Prepare for university assessment

The best thing to do about assessment tasks is to plan and prepare early in small chunks and steps. This also means that you can get books early and avoid the rush on essential readings.

Here are some general tips to help you prepare for assessments.

• Start planning for the assessment tasks early
• Think about how much the assignment is worth and how much time it will take to complete from start to finish.
• Break your task into chunks
• Schedule in all your D-days (due dates for all your assessment tasks) into a semester calendar and work backwards to see how much time you'll need.
• For a particular task you may like to break up the task into smaller steps. These are only approximations but you may find them helpful as a guide to the smaller tasks that you can set yourself.
• Then create a manageable timetable for yourself. Allow at least 6 weeks for an average assignment task and adjust the time to suit your needs.

The stages of assignment preparation

Week 1: Planning

1. Choose topic based on interest and availability of resources.
2. Read assessment criteria carefully.
3. Analyse question.
4. Brainstorm key words.
5. Create a rough outline.

Week 2: Researching

1. Choose your readings based on your rough plan and start working out what you think.
2. Take notes from your readings.
3. Refine your plan.
4. Continue to refine your notes and reading.

Weeks 3-5: Synthesis

1. Use your rough plan to start writing segments with your notes.
2. Work on individual paragraphs to lead to your argument.
3. Draft conclusion.
4. Draft introduction.
5. Complete your first draft.

Weeks 5-6: Finalising

1. Edit your first draft in stages.
2. Edit for ideas at the macro level.
3. Edit for structure and organisation at the macro level.
4. Edit for sentence structure expression and clarity.
5. Proof read for spelling and punctuation. Don't completely rely on the spell-check.
6. Finalise references.
7. Check referencing acknowledgement and style and appendices.
8. Create back up.
9. Submit with appropriate accompanying documentation.

Use your learning style preferences when doing the assessment tasks!

• Go to Deal with exams and assessment for further specific suggestions on exam assessment.
• If you require alternative assessment arrangements, then arrange these as soon as possible with the Disability Liaison Unit .

Copyright © 2003 Monash University ABN 12 377 614 012 - Caution - Privacy - CRICOS Provider Number: 00008C
Last updated: 02 April 2009 - Maintained by lsweb@lib.monash.edu.au - Accessibility information