Assignment writing

When you are starting a major academic assignment, it is important to be aware of the genre requirements that apply to assignments in higher education: What is the ideal, and how should the content be presented?

It is crucial that all points and arguments in the assignment are supported by academic theory and methodology. You are writing as a professional within your field, and therefore your claims must be academically substantiated.

Your assignment must also be transparent and clear, and your reader should never be in doubt about where the assignment is heading. In other words: What exactly are you investigating, why is it important, and how are you going to do it?

It is equally important that you work systematically and methodically so that everything you write and do in the assignment can be verified and followed by the reader. You should also demonstrate knowledge of the latest developments within your field and apply this knowledge in your assignment.
The language should be correct, precise, and academic, and grammar and spelling must be accurate. Finally, all formal requirements regarding length, layout, and similar aspects must be fulfilled.

See the genre requirements as guidelines that can help you understand how to approach an assignment both linguistically and methodologically. It is about being clear in your language, using the latest knowledge, and having a clear purpose for your assignment.

When you are about to start a major project and write an independent assignment, it is naturally important that you choose an academic topic that interests you. You need to be motivated to write the assignment and excited about exploring the topic.

If you have difficulty finding an obvious topic, it can be a good idea to seek inspiration from textbooks, academic articles, newspapers, websites, your study group or network, previous assignments, and more. These sources can often provide good ideas for interesting topics and new trends within your field.

Afterwards, you should try to narrow down the topic. Begin by doing some quick and broad searches. In the early stages of the process, it is perfectly fine to use Google, possibly supplemented by the library catalogue and academic journals. Find out what is happening within the topic. What might be interesting to explore further? Where is there something at stake? What trends are emerging? And what angle or limitation can you apply to your topic?

It is important to emphasize that the process of moving from a topic to a problem statement is the same regardless of the discipline you are writing within. What changes is the content, that is, what you put into the topic and research question.

How do I write a good research question?

A good research question not only helps you meet the requirements of the subject, it also helps you structure your assignment.

In the research question, you formulate the question or questions that you will answer in your conclusion and use to structure the assignment. Therefore, there must be a direct connection between the research question,, the structure of the assignment, and the conclusion.

In other words, your research question, determines everything you write in your assignment. It guides your writing process and helps you maintain a coherent line of argument throughout the assignment.
Your problem statement should always be based on a specific academic problem and must be solvable using the theories and methods of your discipline.

The research question, should preferably be well-defined and explore a specific area in depth, rather than attempting to cover an overly broad and unmanageable topic.

When writing a research question, it is a good idea to incorporate the academic levels expected in higher education assignments.

These are the descriptive, analytical, and evaluative levels. Linguistically, these can often be reflected through question words such as what (descriptive), why (analytical), and how (evaluative).

When writing a problem-oriented assignment, meaning an assignment where you are expected to propose a solution to a problem, it can be helpful to think about the levels that should typically be included in an academic assignment.

These are: The descriptive level, the analytical level, and the evaluative level.

There are many different ways to write assignments. Some people plan everything down to the smallest detail, while others sit frantically typing the night before the deadline. You know best what works for you, but it never hurts to think about how to plan your writing process most effectively.

One way to gain an overview is by creating an outline. A good and carefully considered outline can prevent many frustrations during the writing process. In practical terms, it means writing down the elements that you already know from the beginning must be included in the assignment.

It is a good idea to formulate your research question before creating the outline, as this can help you identify which sections and chapters should be included in your assignment. In other words, what do you need to know in order to answer your question, and in what order?

Try to gain an overview of the chapters and sections that you already know will be part of the assignment, and determine which theories and methods those sections should be based on. Think of the outline as a table of contents or an ingredient list, where you gradually add subtopics. Alternatively, you can use a mind map to visualise the project and its individual sections.

Even if you do not follow the outline strictly throughout the process, the act of creating one can be highly productive and beneficial for your writing. This is especially true if you are working together with others in a group.

When writing an academic assignment, it is important to continuously reflect critically on the choices you make throughout your work. This applies to the arguments you present (as mentioned in the section on argumentation techniques), your theoretical and methodological considerations, and of course your final conclusion.

The purpose of critical reflection is to show the reader that you are able to identify the advantages and disadvantages of complex issues and weigh them against one another.

Put simply, critical reflection is about considering whether there are other ways of doing things than the ones you have chosen. You should therefore take a critical view of your own assignment or investigation, and critically assess the choices you make along the way and how they influence your results.

It is completely normal to experience periods of writer’s block when working on a major academic assignment. Fortunately, there are ways to get yourself moving again:

• Start by identifying why you are struggling to get started:
  
  1. Do you not know what to write?
  2. Have you lost your overview of the assignment?
  3. Are you finding it difficult to express yourself clearly? Perhaps you are being too critical of your own writing?
  4. Are you tired or lacking energy?

• Depending on the cause, consider the following strategies:

1. 1. Use the freewriting method method and allow your thoughts to flow without self-censorship.
   2. Create a mindmap to gain a better overview, and then try to make a plan for your continued writing.
   3. Think out loud. It can actually help to formulate ideas verbally before writing them down. And remember, it does not have to be perfect. You can always revise it later.
   4. Take a well-earned break. Go for a walk, watch a film, or do something similar. And remember, it will all work out in the end!