Planning for Assessments
Taking the time to plan and map out how long you anticipate each assignment will take is an important starting point as it can help you to maximise your time by aiding your planning, which will improve your efficiency. It is important when trying to plan for assignments, that you fully understand how you will be assessed, and that you understand what is being asked in order to meet the learning outcomes, so that you can achieve your best grade. Ensure that you take the time to read what is required, unpack the question, and make certain you understand the terminology (Hargreaves, 2007). There is a workshop on preparing for academic writing, which can support you further. As suggested by Cottrell (2013) it is important to know how marks will be allocated using the marking criteria, your hand in dates and method, and who to contact if you encounter any difficulties. If you are unsure of anything, ask your lecturer early on.
Once you thoroughly understand the requirement for your assignment, it can be a good idea to make a quick plan of how long you think each stage of the assignment process may take. You can also divide the task up into sections (see the example below), and then this can be used to help keep you accountable to your own personal deadlines, or to assist you when making a Gantt chart, or organising your semester planner. Cotrell (2015) suggests that good time management involves the use of several time-management resources simultaneously, as it improves efficiency. You can also use the plan to reflect after your assignment or project has finished and evaluate how accurate your estimations were for each stage. If your estimated timings were not accurate, you can learn and either find ways to study more efficiently or realise that you underestimated stages of the process and feel empowered with the knowledge that you need to allocate more time in the future.
References
Cottrell, S. (2013) The Study Skills Handbook. 4th edn. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke.
Cottrell, S. (2015) Skills for Success: Personal Development and Employability. 3rd edn. London: Palgrave.
Hargreaves, S. (2007) Study Skills for Dyslexic Students. London: Sage Publications Ltd.