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The Skills Check is a short survey which should take you no more than 3 minutes to complete. Once you have completed the Skills Check we provide you with a personal learning plan targeted to your personal study needs and goals.

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Preparing assignments

Don't be daunted by the prospect of your assignment. There is no single correct way of planning how to write your assignment. However there are some common principles and if you work your way through the stages described below you'll be on the right track.

Covered in this section

  • Planning an organised approach to the writing process
  • Deciding what to write about
  • Keeping on track and answering the question
  • Managing the writing process
  • Improving further for the next time!
  • 25 mins to complete this section
  • Video (7)
  • Audio (1)
  • Activities (3)

Try to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to read the assignment booklet and make sure that you understand the question. It might take longer than you expect to finish your first assignment but, like all study skills, it’ll get easier with practice.

"This year I was so busy at work, I just had time to do enough to pass the module."

Start by think about how much effort you are able to put into writing your assignment. Not all students want to 'ace' every assignment ... sometimes just doing enough is fine. So, first, decide what you want to achieve and what is realistic for you to achieve.

  • Organise a rough schedule for your work over the whole module and book time out for completing assignments.
  • Identify potential contingency plans, find the assignments you could drop or do quickly if you had to.
  • If you have a tutor, discuss together what you're hoping to achieve and what you want out of the module.

Read the module assessment guide to find out

  1. what elements are involved in the assessment - for example, assignments, exam, computer-marked assignments
  2. what flexibility exists - for example, some modules apply substitution or offer a choice of questions
  3. what is required to pass the module - use the assessment calculator, available for most modules, to estimate your overall continuous assessment score at any stage prior to the release of module results, before substitution. If you have any queries, contact your nearest regional or national centre or the Assignment Records Office at Walton Hall.

OU student, Michael, describes his initial approach to the task of assignment writing.

OU students Lynn and Mel explain the importance of preparing a schedule when working on assignments.

Talk to others

  • It’s OK to talk with other students, or friends and family, about the assignment. It’s common for students to form self-help groups. However, it’s not OK to directly copy work from another student (current or past).
  • If you have a tutor or adviser, discuss with them any concerns about the assignment.
  • Many modules have online forums relating to assignments and discussion around relevant subjects is common. So have a look at these before you tackle an assignment.

The OU booklet 'Preparing Assignments' gives you further information on this subject.