. monthly calendar printable.

Printable from @ Saturday Gift

I love this twist on the monthly calendar in that this one is goal oriented! We all have goals that are more on the short term side, and a monthly tracker of those goals with room for steps is just perfect for any college student! 

You can download this beautiful printable for yourself by clicking here.

5. Weekly Calendar Printable

(Printable from @ Think About Such Things )

This weekly printable helps you keep your weeks sane. You know what's coming your way so that you can stay super on top of everything you've got going on.

This printable is definitely one that will help you look like you're the most organized student out there, and hey with this you definitely will be more organized so that's always a plus! 

6. Dorm Cleaning Schedule

This dorm cleaning schedule printable is amazing!! Such an easy way to stay on top of all your dorm room cleaning.

I mean can you really argue...the cleaner your dorm the better you feel!

7. Meal Planning Printable

(Printable from @ PaperTrialDesign )

If there is one thing that I have done too much of in college, it's eat out. One of my goals for this upcoming school year is to cook more, so this printable is going to be my new best friend!

Another cool aspect of this printable is that you can plan out means for each day of the week, AND make a grocery list on it as well so that everyone you need is all in one place! 

You can download this cute printable for yourself here.

{RELATED POST: 68 Best College Care Package Ideas All Students Will Love }

8. morning routine printable.

(Printable from @ LivingWellSpendingLess )

It's a known fact that those with routines are the most successful. That's why morning routine are all the rage right now! 

So if you want to start being more productive and successful, create a morning routine with this great printable!

You can download this college printable by clicking here.

9. School Supply List Printable

(Printable from @ collegemadeeasy.com )

Ahhh, this printable will make you feel like you're heading to Walmart with your mom and you're in elementary school grabbing the school supply list. Why? Because it is a college version of that school supply list! 

But being a college version, it is much more mature and actually full of stuff you will need. So definitely give it a look through as you prepare for the new school year! 

Download this College Supply List here.

10. Habit Tracker Printable

(Printable from @ papertrialdesign.com )

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard the phrase "you are your habits". It's proven true so this college printable is definitely one that I'm going to be using this year. 

The great thing about this is that you can come up with your own habits so its personalized. It can be super simple, or a complex habit, it's all up to you. And remember, it takes 21 days to form a habit, so get goin gals! 

Download this college printable here.

11. Homework Planner

(Source @ By Sophia Lee)

How cute is this Homework Planner?!

This allows you to write down everything that you have to get done for the day/week.

Download this Homework Planner here.

12. A Password Directory Printable

(Printable From @ Neat House Sweet Home)

THIS college printable will be my new best friend. I have struggled so many times with remembering passwords and when they will expire. And yes, I know that computers can save that info for me now, but does that not freak anyone else out?

If you're like me and it does, join me in using this life saving printable! 

You can download this printable for yourself here.

13. Definition Sheet Printable

(source @ Smart Girl Study )

Can we take a moment to appreciate the beauty of this printable...like what!!!

I am officially obsessed.

You can download this definition printable here.

14. Course Planner

This saved my life while being in college!! I religiously use these sheet to plan all the classes I need to take over the four years.

I write down the classes I have to take every semester to make sure that when I graduate, all my requirements are filled.

15. A Debt Payoff Printable

(Printable from @ simplystacie.com )

Student loans and "debt" unfortunately can become a very well known word in a college student's vocabulary. If it's in your's, it OK! It's in a lot more of your peers than you think. 

But this printable might not be and totally should be! It helps you make a plan to pay off your debt, or at least the interest your loans accrue. It's a college printable that doubles as a lifesaver for sure! 

You can download this college printable here.

16. Study Time Table

Another amazing printable by Smart Girl Study !! This girl is so freakin' good I can't even handle it.

17. A Savings Tracker Printable

(Printable from @ BobbiPrintables )

Savings is something that I unforunately do not do well. Yes, I am confessing that I am a shopaholic and . . . I'm also getting off track so just let's move on!

So THIS college printable should become my best friend right? RIGHT! If you need help saving for a car or your post grad plans or just in general, this is the printable for you! 

Download this printable by clicking here.

18. A Textbook Organizer Printable

(source @ Wendaful Planner )

I think that this college printable is so HELPFUL! It helps you keep track of everything you need for all of your classes as well as keep track of where you are in the process of getting them.

This is a printable that I as a student will definitely be using!

Download this cute printable here.

19. Assignment Tracker

(Printable from Bobbi Printable )

I am extremely serious about tracking all my assignments due...I literally can't sleep unless I know exactly everything I need to do #crazy.

Love how simple and straight to the point this printable is!

You can download this printable from here.

{RELATED POST: How I Made $3,168.17 In October 2018 From My Blog }

20. a travel plans printable.

(source @ JustAGirlAndHerBlog )

We all love a good vacay right? Spring break where ya at! 

This travel printable for college students is perfect for planning spring break or even a quick little getaway for the weekend. It will keep you sane so that you can enjoy every part of the trip!

You can download this Travel Plans printable from here.

21. A Fitness Tracker 

(Printable from @ Cassie Scroggins )

Fitness is something that most people always strive to do better in right? Right! 

This printable is the perfect for that fitness journey that we all want to embark upon. And it keeps you accountable, which is what is needed for a proper fitness journey. So print this out and get to the gym!

Download this super cute printable here.

Other Posts You May Like:

• Dorm Room Essentials for 2022
• 22 Most Popular College Bags For Girls
• 41 Best Dorm Gifts To Give Future College Freshman

These are so helpful!!

aw so glad they helped you!! I am a HUGE printables fan!

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Assignment Trackers

July 13, 2022 by Printabulls Team Leave a Comment

Having once been students ourselves, we know that all students start off the school year with good intentions of keeping track of assignments and due dates and generally staying ahead of all that is required of them. Inevitably, the workload starts to pile up and there are many small assignments in addition to the bigger tests and projects, and it can be quite difficult to keep tabs on everything .

With quite a few assignments up in the air at any given time multiplied by several subjects, we wanted to create something to help every student keep track of it all. The 12 Free Printable Assignment Trackers you’ll see below are intended to accomplish just that!

In these assignment trackers, you’ll find spaces to write in your specific assignment, the due date, and a space to indicate if it was completed or submitted, amongst other details.

To find the assignment tracker that is just right for you or your student(s) all you need to do is look through the options below, click on the image of the one that you think will work just right, download the PDF file to your computer, and print!

We can’t do your homework for you, but we can help you keep it organized! If you want more ways to organize your time better this school year, be sure to check out these other free printables:

Free Printable Calendars

Free Printable 2022 – 2023 Academic Calendars

Free Printable To Do Lists

Free Printable Hourly Planners

Free Printable Weekly To Do Lists

Free Printable Two Week Planners

Free Printable Monthly To Do Lists

Free Printable Note Pages

Free Printable Cornell Note Templates For Studying

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5 Free Assignment Tracking Templates for Google Sheets

Posted on Last updated: November 18, 2023

It’s that time of year again—assignments are piling up and it feels impossible to stay on top of everything. As a student, keeping track of all your assignments, due dates, and grades can be overwhelmingly stressful. That’s why using a Google Sheet as an assignment tracker can be a total game-changer.

With customizable assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets, you can easily create a centralized place to organize all your academic responsibilities. The best part? These templates are completely free. 

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of using assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets and provide links to some excellent templates that any student can use to get organized and take control of their workload.

The Benefits of Using Assignment Tracking Templates for Google Sheets

Assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets offer several advantages that can help students stay on top of their work. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Centralized tracking: Rather than having assignments scattered across syllabi, emails, and other documents, an assignment tracking spreadsheet consolidates everything in one place. By leveraging assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets, you can kiss goodbye to hunting for due dates or double-checking requirements.
• Customizable organization: Students can add or remove columns in the template to fit their needs. Thanks to this, they can effectively track due dates, point values, grades, and other helpful details. They can also color code by class or status for visual organization.
• Easy access: Google Sheets are accessible from any device with an internet connection. With this, you can easily view, update, or add assignments whether you are on your laptop, phone, or tablet.
• Shareable with others: For group assignments or projects, assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets make collaboration seamless as you can share the sheet with a study group or entire class to coordinate.
• Helps prioritization: Sort assignments by due date or point value to always know what needs your attention first. With prioritization added to assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets, you can stay on top of bigger projects and assignments.
• Reduces stress: There’s no better feeling than looking at your assignment tracker and knowing everything is organized and under control. Saves time spent scrambling, too.

Picking the Perfect Assignment Tracking Templates Google Sheets

When choosing assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets, you’ll want one with specific fields and features that make it easy to stay on top of your work. Here’s what to look for in a homework organizer template:

• Assignment Details: A column for writing down each assignment’s name, instructions, and notes will help you remember exactly what you need to do.
• Due Dates: Columns for listing the due dates of assignments, tests, and projects allow you to see what’s coming up and schedule your time wisely.
• Status Tracker: A place to mark assignments as “Not Started,” “In Progress,” or “Completed” lets you check on what still needs your attention.
• Subject and Type: Categories or labels for sorting assignments by subject or type (essay, presentation, etc) keep your spreadsheet tidy.
• Big Picture View: Some templates include a calendar view or semester schedule to help you plan assignments week-by-week or month-by-month.

The right spreadsheet has the fields you need to fully describe your homework and organize it in a way that works for you. With the perfect template, staying on top of assignments is easy

Top Assignment Tracking Templates

Now that you know the benefits and what to look for in an assignment spreadsheet, we have compiled a list of top assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets that will help you seamlessly track your assignments. 

And guess what? You don’t need robust experience with Google Sheets to maximize these templates, as they are easy to use.

Convenient Homework Planner Template

The Convenient Homework Planner Template is one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets. It’s an excellent fit for students seeking an all-in-one solution to organize their work.

This template includes separate tabs for an overview calendar, assignment list, and weekly schedule. The calendar view lets you see all assignments, tests, and projects for the month at a glance. You can quickly identify busy weeks and plan accordingly.

On the assignment list tab, you can enter details like the assignment name, class, due date, and status.

The weekly schedule tab provides a simple agenda-style layout to record daily assignments, activities, and reminders. This helps you allocate time and schedule focused work sessions for tasks.

Key Features

• Monthly calendar view for big-picture planning
• Assignment list with details like class, due date, and status
• Weekly schedule with time slots to map out days
• Due date alerts to never miss a deadline

With its intuitive layout, useful visual features, and thorough assignment tracking, the Convenient Homework Planner has all you need to master organization and time management as a student. By leveraging this template, you’ll spend less time shuffling papers and focusing more on your academics. 

Ready to explore this assignment tracking template? Click the link below to get started. 

The Homework Hero Template

The Homework Hero is an excellent assignment-tracking template tailored to help students conquer their academic workload. This easy-to-use Google Sheet template has dedicated sections to log critical details for each class.

The Subject Overview area allows you to record the teacher’s name, subject, department, and timeline for each course. This provides helpful context and reminds you of important class details.

The main homework tracking area includes columns for each day of the week. Here, you can enter the specific assignments, readings, and tasks to be completed for every class on a given day. No more guessing what work needs to get done.

At the extreme end of this sheet is a section for additional notes. Use this to jot down reminders about upcoming projects, tests, or other priorities.

Key features

• Subject Overview section for every class
• Columns to record daily homework tasks
• Extra space for notes and reminders
• An intuitive layout to map out the weekly workload
• Easy to customize with additional subjects

The Homework Hero assignment tracking template empowers students to feel in control of their assignments. No more frantic scrambling each day to figure out what’s due. With this template, you can approach schoolwork with confidence.

Click the link below to get started with this template. 

The A+ Student Planner Template

The A+ Student Planner is the perfect template for students seeking an organized system to manage assignments across all their courses. This Google Sheet template has useful sections to input key details for flawless homework tracking.

The Weekly Overview calendar makes it easy to see your full workload at a glance from Sunday to Saturday. You can note assignments, projects, tests, and other school events in the daily boxes.

The Class Information section contains columns to list your class, teacher, room number, and times. This ensures you have all the essential details in one place for each course.

The main Assignment Tracking area provides space to log the name, description, due date, and status of each homework task, project, exam, or paper. No more scrambling to remember what needs to get done.

• Weekly calendar view to map out school events and tasks
• Class information organizer for easy reference
• Robust assignment tracking with all critical details
• An intuitive layout to input assignments across courses
• Great for visual learners

With a structured format and helpful organization tools, The A+ Student Planner provides next-level assignment tracking to ensure academic success. Staying on top of homework has never been easier.

Ready to get started with this assignment tracking template? Access it for free via this link below. 

The Complete Student Organizer Template

The Complete Student Organizer is an excellent minimalist assignment tracking template for focused homework management.

This straightforward Google Sheets assignment template includes columns for the date, total time needed, assignment details, and status. By paring down to just the essentials, it provides a simple system to stay on top of homework.

To use this template, just fill in the date and time required as you get assigned new homework. In the assignment details column, outline what needs to be done. Finally, mark the status as you work through tasks.

• Streamlined columns for date, time, assignment, and status
• Minimalist layout focused only on crucial details
• Easy input to quickly log assignments
• Track time estimates required for assignments
• Update status as you progress through homework

The Complete Student Organizer is the perfect template for students who want a fuss-free way to track their homework. The simplicity of the grid-style layout makes it easy to use without extra complexity. Stay focused and organized with this efficient assignment tracking sheet.

You can get access to this template by visiting the link below. 

Assignment Slayer: The Ultimate Planner Template

Assignment Slayer is the supreme template for tackling schoolwork with military-level organizations. This comprehensive planner is ideal for students taking multiple classes and juggling a heavy workload.

The template includes separate tabs for each academic subject. Within each tab, you can log critical details, including the assignment name, description, status, due date, and associated readings or tasks. With this assignment tracking template, no assignment will fall through the cracks again.

Plus, it has additional columns that allow you to record scores and grades as they are received throughout the semester. This level of detail helps you better understand your standing in each class.

The Ultimate Planner also contains an overview dashboard with calendars for the month, week, and each day. With this, you can visually map out all upcoming assignments, tests, and projects in one view.

• Individual subject tabs for detailed tracking
• Robust assignment logging with name, description, status, due date, and more
• Columns to record scores and grades when received
• Monthly, weekly, and daily calendar dashboard
• Visual layout ideal for visual learners

Assignment Slayer equips students with military-level organization. Its comprehensive features give you command over academic responsibilities, resulting in stress-free homework mastery.

Want to explore how this template can make your job easy? Click the link below to access this free assignment tracking template now. 

Why You Should Take Advantage of These Assignment Tracking Templates For Google Sheets

The assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets we reviewed in today’s guide offer significant advantages that can make managing homework easier. Here are some of the top reasons students love using these digital planners:

Get Organized

The templates allow you to sort all your assignments neatly by subject, type, due date, and status. No more fumbling through papers to find the next thing you need to work on. Plus, the level of organization you get with these templates helps reduce stress.

Manage Time Better

Knowing exactly when assignments are due helps with planning out your week. You can see what needs to get done first and schedule time accordingly. No more last-minute assignment crunches.

Access Anywhere

You can view and update your homework template from any device as long as you have an internet connection. The templates are ready to go as soon as you make a copy – no setup is needed. Easy access keeps you on track.

With useful tools for organization, planning, and accessibility, these assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets make managing homework a total breeze. Boost your productivity and reduce academic stress today by using these templates for your assignment. 

Final Thoughts

Today’s guide explored some of the most accessible and useful assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets. These handy templates make it easy for students to stay organized and on top of their workload.

As a busy student, keeping track of your homework, projects, tests, and other responsibilities across all your courses can be daunting. This is where leveraging a spreadsheet template can make a huge difference in simplifying academic organization.

The assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets reviewed today offer intuitive layouts and customizable features to create a centralized homework hub tailored to your needs. 

Key benefits include:

• Inputting all assignments in one place for easy reference
• Tracking due dates, status, grades, and other key details
• Customizable columns, colors, and more to fit your study style
• Easy access to update assignments from any device
• Helps prioritize your time and tasks needing attention
• Reduces stress by helping you feel in control

By taking advantage of these assignment tracking templates for Google Sheets, you can reduce time spent shuffling papers and focus your energy where it matters – knocking out quality academic work. Make your life easier and get a digital organizational system in place. 

Free Printable Assignment Trackers for Students

Printables | 0 comments

Need to stay more organized at school? Keep track of all of your assignments with these free printable assignment trackers! They are perfect for students, parents, and teachers to use to help kids ( or adults!) stay on top of their assignments and never forget to turn something in!

Whether you have a middle school, high school, or college student these assignment tracker templates can help them stay organized and get better grades!

** This website contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I may earn a commission. Please click here for more information about cookies collected and our privacy policy **.

They can  be used to track general homework assignments, reports, quizzes, exams, and more. They are also perfect for tracking the grades received on assignments to make sure you are on track for the grade you want in a specific class. 

How to Print and Use the Assignment Trackers

These assignment tracker templates help you stay on track of all assignments, reports, tests, and homework throughout a class or school year. 

Each tracker has columns  to list the assignment, the due date, and if the assignment has been completed. 

Some of the trackers also have a place to prioritize  the assignments and record the grade received.

These homework trackers deserve a place in any student’s school notebook or binder to help them keep their grades up! 

You might also like these organizational tools to help keep your school days organized:

Printable To Do List Templates

Printable Daily Planners

Weekly To Do List Templates

 Printable Attendance Sheets

Free Printable Calendars

Download the Printable Assignment Trackers Now

There are lots of different assignment tracker templates to choose from- so pick on that works best for you!

To download, simply click on the image of the tracker you want and a new window will open for you to download to your device. 

These trackers are free for personal or classroom use only. 

Assignment Tracker Template #1

Download the Assignment Tracker Now

Assignment Tracker Template #2

Assignment Tracker Template #3

Assignment Tracker Template #4

Assignment Tracker Template #5

Assignment Tracker Template #6

Assignment Tracker Template #7

You are free to use these printable homework trackers for personal use at home or in the classroom. Please don’t share the file, but if you’d like to share the trackers with friends, please forward this page to them so that they can download the file themselves. These downloads may not be used in any commercial fashion.

You may also like these educational resources:

Free Printable Divisibility Rules Charts for Math

Free Printable Reading Logs for Kids and Adults

Free Printable Fraction Strips

Free Printable Place Value Charts

Free Printable Odd and Even Numbers Charts

Free Printable Number Lines

Free Printable Addition Charts and Worksheets

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Organized Chaos: College Assignment Tracker

January 26, 2016 · College

Every student needs this college assignment tracker!

College assignments are such a headache! That’s why I made a college assignment tracker. This semester, though it feels late in the game as I will graduate this year, I decided to start the semester off right. To do this I created an assignment and readings spreadsheet to track the due dates of all my assignments and what I should be reading each day for each class. I’m going to share how I designed my assignment and reading tracker.

I got the idea for a college assignment tracker from  Kirsten at Organized Charm and Dani at Dani Dearest . I think it’s amazing, however I changed it a little to fit my style and to include a reading tracker. As an English Major I read about 200 or more pages a week. Let me show and explain how I made and am using my assignment tracker.

NOTE: Set aside about 2 or 3 hours your first weekend back to school to go through your syllabuses and to set up the assignment spreadsheet. 

Trying to find the best way to manage your readings and assignments for college? Learn how to make a college assignment tracker now! Click To Tweet

STEP ONE: Gather Your Syllabuses and Highlighters 

The first step in making an assignment or reading tracker is to gather all of your class schedules and syllabuses. Go through each one, highlighting all big assignments like papers or tests. Once you’ve highlighted the important due dates and assignments then you’ve done one of the hardest parts.

STEP TWO: Create and Format your Spreadsheet

Create an Excel spreadsheet. Mine has four columns: Due Date, Class, Assignment and Points. This setup works best for me. I went through each syllabus and added the assignments. Once you made your spreadsheet begin to add your assignments. As I mentioned, I have a separate sheet for Assignments and another for Readings. With so many readings and assignments it felt to overwhelming the other way.

STEP THREE: Organize your Spreadsheet

I recommend adding your assignments or readings by date and then if you have another assignment on the same date or a previous date just click the insert row button. For me this was the easiest way to do it, though Kirsten and Dani both suggest the AZ Sort function. I organize my sheet by month, but you might find it easier to organize by class or even week. For my reading list I added an extra row between each week just so it felt more manageable.

STEP FOUR: Print & Staple

Once you’ve filled in your assignments check the print preview and make sure it all fits width wise on one sheet. You may have to play with font types or sized and the size of the columns until you get it just right. On my Readings sheet I deleted the Completed column because the readings are so long. In the end this worked out better as it is very easy to just highlight completed readings and the page doesn’t look super overwhelming.

You can also use it only on your computer or tablet. Microsoft makes an Excel for the iPad that I find easy to use and there is Google Sheets. These are both great options if you don’t want to print and keep track of your sheets as a hard copy or if you may have to add or change your sheets often.

Here are a few final tips:

• Make the time to setup your college assignment tracker.  Sure, it is tedious, but 2 or 3 hours at the beginning of the semester is worth it when you think of all the studying, reading and assignments you have to do over the semester. Being prepared now will help you considerably later in the semester.
• Actually use your assignment tracker!  This is a big point for me, because why go through the trouble of making a tracker if you don’t plan to keep up with it. I can tell you honestly that in the three weeks I’ve been in school this semester I have seen a major improvement in my stress level about assignments and readings.
• Don’t go crazy with highlighting or color coding. I considered coloring coding my spreadsheet, but decided it against it because with five classes and five colors the sheets would just become overwhelming and pointless in relieving stress about my assignments. Instead just make sure to mark what course each reading or assignment is for and then use a highlighter when completed or use the strikethrough option if you’re keeping a virtual copy.
• Adjust the format to fit your classes and style. There are many ways to set one of these up, just find what works for you. The only thing that matters is that you stick with it. This can’t work unless you make sure to use it. I’ve seeing a great improvement in my stress, time management and grades since creating and using my sheets.
• Only put the most necessary information on your tracker. Page numbers and due dates are important. School holidays like Spring or Fall break are important or if you’re on a quarter instead of semester schedule, those dates are important. Sorority, work, club or other types of events? Those are probably best left for your day planner.

Are you going to make a college assignment tracker? Share you experience with me!

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• Using OneNote: An Introduction for College Students
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• Back To School Tips From A College Senior

Twenty-six year old  living in the Charleston, SC, also known as the Holy City.

I graduated from the College of Charleston in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in English and I recently completed my master’s degree in Mass Communication specializing in Social Media at the University of Florida.

I spend my days on social media and handling the marketing for a local business. I’m also working to grow my own business offering social media and digital organization services.

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Free Assignment Tracking Template for Google Sheets

• Last updated December 14, 2023

Are you looking for an assignment tracking template? When your tasks begin to pile up into several imaginary towers, it’s easy for you to be overwhelmed, not knowing where to start. Moreover, you might not even be able to keep track of all of them, resulting in missed assignments and potentially bad marks.

Having an assignment tracker to keep every task means you’ll be able to organize, stay on top, and complete all your assignments on time. All you need to do is open our Assignment Tracking Template , hit the  “Make a copy”  button and start sorting out your to-do list.

Access Template

While it’s easy to navigate, make sure you read ahead to discover how to use our assignment tracking template to the fullest. We also have another assignment tracking template  that lets you map out your assignments throughout the semester—a perfect fit for your syllabus.

Table of Contents

What Should a Good Homework Spreadsheet Have?

In general, you’ll want a few fields that will help describe your assigned tasks and some markers for better organization. Here are some essential components to look for:

• Assignment description: An efficient assignment tracking template will have space so you can jot down assignment notes. This avoids confusion and lets you anticipate the difficulty of your to-dos.
• Dates:  Having dedicated fields for your due dates lets you plan your schedule better. This way, you know how much time you have to complete a task. Additionally, when paired with your assignment notes, you can sort them according to priority levels.
• Completion status: Keeping track of task statuses lets you know which tasks have started, are in progress, are accomplished, or need revision. Moreover, it’s also a great way to remember which tasks you need to return to.
• Subject and type:  You also want to categorize your assignments into their respective subjects. Another way to group them is by assignment type, including papers, lab reports, collaborative work, and similar tasks.

The components above are only a few useful fields in an assignment tracking template. For example, some spreadsheets also include monthly views or trackers for semester-wide assignment lists . Templates such as these will undoubtedly have other categories you’d need to explore.

Basic Assignment Tracking Template

With all the considerations laid out above, we created a simple but effective assignment tracking template you can use for free. While it may only feature a single functional tab, it has nine named columns you can organize according to your tasks.

If you haven’t already, you can download our free assignment tracking template here:

Let’s discuss the template in more detail .

Column A—Days Remaining

This is self-explanatory, but you can refer to this column to see the number of days you have left to do or submit your assignment. Depending on the days remaining, you can also decide which tasks to prioritize according to their deadlines.

The cells under this column are automatically updated using our pre-loaded formulas , so avoid modifying them. Instead, you can change the values under the last two columns of this template.

Columns B to D—Tags for Status, Subject, and Task Type

Under these columns, you can set the categories of your assignments either by their completion status, class, or assignment type. You can select the values from the drop-down lists that come with the template based on the American curriculum.

Additionally, these statuses are associated with specific colors, making them more visual so that you can view and handle multiple ongoing tasks more efficiently. If the subjects listed differ from what you’re currently taking, you can modify the options.

To modify the subject options, follow the steps below:

• First, click on a cell’s drop-down list and locate the pen icon at the bottom.

• Click the pen icon to open the drop-down settings on the left-hand side of your screen.
• Change the values listed on the options, such as editing Math  to Physics.
• Once you’ve set your preferred selection, click the “ Done” button.

• Upon clicking, a pop-out might appear on your screen asking whether to apply the changes to a wider cell range.
• Simply click “Apply   to all”  to replicate the changes to the other cells.

Another handy feature is the filter option in the “Status”  column. You can use this to view your tasks based on their completion level. For example, you can choose to see only the in-progress tasks. Here’s how you do it.

• To get started, click on the filter icon next to the “Status”  label.

• You should see a list of values with checkmarks on their left side once you scroll down.
• To deselect all of them, click on “ Clear.”

• Next, begin selecting the tasks you want to see per status, such as To start  and In-progress.
• Finally, click “OK.”

• To revert the view, simply follow steps one to five, ensuring to select all the categories again.

Columns E to I—Assignment Details

You can start entering the information you know about the tasks at hand. The columns E to G are divided into three categories: Assignment Title, Description, and Files/Links. If your assignment has attachments and URLs, such as resources, you can keep them in the last column mentioned.

Meanwhile, columns H to I serve as fields where you can input the dates when your task is given and when you need to submit it. Take note that these are installed with data validation rules—you can’t enter values that aren’t valid dates. These values are also used to calculate the Days Remaining column.

Semester Assignment Spreadsheet

If you are looking to plan your entire semester ahead of time with your potential tasks, this is a helpful assignment tracking template. It’s much simpler than the previous spreadsheet discussed and gives you a semester-wide overview of your assignments.

Get the template here:   Semester Assignment Spreadsheet

This assignment tracking template has only three fields that you can update. The first field is the (1) Date , which is located under the seven days of the week (with a total of fifteen weeks in the spreadsheet as per the American semester.)

The second is the (2) Tags  field, which allows you to categorize your tasks according to the subject. As with the other template, these tags are color-coded for an easier view. Lastly, you can also populate the (3) Assignment Details , the blank spaces beside the tags.

Why Use Our Assignment Schedule Templates?

You can virtually make a never-ending list of benefits from using a homework spreadsheet, but to name a few, here are some reasons why they’re beneficial for managing your workload.

• Organization: As repeatedly emphasized, these assignment tracking templates help you categorize your tasks according to subject, type, and completion status, making it easier to organize your workload.
• Time Management:  You can keep track of your due dates better with the automated counting of the days remaining for a task. You can manage your time better and learn to prioritize tasks according to deadlines.
• Easy Access:  Our spreadsheets run on Google Sheets , which you can easily access anywhere, as long as you are connected to the internet. On top of that, they’re also ready to be filled out as soon as you make a copy for yourself.

Wrapping Up

Sticking to your deadlines and organizing your tasks doesn’t need to be complicated. You can easily do this with the help of our assignment tracking template on Google Sheets. Access more of these excellent templates by visiting our other blogs too!

If you want to learn about Google Sheets to the next level, consider checking out relevant courses at Udemy .

• 5 Useful Google Sheets Project Management Templates [Free]
• The Free Google Sheets Task List Template [Easy Guide]
• How to Assign a Task in Google Sheets [Easy Guide]
• Free Balance Sheet Template for Google Sheets
• The 9 Best Google Sheets Templates to Streamline Your Life
• Volleyball Statistics Spreadsheet: Free Template

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Introduction

Background on the Course

CO300 as a University Core Course

Short Description of the Course

Course Objectives

General Overview

Alternative Approaches and Assignments

(Possible) Differences between COCC150 and CO300

What CO300 Students Are Like

And You Thought...

Beginning with Critical Reading

Opportunities for Innovation

Portfolio Grading as an Option

Teaching in the computer classroom

Finally. . .

Classroom materials

Audience awareness and rhetorical contexts

Critical thinking and reading

Focusing and narrowing topics

Mid-course, group, and supplemental evaluations

More detailed explanation of Rogerian argument and Toulmin analysis

Policy statements and syllabi

Portfolio explanations, checklists, and postscripts

Presenting evidence and organizing arguments/counter-arguments

Research and documentation

Writing assignment sheets

Assignments for portfolio 1

Assignments for portfolio 2

Assignments for portfolio 3

Workshopping and workshop sheets

On workshopping generally

Workshop sheets for portfolio 1

Workshop sheets for portfolio 2

Workshop sheets for portfolio 3

Workshop sheets for general purposes

Sample materials grouped by instructor

Writing Assignment Sheets

Included here are the assignment sheets for most of the major writing tasks assigned by instructors in recent semesters. We include multiple samples for each essay so you can choose from a variety of prompts.

• Under "Assignments for portfolio 3," you'll find mediating/negotiating and analysis assignments.

Several instructors did not assign specific essays during the second half of the term. Rather, they introduced general rhetorical strategies in a series of short activities and then had their students define their own assignments by identifying the rhetorical context within which they wished to write and choosing the most appropriate argumentative strategy for that context.

Just a note of comfort: having taught synthesis/response and the problem-solving essay before, you are already well acquainted with the problems most of your students will face in the COCC300 essays. On the other hand, we would like to push the students beyond 100-level writing. In the exploratory essay (the COCC300 version of synthesis/response) this might mean, as Laura Thomas put it, "getting students to make the individual texts to disappear." That is, rather than asking students to represent discrete arguments in oppositional relation to each other, instead asking students to represent the complexity of the relations among different perspectives. One possible means of achieving this complexity is to ask students to consider the rhetorical context of the essays they are synthesizing and to explain how the apparent differences in perspectives might be related to the different purposes and audiences each author had in mind.

And a self-indulgent note about the persuasive essay, should you choose to assign it. As Aims defines this essay, students are asked to appeal not only to reason (a typical expectation in the academic community) but also to character, style, and emotion (rather atypical in our world). Because all appeals can be so effective in motivating people to action--toward both worthy and unworthy ends--I suggest that the weeks leading up to the persuasion essay offer a likely spot in the syllabus to talk about the ethics of argumentation, should this topic interest you. During the spring 1995 term, for example, I spent one well-received class period on the ethical nature of persuasion. Having read about audience appeals in Aims, the students and I watched a series of video clips from Branagh's Henry V , Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Eleanor Roosevelt's appeal to the United Nations, and one of Hitler's many vacuous presentations. After each clip, the students considered the appeals the speaker used, why those appeals were effective for his or her audience, and what end the speaker wished to achieve through his or her persuasion. Thus, without positioning myself as a morality cop, the students started thinking about how their own essays fit into larger ethical systems.

Organize College Applications in Google Sheets

Create a spreadsheet to track and organize your college applications using Google Sheets.

Example outcome

• Teaching Materials

Time to complete

access_time 45—90 minutes

Digital tools

• Data analysis
• Spreadsheet design
• Spreadsheet organization