Studying Smart: Plan Your Assignments

Plan Enough Time

Be prepared to invest an average of 2 hours of work for every 5% of your final grade that an assignment is worth.

Start Planning Early

The earlier you start managing your time for an assignment, the easier it will be to complete. Plan out your strategy when you first learn about the assignment (which will often be at the beginning of the semester when you read the syllabus).

Start Your Assignments Early

Spread Out the Work

Break your assignment into smaller chunks. Spread the work out instead of doing it all at the last minute.

Step 1: Gather Information 

• If possible, print out a hard copy of the assignment.
• Read through the entire assignment and take notes as you go
• Brainstorm ideas for the assignment, including topics and areas to focus on. 

Step 2: Calculate the Assignment Time

Use the chart below to calculate how long you should spend on an assignment. For every 5% of your final grade that the assignment is worth, plan to work for at least 2 hours. 

Step 3: Use the Assignment Tracker

1. Fill in the beginning of the form with the name of the course, the assignment title and value (found in your syllabus), hours of work needed to complete, and the date it is due. 
2. In the "Stages" column, create a list of all of the things you will need to do to complete the assignment . 
   • Brainstorming ideas, creating an outline, conducting research, writing a rough draft, etc. 
   • Use one line for each step. 
3. Give yourself a completing deadline for each task. 
   • Work backwards from the due date to make sure you will finish in time. 
4. Check off each task as you finish them.