assignment structure types

Assignment types

You will encounter many different assignment types throughout your studies, each with unique challenges and requirements. While the structure guide gives you the building blocks to create an assignment in general, this guide covers the distinct structures and characteristics of different assignment types and common errors that students make.

In brief, each assignment type has a different purpose and, as a result, different elements are required for each:

• A case study involves an in-depth examination of a specific subject or scenario, analysing its complexities and offering insights into real-world problems or situations.

An essay is a written work that presents a coherent argument, analysis, or discussion on a particular topic.

• A literature review is a critical analysis of existing research on a specific topic.

A report is a structured document that systematically gathers, analyses, and presents information on a specific topic, issue, event, or research question.

• Reflective writing encourages individuals to reflect upon and explore their thoughts, experiences, opinions, and emotions on a particular topic, event, or subject matter.
• Other written assignment types you may be assessed on at university are discussion board posts, blog posts, portfolios, creative assignments, annotated bibliographies, group projects and presentations.

Case studies

A case study involves an in-depth examination of a specific subject or scenario, analysing its complexities and offering insights into real-world (or hypothetical) problems or situations. Often, it will focus on a representative person, group of people, or other samples. A case study will generally relate to theories or methods in your chosen field of study and their applications in the broader context of your discipline. It is common for case studies to be focused on solving a particular problem and thus include potential solutions to problems or recommendations for action.

The purpose of a case study is to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations and is valuable in helping you prepare for professional practice. They require you to think critically, analyse complex issues, and develop effective problem-solving skills.

Case studies are divided into sections with subheadings, allowing the reader to jump to specific points of interest. This allows you to present information you have gathered or researched about a particular topic in a way your reader easily understands.

There are different types of case studies and ways to structure the information, so it is important to check your assignment instructions, suggested structure, and assessment criteria/marking rubric.

Structure of a case study

A typical case study will be structured as follows:

Introduction

The introduction of your case study should provide a concise overview of your study’s subject, background, and objectives. Clearly state the problem or issue you will be addressing and outline the purpose of the case study.

Literature review (optional)

In this section, you establish the context for your investigation. Critically examine existing research and scholarly articles relevant to your case study topic. Identify key theories, concepts, and findings that inform your study. Analyse the gaps or controversies in the literature that your case study aims to address.

In the discussion section, interpret and analyse your findings about the existing literature. Explore the implications of your results and discuss any limitations or constraints in your study. Consider alternative explanations for your findings and address their significance. Engage in a critical reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of your approach.

Conclusion/recommendations

Conclude your case study by summarising the key findings and their implications. Recommend future research or practical applications based on your study’s outcomes. Clearly state your case study’s contributions to the existing body of knowledge and suggest avenues for further exploration.

List all the sources cited in your case study. Ensure that you adhere to the correct referencing style specified by your instructor. Pay careful attention to the accuracy and formatting of your references, as this enhances the credibility and professionalism of your work.

Appendices (if necessary)

Attach any supplementary materials, such as raw data, questionnaires, or additional information that supports and complements your case study. Ensure that each appendix is labelled and referenced appropriately within the main text.

Common mistakes

• Insufficient background information
• Main issues not clearly defined
• Theory has not been applied sufficiently
• Analysis is superficial
• Recommendations are poorly supported.

If you need help with any of these areas, view the rest of the writing guide or book an appointment with a Peer Academic Mentor .

While most essays aim to inform the reader about a particular topic, the specific purpose will depend on the type of essay.

• Persuasive essays seek to convince readers of a specific viewpoint or argument.
• Argumentative essays are a subset of persuasive essays and aim to present a clear argument supported by evidence. They often address counterarguments.
• Analytical essays focus on breaking down a complex topic or issue into its constituent parts and examining them critically.
• Descriptive essays use vivid language and sensory details to paint a picture or create a mental image of a person, place, object, or experience.
• Narrative essays tell a story or recount a personal experience.
• Expository essays aim to explain or clarify a topic, concept, or process in a straightforward and informative manner.

Thesis statements

A fundamental part of any essay is a thesis statement.

A thesis statement is a concise, specific sentence that articulates the main point or claim of an essay or research paper. It serves as a roadmap for your readers, outlining the central idea you will explore and support throughout your writing.

It is recommended that you create a simple thesis statement before you begin writing to help create a roadmap for your work. As you construct your work, you should revise and refine it as necessary.

Example thesis statement

Ultimately, artificial intelligence will benefit humankind; however, precautions should be taken to mitigate potential harm. This can be accomplished in several ways, including government regulations for the ethical collection and use of data, increased education for the public on the use of AI, and investment in job protection for our future workforce.

To create a strong thesis statement, you should:

• Understand your assignment , including identifying the main topic or question you will address in your paper.
• In one or two sentences, express the primary message you want to convey in your paper. A good way to do this is to reword the assignment question.
• Review the statement to make sure it is not too vague or general. Ambiguous thesis statements can lead to unclear or unfocused essays.
• Take a stand – a strong thesis statement should go beyond stating facts and should express a debatable position that you will support and defend in your paper. If you find this challenging, consider making a list of how you feel about the topic. What do you believe? Brainstorming may help with this.
• Avoid announcement statements. Your thesis shouldn’t announce your topic but present an arguable point about it. Instead of saying, ‘This essay will discuss [topic], make a claim about the topic.

Essay structure

A typical essay will be structured as follows:

The introduction of your essay serves as the roadmap for your reader. Begin with a compelling hook to grab attention, then provide context for your topic, articulate the thesis statement (your essay’s main argument or purpose), and outline the key points you will address in the body. The introduction sets the tone and establishes the direction for the entire essay.

The body of your essay is where you present your argument, evidence, and analysis. Each paragraph should focus on a specific idea or aspect of your thesis statement. Start with a clear topic sentence, support it with evidence or examples, and then provide analysis or interpretation to demonstrate how it relates to your overall argument. Ensure smooth transitions between paragraphs, creating a cohesive flow that guides the reader through your logical progression of ideas.

The conclusion is your opportunity to reinforce the significance of your argument and provide a sense of closure. Summarise the key points discussed in the body, emphasising how they support your thesis. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion. Instead, offer broader insights or implications related to your topic. Conclude with a thought-provoking statement or a call to action to reinforce the importance of your essay’s main message.

Common mistakes:

• Thesis statement is weak or unclear
• Ideas are not expressed clearly or concisely
• Lacks good structure
• Poor transitions, meaning ideas don’t flow well
• Overuse of jargon, not explaining technical terminology
• Inadequate research
• Lack of critical analysis
• Not properly edited or proofread.

Literature reviews

A literature review is a critical analysis of published sources within a specific field of study. It may be a standalone piece of writing or form part of a report, thesis or other research project.

The purpose of a literature review is to synthesise and summarise key findings, concepts, theories, and methodologies from multiple sources. It is useful in identifying ongoing debates, controversies, or conflicting viewpoints within the field, as well as gaps or areas where there is limited research.

When a literature review is written as part of a research project, it helps place your research or study within the context of the existing body of knowledge. It can provide a foundation for the theoretical underpinnings of your research, help justify the research questions or hypotheses you intend to explore in your study, and can inform your research design and methodology.

Literature review structure

A typical literature review will be structured as follows:

Begin your literature review with a concise introduction that contextualises the topic, outlines the scope of the review, and articulates the purpose or objective. Clearly state the research questions or themes you aim to address, providing a roadmap for the reader to follow your exploration of relevant scholarly work.

In the body of your literature review, organise the existing literature around key themes, concepts, or debates related to your research questions. Summarise and synthesise findings from different sources, highlighting similarities, differences, and gaps in the current knowledge. Critically evaluate the methodologies and approaches used in the studies you review, emphasising the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Discussion/analysis

Engage in a thoughtful discussion of the literature, synthesising the information to identify patterns, trends, or inconsistencies. Analyse how different studies contribute to the understanding of your research questions and discuss any controversies or unresolved issues in the literature. This section should demonstrate your ability to think critically and make connections between diverse sources.

Conclude your literature review by summarising the main findings, emphasising their significance in the context of your research objectives. Highlight any gaps in the literature that your study aims to address and suggest potential avenues for future research. A well-constructed conclusion reinforces the importance of your research and sets the stage for developing your own work.

List of all the sources cited in your literature review. Ensure that you adhere to the correct referencing style specified by your instructor. Pay careful attention to the accuracy and formatting of your references, as this enhances the credibility and professionalism of your work.

• Limited or biased selection of sources
• Ignores alternative or contradictory viewpoints
• Disjointed or disorganised structure
• Too broad or vague, lacking focus
• Insufficient analysis or synthesis
• Does not effectively use evidence to support the argument.

Reflective writing

Reflective writing encourages individuals to reflect upon and explore their thoughts, experiences, opinions, and emotions on a particular topic, event, or subject matter. Although you should write in a more informally and express yourself more personally, it is still important to organise your ideas clearly.

Reflective writing prompts you to critically analyse and evaluate your experiences and ideas, question your assumptions and consider alternative viewpoints. It prompts you to connect your personal experiences to broader concepts and theories, and the course content. Integrating personal and academic content helps deepen your self-awareness and understanding of your experience and learning.

Tips for reflective writing

• Be honest and authentic
• Use descriptive language
• Connect theory and practice
• Consider different perspectives
• Identify lessons learned

Prompts to help when reflecting

• What happened? Describe the event or experience in detail. What was your role or involvement?
• What were your thoughts and feelings? Explore your initial reactions and emotional responses. How did your feelings evolve during the experience?
• What did you learn? Identify new insights or knowledge gained. How does this experience connect to your academic learning?
• How did others perceive the situation? Consider the perspectives of others involved. Were there any differences in perception?
• What worked well, and what could have been improved? Evaluate the success and challenges encountered. What changes or improvements would you suggest?
• How does this experience connect to your personal and professional development? Discuss the impact of the experience on your personal growth. Consider implications for future academic or professional endeavours.
• How might you approach similar situations differently in the future? Reflect on lessons learned and their application to future scenarios. What strategies or changes would you implement?
• What questions or uncertainties have emerged? Address any lingering questions or areas of uncertainty. Are there aspects you would like to explore further?
• Reflections are too superficial
• Does not connect with the course material
• Avoids challenging experiences or emotions
• Lack of critical analysis and consideration of alternative viewpoints
• Tone is too formal
• Structure is disorganised.

The purpose of a report will depend on the context. In general, however, reports aim to convey information, data, findings and analysis in a structured and organised manner. Reports often include tables, charts, graphs, and other visual aids to illustrate data and findings. They are usually tailored to the needs and expectations of the intended audience.

There are many different types of reports, including:

• Research reports involve research, investigation, or data collection.
• Technical reports provide documentation for processes, designs, or technical specifications.
• Business reports may focus on problem-solving, identifying issues and assessing potential solutions.
• Lab reports communicate experimental procedures, results and interpretations.
• Policy or project evaluation reports may evaluate policies or projects and assess outcomes and impacts.

Structure of a report

A typical report will be structured as follows:

Abstract/executive summary

The executive summary provides a concise overview of the entire report, summarising key findings, conclusions, and recommendations. It serves as a snapshot, offering a quick understanding of the report’s purpose and outcomes.

The introduction sets the stage for the report, outlining the background, purpose, and objectives. Clearly state the problem or question the report aims to address and provide a brief roadmap for the reader to follow, previewing the key sections and the scope of the investigation.

Present the information or data gathered during the research phase in a clear and organised manner. Use tables, graphs, or charts if necessary to enhance understanding. Ensure that the findings directly address the research questions or objectives outlined in the introduction.

In the discussion section, interpret and analyse the findings, providing context and insight. Explore relationships between different elements of the data, consider alternative explanations, and critically evaluate the significance of the results. This section aims to deepen the reader’s understanding of the presented information.

Summarise the report’s main points and key findings, emphasising their implications. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion and instead focus on synthesising the existing content to reinforce the overall message.

Recommendations

Offer specific recommendations based on the findings and conclusions of the report. These suggestions should be actionable and linked directly to the issues discussed, providing a practical guide for decision-makers or stakeholders.

List of all sources cited in the report. Ensure that you adhere to the correct referencing style specified by your instructor. Pay careful attention to the accuracy and formatting of your references, as this enhances the credibility and professionalism of your work.

Attach supplementary materials that support or enhance the report, such as raw data, additional charts, graphs, or detailed explanations. Clearly label and reference each appendix within the main body of the report to facilitate easy navigation for the reader.

• Lack of clear purpose
• Not tailored to the intended audience
• Information is poorly organised
• Research is insufficient or inaccurate
• Formatting is inconsistent
• Lack of visual aids to convey complex data.

If you are having trouble with any of these areas, view the rest of the writing guide or book an appointment with a Peer Academic Mentor .

Other assignment types

There are many other written assignment types you may be assessed on at university. We have outlined some of the more common ones below.

Short answers

A brief and concise response to a specific question or prompt, typically requiring a focused and direct reply without extensive elaboration or explanation.

• Ensure your answers address the question directly, and are clear, relevant, focused and concise.

Discussion board post

A written contribution to an online forum or platform where individuals share thoughts, ideas, opinions, or information about a specific topic or question, fostering interactive and collaborative conversation.

• Aim to engage and contribute meaningfully to the topic and back up your statements with evidence or examples.
• Be an active participant by sharing your thoughts, ideas, or opinions and encourage discussion by asking questions or responding to the ideas of others.
• Be respectful of your fellow participants.

A short, informal, and often opinion-based piece of online content that explores a specific topic, provides information, or shares personal insights, designed to engage and inform readers.

• Aim to combine the informality and engagement of a blog with academic rigour and structure.
• Ensure you have a central theme or main idea related to the assignment’s topic, and organise the blog post with a logical structure and concise paragraphs.
• Aim to demonstrate critical thinking and support your arguments with evidence or examples.

A curated collection of work, artefacts, or achievements that showcases an individual’s skills, experiences, and accomplishments, often used for professional, educational, or creative purposes.

• Aim to provide carefully chosen and curated works to showcase your best work, skills and experience.
• Ensure the organisation is clear and navigation is user-friendly.
• Consider including a reflective commentary or analysis that explains the significance of your work as well as strengths and areas for improvement.

Annotated bibliography

A list of sources accompanied by brief summaries or annotations that provide concise evaluations and explanations of each source’s relevance, content, and quality.

• Ensure the citations are complete and accurate, following the required referencing style.
• Aim to provide a concise summary of each source and include some analysis and evaluation.
• Explain how each source is relevant to your research or assignment topic.

Creative assignments

A task or project that encourages individuals to express themselves artistically or imaginatively, often involving the creation of original works such as writing, artwork, music, or multimedia presentations.

• Aim to demonstrate originality and creativity in your work.
• Show an understanding of the relevant concepts, theories and skills.
• Include a reflective or self-evaluative component that explains your choices and the creative process you underwent.

Group project

A collaborative task or assignment that involves multiple individuals working together to achieve a common goal, often requiring teamwork, coordination, and shared responsibilities.

• Create a well-defined project plan or proposal that outlines the project’s goals, objectives, scope, timeline, and deliverables.
• Establish clear roles and responsibilities and define deadlines and expectations.
• Foster effective communication and encourage regular meetings.
• Cultivate a collaborative problem-solving mindset within the group and resolve disagreements constructively.

Presentations

A verbal and visual communication of information or ideas, typically delivered to an audience using spoken words, visual aids, and often accompanied by slides or other media.

• Ensure it is well structured and content is organised logically.
• Aim to make an engaging and confident delivery with visual aids and audience interaction.
• Ensure the content is relevant to the assignment topic, and provide evidence and examples without overloading the presentation with excessive information.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Common Writing Assignments

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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

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

Understanding Writing Assignments

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

Argument Papers

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

Research Papers

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

Exploratory Papers

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

Annotated Bibliographies

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

Book Report

This resource discusses book reports and how to write them.

Definitions

This handout provides suggestions and examples for writing definitions.

Essays for Exams

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

Book Review

This resource discusses book reviews and how to write them.

Academic Proposals

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

In this section

Subsections.

• Subject Guides

Academic writing: a practical guide

• Structure & cohesion
• Academic writing
• The writing process
• Academic writing style
• Criticality in academic writing
• Working with evidence
• Referencing
• Assessment & feedback
• Dissertations
• Reflective writing
• Examination writing
• Academic posters
• Feedback on Structure and Organisation
• Feedback on Argument, Analysis, and Critical Thinking
• Feedback on Writing Style and Clarity
• Feedback on Referencing and Research
• Feedback on Presentation and Proofreading

Structure & cohesion

General advice for structuring all types of academic writing.

For advice on structuring specific types of writing, visit the relevant page under 'Types of academic writing'.

Structure in academic writing

Academic writing has a clear, logical structure to communicate your points and show the connections between them; a well-structured assignment is easy for the reader to follow and understand.

These general principles apply to structuring most types of academic writing:

• Use a linear structure where points build on each other - don't jump backward and forwards.
• Start with more general and then move to the more specific ideas and points.
• Put more relevant/important information first.
• Everything is relevant to the main argument or point of the paragraph.
• Use cohesion to join ideas and points clearly - don't make the reader do the work.
• Follow any structural requirements for your assignment or type of writing.

It has a beginning, a middle and an end: a guide to structuring academic writing [Google Slides]

Planning structure

The best way to write a well-structured assignment is to have a good plan before you start writing. What's your argument? What are the main points you want to include? What's a logical way to order these points? Don't just launch into writing with no idea of where you're going!

To make a general plan:

• Make a list of the information and points to include.
• Organise similar points into groups.
• Put the groups in a logical order.
• Within each group, organise the points logically.
• Check the plan to make sure it meets task requirements.

Here's a step-by-step demonstration of planning assignment structure:

Planning: general structure [YouTube]  | Planning: general structure [Google Doc]

Paragraph structure

A well-structured paragraph contains one main point or idea - all the information included is relevant to this point. If it's not related to the main point, it probably shouldn't be there!

There are many ways to structure a paragraph, but they generally all include:

• a topic sentence showing the main point
• development of the point: more detail, examples etc.
• evidence to support the point
• critical analysis showing how evidence relates to the main point
• a final wrap-up linking to the overall argument or next paragraph

However, this is only a guide - there are many ways to structure a paragraph. Reading sources from your field will help you to get a feel of ways to organise paragraphs.

Paragraph structure [Google Slides]

If the structure is the order of your points, cohesion is what ties them together and guides the reader through your argument. 

Create cohesion using words and phrases that show the relationships between points. For example:

• basic connectives: and, or, but, so
• giving more detail: for example, to illustrate, an example of this is
• showing contrast: however, although, while, conversely, alternatively
• showing similarity: another, also, similarly, collectively, taken together
• cause/effect: leading to, the effect of this is, therefore, this may stem from
• referencing words: this/that, who, which/that, the groups, these findings
• showing implications: this suggests that, these findings may mean that, based on this

Cohesive words and phrases are shown in bold in this example paragraph about how language background affects maths skills development :

The time taken to pronounce number words is another linguistic factor that  could affect children’s arithmetical development. If number words take longer to pronounce, fewer items can be held in working memory, which could affect the strategies used to solve arithmetic problems (Geary et al., 1993; Geary et al., 1996). In East Asian languages, number words are generally short, one-syllable words, while in English and other languages they can be much longer. The effect of this on working memory is seen in Chinese children’s longer digit span memory compared to their American peers (Geary et al., 1993). It also  seems to influence the choice of strategies used by the two groups to solve arithmetic problems, with Chinese children using faster processes than American children (Geary et al., 1996). This limitation of working memory may mean speakers of less transparent languages rely more on slow procedural strategies than speakers of a transparent language, extending even to adulthood (Campbell & Xue, 2001).

More detailed advice and examples:

• << Previous: Academic writing style
• Next: Criticality in academic writing >>
• Last Updated: Oct 29, 2024 11:46 AM
• URL: https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/academic-writing

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Writing Assignments

Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine

Introduction

Assignments are a common method of assessment at university and require careful planning and good quality research. Developing critical thinking and writing skills are also necessary to demonstrate your ability to understand and apply information about your topic.  It is not uncommon to be unsure about the processes of writing assignments at university.

• You may be returning to study after a break
• You may have come from an exam based assessment system and never written an assignment before
• Maybe you have written assignments but would like to improve your processes and strategies

This chapter has a collection of resources that will provide you with the skills and strategies to understand assignment requirements and effectively plan, research, write and edit your assignments.  It begins with an explanation of how to analyse an assignment task and start putting your ideas together.  It continues by breaking down the components of academic writing and exploring the elements you will need to master in your written assignments. This is followed by a discussion of paraphrasing and synthesis, and how you can use these strategies to create a strong, written argument. The chapter concludes with useful checklists for editing and proofreading to help you get the best possible mark for your work.

Task Analysis and Deconstructing an Assignment

It is important that before you begin researching and writing your assignments you spend sufficient time understanding all the requirements. This will help make your research process more efficient and effective. Check your subject information such as task sheets, criteria sheets and any additional information that may be in your subject portal online. Seek clarification from your lecturer or tutor if you are still unsure about how to begin your assignments.

The task sheet typically provides key information about an assessment including the assignment question. It can be helpful to scan this document for topic, task and limiting words to ensure that you fully understand the concepts you are required to research, how to approach the assignment, and the scope of the task you have been set. These words can typically be found in your assignment question and are outlined in more detail in the two tables below (see Table 19.1 and Table 19.2 ).

Table 19.1 Parts of an Assignment Question

Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the task word requires you to address.

Table 19.2 Task words

The criteria sheet , also known as the marking sheet or rubric, is another important document to look at before you begin your assignment. The criteria sheet outlines how your assignment will be marked and should be used as a checklist to make sure you have included all the information required.

The task or criteria sheet will also include the:

• Word limit (or word count)
• Referencing style and research expectations
• Formatting requirements

Task analysis and criteria sheets are also discussed in the chapter Managing Assessments for a more detailed discussion on task analysis, criteria sheets, and marking rubrics.

Preparing your ideas

Brainstorm or concept map:  List possible ideas to address each part of the assignment task based on what you already know about the topic from lectures and weekly readings.

Finding appropriate information: Learn how to find scholarly information for your assignments which is

See the chapter Working With Information for a more detailed explanation .

What is academic writing?

Academic writing tone and style.

Many of the assessment pieces you prepare will require an academic writing style.  This is sometimes called ‘academic tone’ or ‘academic voice’.  This section will help you to identify what is required when you are writing academically (see Table 19.3 ). The best way to understand what academic writing looks like, is to read broadly in your discipline area.  Look at how your course readings, or scholarly sources, are written. This will help you identify the language of your discipline field, as well as how other writers structure their work.

Table 19.3 Comparison of academic and non-academic writing

Thesis statements.

Essays are a common form of assessment that you will likely encounter during your university studies. You should apply an academic tone and style when writing an essay, just as you would in in your other assessment pieces. One of the most important steps in writing an essay is constructing your thesis statement.  A thesis statement tells the reader the purpose, argument or direction you will take to answer your assignment question. A thesis statement may not be relevant for some questions, if you are unsure check with your lecturer. The thesis statement:

• Directly  relates to the task .  Your thesis statement may even contain some of the key words or synonyms from the task description.
• Does more than restate the question.
• Is specific and uses precise language.
• Let’s your reader know your position or the main argument that you will support with evidence throughout your assignment.
• The subject is the key content area you will be covering.
• The contention is the position you are taking in relation to the chosen content.

Your thesis statement helps you to structure your essay.  It plays a part in each key section: introduction, body and conclusion.

Planning your assignment structure

When planning and drafting assignments, it is important to consider the structure of your writing. Academic writing should have clear and logical structure and incorporate academic research to support your ideas.  It can be hard to get started and at first you may feel nervous about the size of the task, this is normal. If you break your assignment into smaller pieces, it will seem more manageable as you can approach the task in sections. Refer to your brainstorm or plan. These ideas should guide your research and will also inform what you write in your draft. It is sometimes easier to draft your assignment using the 2-3-1 approach, that is, write the body paragraphs first followed by the conclusion and finally the introduction.

Writing introductions and conclusions

Clear and purposeful introductions and conclusions in assignments are fundamental to effective academic writing. Your introduction should tell the reader what is going to be covered and how you intend to approach this. Your conclusion should summarise your argument or discussion and signal to the reader that you have come to a conclusion with a final statement.  These tips below are based on the requirements usually needed for an essay assignment, however, they can be applied to other assignment types.

Writing introductions

Most writing at university will require a strong and logically structured introduction. An effective introduction should provide some background or context for your assignment, clearly state your thesis and include the key points you will cover in the body of the essay in order to prove your thesis.

Usually, your introduction is approximately 10% of your total assignment word count. It is much easier to write your introduction once you have drafted your body paragraphs and conclusion, as you know what your assignment is going to be about. An effective introduction needs to inform your reader by establishing what the paper is about and provide four basic things:

• A brief background or overview of your assignment topic
• A thesis statement (see section above)
• An outline of your essay structure
• An indication of any parameters or scope that will/ will not be covered, e.g. From an Australian perspective.

The below example demonstrates the four different elements of an introductory paragraph.

1) Information technology is having significant effects on the communication of individuals and organisations in different professions. 2) This essay will discuss the impact of information technology on the communication of health professionals.   3)  First, the provision of information technology for the educational needs of nurses will be discussed.  4)  This will be followed by an explanation of the significant effects that information technology can have on the role of general practitioner in the area of public health.  5)  Considerations will then be made regarding the lack of knowledge about the potential of computers among hospital administrators and nursing executives.  6)   The final section will explore how information technology assists health professionals in the delivery of services in rural areas .  7)  It will be argued that information technology has significant potential to improve health care and medical education, but health professionals are reluctant to use it.

1 Brief background/ overview | 2 Indicates the scope of what will be covered |   3-6 Outline of the main ideas (structure) | 7 The thesis statement

Note : The examples in this document are taken from the University of Canberra and used under a CC-BY-SA-3.0 licence.

Writing conclusions

You should aim to end your assignments with a strong conclusion. Your conclusion should restate your thesis and summarise the key points you have used to prove this thesis. Finish with a key point as a final impactful statement.  Similar to your introduction, your conclusion should be approximately 10% of the total assignment word length. If your assessment task asks you to make recommendations, you may need to allocate more words to the conclusion or add a separate recommendations section before the conclusion. Use the checklist below to check your conclusion is doing the right job.

Conclusion checklist 

• Have you referred to the assignment question and restated your argument (or thesis statement), as outlined in the introduction?
• Have you pulled together all the threads of your essay into a logical ending and given it a sense of unity?
• Have you presented implications or recommendations in your conclusion? (if required by your task).
• Have you added to the overall quality and impact of your essay? This is your final statement about this topic; thus, a key take-away point can make a great impact on the reader.
• Remember, do not add any new material or direct quotes in your conclusion.

This below example demonstrates the different elements of a concluding paragraph.

1) It is evident, therefore, that not only do employees need to be trained for working in the Australian multicultural workplace, but managers also need to be trained.  2)  Managers must ensure that effective in-house training programs are provided for migrant workers, so that they become more familiar with the English language, Australian communication norms and the Australian work culture.  3)  In addition, Australian native English speakers need to be made aware of the differing cultural values of their workmates; particularly the different forms of non-verbal communication used by other cultures.  4)  Furthermore, all employees must be provided with clear and detailed guidelines about company expectations.  5)  Above all, in order to minimise communication problems and to maintain an atmosphere of tolerance, understanding and cooperation in the multicultural workplace, managers need to have an effective knowledge about their employees. This will help employers understand how their employee’s social conditioning affects their beliefs about work. It will develop their communication skills to develop confidence and self-esteem among diverse work groups. 6) The culturally diverse Australian workplace may never be completely free of communication problems, however,   further studies to identify potential problems and solutions, as well as better training in cross cultural communication for managers and employees,   should result in a much more understanding and cooperative environment. 

1  Reference to thesis statement – In this essay the writer has taken the position that training is required for both employees and employers . | 2-5 Structure overview – Here the writer pulls together the main ideas in the essay. | 6  Final summary statement that is based on the evidence.

Note: The examples in this document are taken from the University of Canberra and used under a CC-BY-SA-3.0 licence.

Writing paragraphs

Paragraph writing is a key skill that enables you to incorporate your academic research into your written work.  Each paragraph should have its own clearly identified topic sentence or main idea which relates to the argument or point (thesis) you are developing.  This idea should then be explained by additional sentences which you have paraphrased from good quality sources and referenced according to the recommended guidelines of your subject (see the chapter Working with Information ). Paragraphs are characterised by increasing specificity; that is, they move from the general to the specific, increasingly refining the reader’s understanding. A common structure for paragraphs in academic writing is as follows.

Topic Sentence 

This is the main idea of the paragraph and should relate to the overall issue or purpose of your assignment is addressing. Often it will be expressed as an assertion or claim which supports the overall argument or purpose of your writing.

Explanation/ Elaboration

The main idea must have its meaning explained and elaborated upon. Think critically, do not just describe the idea.

These explanations must include evidence to support your main idea. This information should be paraphrased and referenced according to the appropriate referencing style of your course.

Concluding sentence (critical thinking)

This should explain why the topic of the paragraph is relevant to the assignment question and link to the following paragraph.

Use the checklist below to check your paragraphs are clear and well formed.

Paragraph checklist

• Does your paragraph have a clear main idea?
• Is everything in the paragraph related to this main idea?
• Is the main idea adequately developed and explained?
• Do your sentences run together smoothly?
• Have you included evidence to support your ideas?
• Have you concluded the paragraph by connecting it to your overall topic?

Writing sentences

Make sure all the sentences in your paragraphs make sense. Each sentence must contain a verb to be a complete sentence. Avoid sentence fragments . These are incomplete sentences or ideas that are unfinished and create confusion for your reader. Avoid also run on sentences . This happens when you join two ideas or clauses without using the appropriate punctuation. This also confuses your meaning (See the chapter English Language Foundations for examples and further explanation).

Use transitions (linking words and phrases) to connect your ideas between paragraphs and make your writing flow. The order that you structure the ideas in your assignment should reflect the structure you have outlined in your introduction. Refer to transition words table in the chapter English Language Foundations.

Paraphrasing and Synthesising

Paraphrasing and synthesising are powerful tools that you can use to support the main idea of a paragraph. It is likely that you will regularly use these skills at university to incorporate evidence into explanatory sentences and strengthen your essay. It is important to paraphrase and synthesise because:

• Paraphrasing is regarded more highly at university than direct quoting.
• Paraphrasing can also help you better understand the material.
• Paraphrasing and synthesising demonstrate you have understood what you have read through your ability to summarise and combine arguments from the literature using your own words.

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is changing the writing of another author into your words while retaining the original meaning. You must acknowledge the original author as the source of the information in your citation. Follow the steps in this table to help you build your skills in paraphrasing (see Table 19.4 ).

Table 19.4 Paraphrasing techniques

Example of paraphrasing.

Please note that these examples and in text citations are for instructional purposes only.

Original text

Health care professionals   assist people often when they are at their most  vulnerable . To provide the best care and understand their needs, workers must demonstrate good communication skills .  They must develop patient trust and provide empathy   to effectively work with patients who are experiencing a variety of situations including those who may be suffering from trauma or violence, physical or mental illness or substance abuse (French & Saunders, 2018).

Poor quality paraphrase example

This is a poor example of paraphrasing. Some synonyms have been used and the order of a few words changed within the sentences however the colours of the sentences indicate that the paragraph follows the same structure as the original text.

Health care sector workers are often responsible for vulnerable  patients.   To understand patients and deliver good service , they need to be excellent communicators .  They must establish patient rapport and show empathy if they are to successfully care for patients from a variety of backgrounds  and with different medical, psychological and social needs (French & Saunders, 2018).

A good quality paraphrase example

This example demonstrates a better quality paraphrase. The author has demonstrated more understanding of the overall concept in the text by using the keywords as the basis to reconstruct the paragraph. Note how the blocks of colour have been broken up to see how much the structure has changed from the original text.

Empathetic   communication is a vital skill for health care workers.   Professionals in these fields   are often responsible for patients with complex medical, psychological and social needs. Empathetic   communication assists in building rapport and gaining the necessary trust   to assist these vulnerable patients  by providing appropriate supportive care (French & Saunders, 2018).

The good quality paraphrase example demonstrates understanding of the overall concept in the text by using key words as the basis to reconstruct the paragraph.  Note how the blocks of colour have been broken up, which indicates how much the structure has changed from the original text.

What is synthesising?

Synthesising means to bring together more than one source of information to strengthen your argument. Once you have learnt how to paraphrase the ideas of one source at a time, you can consider adding additional sources to support your argument. Synthesis demonstrates your understanding and ability to show connections between multiple pieces of evidence to support your ideas and is a more advanced academic thinking and writing skill.

Follow the steps in this table to improve your synthesis techniques (see Table 19.5 ).

Table 19.5 Synthesising techniques

Example of synthesis

There is a relationship between academic procrastination and mental health outcomes.  Procrastination has been found to have a negative effect on students’ well-being (Balkis, & Duru, 2016). Yerdelen, McCaffrey, and Klassens’ (2016) research results suggested that there was a positive association between procrastination and anxiety. This was corroborated by Custer’s (2018) findings which indicated that students with higher levels of procrastination also reported greater levels of the anxiety. Therefore, it could be argued that procrastination is an ineffective learning strategy that leads to increased levels of distress.

Topic sentence | Statements using paraphrased evidence | Critical thinking (student voice) | Concluding statement – linking to topic sentence

This example demonstrates a simple synthesis. The author has developed a paragraph with one central theme and included explanatory sentences complete with in-text citations from multiple sources. Note how the blocks of colour have been used to illustrate the paragraph structure and synthesis (i.e., statements using paraphrased evidence from several sources). A more complex synthesis may include more than one citation per sentence.

Creating an argument

What does this mean.

Throughout your university studies, you may be asked to ‘argue’ a particular point or position in your writing. You may already be familiar with the idea of an argument, which in general terms means to have a disagreement with someone. Similarly, in academic writing, if you are asked to create an argument, this means you are asked to have a position on a particular topic, and then justify your position using evidence.

What skills do you need to create an argument?

In order to create a good and effective argument, you need to be able to:

• Read critically to find evidence
• Plan your argument
• Think and write critically throughout your paper to enhance your argument

For tips on how to read and write critically, refer to the chapter Thinking for more information. A formula for developing a strong argument is presented below.

A formula for a good argument

What does an argument look like?

As can be seen from the figure above, including evidence is a key element of a good argument. While this may seem like a straightforward task, it can be difficult to think of wording to express your argument. The table below provides examples of how you can illustrate your argument in academic writing (see Table 19.6 ).

Table 19.6 Argument

Editing and proofreading (reviewing).

Once you have finished writing your first draft it is recommended that you spend time revising your work.  Proofreading and editing are two different stages of the revision process.

• Editing considers the overall focus or bigger picture of the assignment
• Proofreading considers the finer details

As can be seen in the figure above there are four main areas that you should review during the editing phase of the revision process. The main things to consider when editing include content, structure, style, and sources. It is important to check that all the content relates to the assignment task, the structure is appropriate for the purposes of the assignment, the writing is academic in style, and that sources have been adequately acknowledged. Use the checklist below when editing your work.

Editing checklist

• Have I answered the question accurately?
• Do I have enough credible, scholarly supporting evidence?
• Is my writing tone objective and formal enough or have I used emotive and informal language?
• Have I written in the third person not the first person?
• Do I have appropriate in-text citations for all my information?
• Have I included the full details for all my in-text citations in my reference list?

There are also several key things to look out for during the proofreading phase of the revision process. In this stage it is important to check your work for word choice, grammar and spelling, punctuation and referencing errors. It can be easy to mis-type words like ‘from’ and ‘form’ or mix up words like ‘trail’ and ‘trial’ when writing about research, apply American rather than Australian spelling, include unnecessary commas or incorrectly format your references list. The checklist below is a useful guide that you can use when proofreading your work.

Proofreading checklist

• Is my spelling and grammar accurate?
•  Are they complete?
• Do they all make sense?
• Do they only contain only one idea?
• Do the different elements (subject, verb, nouns, pronouns) within my sentences agree?
• Are my sentences too long and complicated?
• Do they contain only one idea per sentence?
• Is my writing concise? Take out words that do not add meaning to your sentences.
• Have I used appropriate discipline specific language but avoided words I don’t know or understand that could possibly be out of context?
• Have I avoided discriminatory language and colloquial expressions (slang)?
• Is my referencing formatted correctly according to my assignment guidelines? (for more information on referencing refer to the Managing Assessment feedback section).

This chapter has examined the experience of writing assignments.  It began by focusing on how to read and break down an assignment question, then highlighted the key components of essays. Next, it examined some techniques for paraphrasing and summarising, and how to build an argument. It concluded with a discussion on planning and structuring your assignment and giving it that essential polish with editing and proof-reading. Combining these skills and practising them, can greatly improve your success with this very common form of assessment.

• Academic writing requires clear and logical structure, critical thinking and the use of credible scholarly sources.
• A thesis statement is important as it tells the reader the position or argument you have adopted in your assignment. Not all assignments will require a thesis statement.
• Spending time analysing your task and planning your structure before you start to write your assignment is time well spent.
• Information you use in your assignment should come from credible scholarly sources such as textbooks and peer reviewed journals. This information needs to be paraphrased and referenced appropriately.
• Paraphrasing means putting something into your own words and synthesising means to bring together several ideas from sources.
• Creating an argument is a four step process and can be applied to all types of academic writing.
• Editing and proofreading are two separate processes.

Academic Skills Centre. (2013). Writing an introduction and conclusion . University of Canberra, accessed 13 August, 2013, http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/conclusions

Balkis, M., & Duru, E. (2016). Procrastination, self-regulation failure, academic life satisfaction, and affective well-being: underregulation or misregulation form. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 31 (3), 439-459.

Custer, N. (2018). Test anxiety and academic procrastination among prelicensure nursing students. Nursing education perspectives, 39 (3), 162-163.

Yerdelen, S., McCaffrey, A., & Klassen, R. M. (2016). Longitudinal examination of procrastination and anxiety, and their relation to self-efficacy for self-regulated learning: Latent growth curve modeling. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16 (1).

Writing Assignments Copyright © 2021 by Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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While there are different types of written assignments , most academic writing has a similar structure comprising of:

• Introduction—acts as a roadmap for the reader.
• Body—presents points to support your argument.
• Conclusion—summarises main points discussed.

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The introduction helps your reader understand where you’re going in your assignment, how you will get there and what they will see along the way.

An introduction should include:

• topic sentence—outline the most important concepts relevant to answering the question
• aim—indicate the focus or purpose of the assignment
• scope—mention any limits of your assignment. What will you emphasise? Will you intentionally leave anything out?
• structure—signal how you will present information in the assignment, and the order the key points will appear
• thesis statement—clearly identify your argument.

The body consists of paragraphs structured to reflect your critical thinking about the question and the chosen order for presenting your argument.

Each paragraph should include:

• topic sentence—starts each paragraph and expresses the main idea of the paragraph
• evidence and examples—contains explanations to support the key point of the paragraph. Supporting evidence is used to justify, explain or develop your argument.
• concluding sentence—links the main idea of the paragraph back to your argument and to the assignment topic.

The number of paragraphs in your essay will depend upon the length of your essay, and the number of points you wish to argue.

The conclusion comes at the end of your assignment, summarising the main points discussed.

Importantly, your conclusion should:

• contain no new ideas or information
• briefly list your key points
• relate main points directly back to the question or argument.

You might also make future recommendations, evaluate your argument or forecast patterns of change.

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Academic Writing: Structuring your assignment

• Academic Writing
• Planning your writing
• Structuring your assignment
• Critical Thinking & Writing
• Building an argument
• Reflective Writing
• Summarising, paraphrasing and quoting

Assignment Structure

The precise structure of written work at university may vary depending on the nature of different writing tasks (e.g., report, essay, dissertation, reflective account) and specific disciplinary requirements.  For more information about different assignment types click here. It is therefore important to understand the type of task you are undertaking and to find out as much as you can about it.  

This may involve reading assignment-specific guidance, familiarising yourself with the marking criteria and if necessary, seeking clarification from your tutor/lecturer before you begin planning and writing. That said, essays often share a similar introduction-main body-conclusion basic structure and this section explains the typical functions and features of these three elements.    

Structure Elements

• Introduction
• Making your writing flow

Things to note...

• In many kinds of assignment, the introduction makes up 5—15% of the whole essay. 
• Although an introduction is the first thing readers see, it may not be the first thing you write. 
• Sometimes it may be helpful to leave the introduction until the end, after you have explored your topic more fully. 

What information does the introduction contain?  

Typically, the introduction…

• Begins by identifying broad topic / subject area, e.g., ‘Leadership styles have a significant impact on employee performance.’ 
• Focuses attention on the specific theme or problem, e.g., ‘Autocratic leadership is often characterised as...’
• Indicates the main issues and areas of controversy, e.g., ‘The strengths and limitations of autocratic leadership styles are often debated.’
• States your argument or thesis statement, outlining the main ideas you intend to cover, e.g., ‘This essay argues that autocratic leadership is essential in high-volume production environments because...’
• Indicates how your essay will be organised, e.g., ‘This essay will begin by considering...and will then explore...’

We can see in the diagram below how the introduction tends to move from general to specific, in other words from the overall context of the subject to the specifics of the topic itself. 

The main body of your essay 

• The middle section of your essay usually consists of 70—80% of your whole essay.  
• It contains a series of paragraphs exploring key ideas and theories relating to the subject matter. 

Paragraph structure

Properly constructed paragraphs are the foundations of a good essay because they help you to focus and clarify your argument as you write, and they help the reader to understand the topic by dividing it logically into sections.  Paragraphs typically develop one main idea and tend to follow this pattern: 

• They often begin with a Topic Sentence – this is a sentence that expresses the main idea of the paragraph.
• Sentences in the middle of the paragraph develop the topic sentences and may give definitions, examples, explanations, reasons, opposing views, references to literature, interpretations and summaries.
• Sometimes paragraphs have a concluding sentence which may consider how the topic sentence has been developed and/or provides a link to the next paragraph. 

Paragraphs can vary significantly in length depending on the type and purpose of the text and may be between 150 and 250/300 words long.  A useful way to remember the features of an effective paragraph is to memorise the PEEL acronym below. 

P: Point (main point/topic) E: Evidence (examples and sources) E: Explanation (explain how evidence supports your argument) L: Link back to question and/or summarise key points       

(Adapted from Godfrey, J (2013) How to Use Your Reading in your Essays . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan)

Once you reach the end of your essay, it is important to sum up your conclusions. In many kinds of essays, the conclusion makes up 5—10% of the whole piece of work and it tends to contain some (if not all) of the following features. It…

• Links back to the question and the thesis statement, e.g. ‘This paper has argued that...’
• Summarises the discussion (reminds the reader what you have demonstrated/proven), e.g., ‘This study has found that generally...’
• Discusses implications and indicates why your argument matters…how it affects the world/the discipline…and what needs to change, e.g., ‘An implication of this study is that...’ 
• Suggests where things might go next—e.g., perhaps more research needs to be done, e.g., ‘Further research could explore...’

It might also….

• State the limitations of the analysis of evidence, e.g., ‘In spite of its limitations, the study suggests that...’  
• Give recommendations, e.g., ‘There is, therefore a definite need for...’ 

We can see from the diagram (below) how the conclusion tends to move from the specific conclusions of your essay back to the bigger picture or more general application of your ideas. 

Writing at university needs to be clear and easy to understand, with all ideas presented logically and carefully tied together.  When writing flows well, every element is connected and seems to move naturally from one item to the next. 

Without these connections, writing can sometimes feel choppy or disconnected. Certain phrases help to establish the connections between ideas, and these are called transitional phrases, signposting or connecting words.

There are many ways of linking ideas and information—sometimes you might want to highlight a causal relationship between ideas or simply add new information. Here are some examples of linking phrases:   

Source: adapted from: Shields, 2010, p.174

As well as establishing clear links between ideas in separate paragraphs, it is also important to show the reader how all your paragraphs fit together and form part of your overall argument. Here are some ways you could highlight links across your whole essay: 

• At the end of a paragraph, you could link back to the question to make sure you have demonstrated the relevance of your paragraph to the topic
• You can also link forward and refer the reader to something you will talk about in the next paragraph or later in your essay, e.g. ‘The next section will explore the significance of…’, ‘This is a subject that will be explored later in the essay.’ 
• Other linking phrases might refer the reader back to something you have already mentioned e.g. ‘As seen in the previous section…’ or ‘Earlier in the essay this theory was explored…’ 
• You can also link to specific arguments by using phrases like ‘Despite the previous arguments, there are many reasons…’   

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2. Written assignments

Writing and researching, writing tools and techniques, editing and proofreading, grammar and spelling, audience, tone and purpose.

There are many different types of written assignments, including essays, reports and reviews.  Student Services  has resources to help you understand different types of written assignments and how to structure your work:

• Assignment types  — outlines the purpose, audience, tone of writing and structural features of some written assignment types, including research essays, reports, annotated bibliographies and reflective journals
• Steps for writing assignments  — breaks the assignment writing process into a series of manageable tasks
• During semester  Student Services offers workshops  to help improve your study and assignment writing skills.

Online tools and courses to improve your skills:

• The  Academic Phrasebank  — provides examples of phrases to use in academic writing, including writing introductions, describing methods, reporting results, discussing findings and writing conclusions
• Writing research papers (LinkedIn Learning course, 1h56m)  — a UQ login is required. This course covers understanding different types of research papers, researching the topic, brainstorming your focus, developing a thesis statement, writing topic sentences, composing a title, using a style guide and formatting your paper
• Improving writing through corpora (UQx free online course, 8h)   — this course aims to provide you with the tools, knowledge and skills to become a ‘language detective’, using special software to improve your academic writing. Boost your knowledge of academic words and phrases to improve your vocabulary and written fluency.

• Writing and referencing tools  has information on different tools and software to use for your written assignments
• Beginner to advanced  training in Microsoft Word  is available at the Library, including using styles, sections and tables. Knowing all the shortcuts and tricks can save you a lot of time when you are writing your document
• LinkedIn Learning has many Word tutorials. Choose one that covers the version of word you use. You may like to start with  Word Essential Training (Microsoft 365) (LinkedIn Learning, 2h 33m)  — a UQ login is required.

 Check your knowledge

Sometimes when we read aloud we say the words that should be there, even if they are not. A  text-to-speech tool  is a good way of checking the accuracy and flow of your assignment. The tool will only read what actually is written on the page.  Study hacks lists text-to-speech tools .

Student Support has information on  finding a proofreader .

You can use the spelling and grammar features in your word processing tool (e.g.  Microsoft Word  and  Google Docs ) to check what you have written. Some writing tools use generative artificial intelligence to make recommendations. Using AI tools in your studies includes information about what you should consider before using AI writing tools in assessment tasks.

Use the  Macquarie Dictionary and Thesaurus  if you are unsure about any words. It is regarded as the standard reference on Australian English.

To write effectively, you should think carefully about the intended audience and purpose of your assignment. Adjust your tone to suit your audience and the medium you are using.

The  Communication Learning in Practice for Scientists (CLIPS) website  outlines how the audience, context and purpose affects how you should communicate. The website was developed to help undergraduate science students develop their communication skills but is relevant for students in all fields.

Types of Assignments Copyright © 2023 by The University of Queensland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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