Assignments - always meet deadlines
Some students suffer from time blindness and are not aware of it. To help them overcome this affliction, help them realize how long it takes to do an assignment.
Assignment steps: CACCC will describe steps to completing an assignment.
Weekly Planner:
Keep a detailed weekly planner of all assignments and tests, beginning with due dates, then working backwards, write in all steps, such as start date for research, 1st draft due, final revision, etc., or when to begin studying.
Daily Planner:
Include readings, current work on assignments and papers, note-taking reviews and study group meetings.
Estimate time for assignments:
Time blindness is one of the most common reasons for missing deadlines. Cure time blindness by breaking down tasks and assigning a completion time to each task. For example:
Essay assignment due in 3 weeks:
1) What do you need to do? Break the assignment down, for example:
a) understand the assignment, ask instructor if you have questions,
b) book any necessary equipment from the library,
c) collect information,
d) write an outline,
e) write a draft,
f) see English tutor in OLC to go over draft,
g) write a final draft,
h) edit, and
i) hand in final paper by due date.
2) Under each of the tasks, itemize what you will do and the amount of time required to do it.
For example, collect information:
a) read textbook, lecture notes and articles = 2 hours
b) go to library for additional resources = 1 hour
3) Add up the hours for all tasks and add 50% for unknowns, i.e. 10 hours + 50% = 15 hours.
4) Divide the number of hours by the weeks or days that you have left to complete the assignment, i.e. 15 hours /3 weeks = 5 hours.
5) Schedule 5 hours per week for the next 3 weeks to complete the assignment, listing specific tasks and checking them off as completed.
Weekly schedule:
Make a weekly schedule using timetables, agendas, phone, calendars, etc. Record fixed activities, such as classtime, labs, meals, meetings, gym, work, etc. This provides a graphic view of where time is spent and shows how much time you really have. Now you can see what time you have for studying, assignments, fun, etc. Begin to fill in blocks of time for assignments, review, class preparation and study, but keep some flex time in case something out of the ordinary occurs. Work backwards from deadline dates and schedule time for completing assignments. Handle tasks or decisions that come in immediately. Putting them off could result in procrastination.
Once you establish a routine, when someone asks you to do something different you will stop to think about it because it is your habit to do something else.
Prioritize by using to-do lists:
Daily to-do lists will help organize your day. Look at your daily list each morning to familiaze yourself with what needs to get done. List activities according to priorities. Get the important things completed on time. Cross off each task when it's completed.
Activities such as watching TV, playing computer games, reading social media sites, texting, etc. can be real time wasters. Make sure that the activities you choose to do fulfill you. Schedule activities that you enjoy somewhere in your week if you feel they are important or they contribute to balance in your life. Consider taking something off of your list when you add something new to it.
Assignment steps: CACCC will describe steps to completing an assignment.
Weekly Planner:
Keep a detailed weekly planner of all assignments and tests, beginning with due dates, then working backwards, write in all steps, such as start date for research, 1st draft due, final revision, etc., or when to begin studying.
Daily Planner:
Include readings, current work on assignments and papers, note-taking reviews and study group meetings.
Estimate time for assignments:
Time blindness is one of the most common reasons for missing deadlines. Cure time blindness by breaking down tasks and assigning a completion time to each task. For example:
Essay assignment due in 3 weeks:
1) What do you need to do? Break the assignment down, for example:
a) understand the assignment, ask instructor if you have questions,
b) book any necessary equipment from the library,
c) collect information,
d) write an outline,
e) write a draft,
f) see English tutor in OLC to go over draft,
g) write a final draft,
h) edit, and
i) hand in final paper by due date.
2) Under each of the tasks, itemize what you will do and the amount of time required to do it.
For example, collect information:
a) read textbook, lecture notes and articles = 2 hours
b) go to library for additional resources = 1 hour
3) Add up the hours for all tasks and add 50% for unknowns, i.e. 10 hours + 50% = 15 hours.
4) Divide the number of hours by the weeks or days that you have left to complete the assignment, i.e. 15 hours /3 weeks = 5 hours.
5) Schedule 5 hours per week for the next 3 weeks to complete the assignment, listing specific tasks and checking them off as completed.
Weekly schedule:
Make a weekly schedule using timetables, agendas, phone, calendars, etc. Record fixed activities, such as classtime, labs, meals, meetings, gym, work, etc. This provides a graphic view of where time is spent and shows how much time you really have. Now you can see what time you have for studying, assignments, fun, etc. Begin to fill in blocks of time for assignments, review, class preparation and study, but keep some flex time in case something out of the ordinary occurs. Work backwards from deadline dates and schedule time for completing assignments. Handle tasks or decisions that come in immediately. Putting them off could result in procrastination.
Once you establish a routine, when someone asks you to do something different you will stop to think about it because it is your habit to do something else.
Prioritize by using to-do lists:
Daily to-do lists will help organize your day. Look at your daily list each morning to familiaze yourself with what needs to get done. List activities according to priorities. Get the important things completed on time. Cross off each task when it's completed.
Activities such as watching TV, playing computer games, reading social media sites, texting, etc. can be real time wasters. Make sure that the activities you choose to do fulfill you. Schedule activities that you enjoy somewhere in your week if you feel they are important or they contribute to balance in your life. Consider taking something off of your list when you add something new to it.