Written Assignments
Written assignments, in the form of essays and papers, are a consistently used tool in higher education. They can be used to require skills such as active learning, used to demonstrate a learner’s knowledge, and ultimately lead to long-term mastery of the subject matter.
Regarding remote instruction, written assignments are one of the easiest assignment types to transfer from traditional teaching. Putting your expectations in writing and asking for a digital submission provides you with new tools to use when grading, including Turnitin and SpeedGrader.
Here are a few tips to help your learners get the most out of your written assignments.
1. Remember that learners need to learn the process as well as the material. (Click for more information)
Many written essay assignments will follow a predictable structure: there’s an introduction, several supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. Don't assume your students have all of the skills to put this into practice. This is your chance to include 'more' in your expectations, to include information on how to properly write a paper at the college, or graduate level. This will provide practice for skills that will be necessary in their future, such as gathering information, evaluating resources, and communicating effectively.
2. Require that the topic and outline be submitted as preliminary assignments.
Your students often struggle with knowing how and when to start. Support them by asking for the topic early on and then follow up with an assignment that includes the outline of the paper. This helps students to actually do some of the research early on and gives you a chance to ensure they are on the right track.
As you are creating your expectations, try to include phrases such as “to what extent…,” “what factors contributed to…” or “why?” to encourage their critical thinking skills.
3. Consider assigning different types of essays.
The papers that you have students write can have different forms, i.e. critical or persuasive, descriptive or explanatory, compare and contrast, etc. This can help students build new skills and makes the assignments more interesting for both student and instructor.
4. Offer your own research guidelines or include a librarian.
It is difficult to find reliable sources with the plethora of information available on the Internet. Figuring out how to discern trustworthy sources of information is an important life skill, however, and this is where you come in.
Utilizing the WCR space that you have for your class provides the opportunity for you to deliver the necessary guidelines for students as they go through the research process. Our Webster Librarians have a wealth of resources to share with you and your students. Videos and research guides are available for all disciplinary areas. Here in the Knowledge Center, check out the Library Resource page