Assignments are a big part of any student’s school and college life. Whether we enjoy it or not, they need to be completed satisfactorily. You have two options here. You can grudgingly complete and submit fairly average work; or you can put in some extra effort that will help you score higher. This article is to help all those of you willing to work a little harder to make your assignments stand out so that you score higher than your peers.
Here are some detailed guidelines you can follow to elevate your average assignment to something that you can be proud of:
Topic:
- Depending on the scope of your assignment you will either be assigned a specific topic or you will pick one within the parameters of your curriculum.
- When tackling an assigned topic, understand it clearly before you begin your research.
- When choosing a topic at your own discretion you have more scope for experimentation. Pick a dynamic topic but ensure that it is relevant to your curriculum.
- Here are some unusual topics you may consider –
- English Literature: Antiheroes– Macbeth and Satan in Paradise Lost as compared to the Television Series Dexter and Breaking Bad.
- English Language: The representation of different English dialects in Disney and Pixar movies.
- Math:The use of Geometry in Medieval and Renaissance Art and Architecture.
- Physics: The dynamics of sound in contemporary music.
Research:
- Thorough research is an essential part of any assignment.
- Make your assignments rich in references and site your sources clearly in an extensive bibliography to authenticate your research.
- Do not restrict yourself in terms of the kinds of references you choose. You may include everything from inter disciplinary references or contemporary pop culture references all of which add depth to your assignment and make it topical and relevant.
Structure:
This is probably the most crucial part of any assignment. This is what the basic structure of any assignment should look like –
- Topic
- Statement of Purpose or Hypothesis –
This is what makes or breaks your assignment. It must be chosen carefully and proved conclusively in the course of the assignment.
- Introduction and excerpt –
The introduction should be a summary of your assignment providing an overview of the structure. It is often accompanied by a carefully selected excerpt from the body of the assignment like a“sneak peak†of the assignment in its entirety.
- Primary sources –
This includes all the research you have undertaken firsthand, complete with corresponding photographs, transcripts, questionnaires wherever possible.
- Secondary sources–
Here you mention other research that has been completed in your subject of study that corroborates your hypothesis.
- Main argument and exceptions–
This is where you connect the hypothesis to your research. This is the most critical part of your assignment. Take your time with it to ensure that your argument is proved.
- Conclusion –
The purpose of the conclusion is to summarize key points of argument and connect everything to the topic.
Medium of presentation:
- A paper presentation of an assignment may be very different from an audio visual presentation on the same topic.
- The medium of presentation can affect both your topic and your approach.
- Choose the medium which suits your topic or choose a topic that compliments the medium that you have access to. For instance an assignment on Victorian Women Novelists would be well suited to a paper presentation but one on Gothic Architecture may do better with visual aids.
- Be innovative with your choice of media. Mix mediums if that works best. Include pamphlets or dramatic readings of pertinent excerpts to keep your assignment interesting.
Revise and format:
- Arrange your work neatly. Format text, headers, indentations and paragraph spacing.
- Recheck everything from grammar to misspelled citations, inaccurately punctuated quotes and corrupt audio visual files.
- The final appearance of your assignment though less important than the content itself, does matter. Especially when you are working towards those extra marks. Neat, structured work makes a good impression and is likely to get you better results.
Finally, put your best foot forward and use these guidelines so that you know How to make your assignment better than others to score the highest marks. As long as you put in the hard work and research, there is nothing that can stop you from achieving your goal.