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Definition of coursework

Examples of coursework in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coursework.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1890, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near coursework

Cite this entry.

“Coursework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coursework. Accessed 13 Jul. 2024.

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[ kawrs -wurk , kohrs - ]

• the work required of a student in a particular course of study; classroom work .
• curricular studies or academic work .

/ ˈkɔːsˌwɜːk /

• written or oral work completed by a student within a given period, which is assessed as an integral part of an educational course

Word History and Origins

Origin of coursework 1

Example Sentences

Derek Dodson is practicing with the Georgetown University soccer team for a rescheduled season while preparing for the resumption of senior coursework next week.

In San Diego, and throughout the state, an unconscionable number of students are failing or haven’t completed their coursework.

She took a full load of classes in the spring, summer and fall, and in November completed all the coursework for an undergraduate degree in psychology.

Pevzner, who took over the program in 2017, still heads into the field—though day to day he focuses more on developing coursework and swapping insights with similar programs around the world.

Although most schools have increased their offerings of online coursework, the number and sizes of in-person classes vary widely, as does the density of students in on-campus housing.

Digital art coursework at the Rhode Island School of Design simultaneous with an English Ph.D. at Yale?

Her pre-college education had been weak, and Leo was utterly unprepared for the academic part of the coursework.

An obsession with college preparation permeated all of our coursework.

The ad-hocs spent their time badmouthing the profs and tearing apart their coursework.

Look up a word, learn it forever.

/ˌkɔrsˈwʌrk/.

• noun work assigned to and done by a student during a course of study; usually it is evaluated as part of the student's grade in the course see more see less type of: work activity directed toward making or doing something

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• About Coursework
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Counting toward a final mark or grade, coursework considers one of the most crucial assignments during the class. It involves two main stages: doing research or experiment; presenting findings, and freshly acquired knowledge in a digestible form. While the first phase excites students, the second one strikes fear in the heart and causes real trouble. Let us get to the basics of this type of assignment to nail it no matter what.

What Is a Coursework?

Coursework is work assigned to students or trainees to improve specific skills and upgrade their learning experience. Basically, it involves two main stages. The first one includes practice, experimentation, or research. The second stage implies writing a coursework essay or completing writing assignments such as dissertations or book reports. It can be seen in all fields of study, from Business to Computer Science to Literature.

As a rule, coursework accompanies exams and is crucial when determining overall course scores. However, unlike final tests, it provides students with plenty of time for completion, from a couple of days to several weeks. On top of that, students are welcome to use any help they can find during this process.

Importance to Write a Coursework

Writing coursework is crucial for every student because of providing these benefits:

• It broadens knowledge.
• It enhances research skills.
• It demonstrates a person's ability to discuss, reason, and construct practical outcomes from learned theoretical knowledge.
• It improves communication skills since some work is done in groups, so students need to learn how to collaborate to achieve a common goal.
• It inspires confidence in a person's ability to do a grand job.

Main Obstacle of Producing a Top-grade Coursework

Recent surveys show that in the majority of cases, students do not find issued tasks challenging, even though some of them are daunting, tricky, and even controversial. What they have found difficult is the proper presentation of the final work.

Indeed, over 80% of postgraduates believe the first phase, which involves experiments, research, and acquiring new knowledge in the field, to be quite exciting. However, the second stage, which implies expressing your thoughts, presenting results, and convincing the teacher that you have done a great job using the only written word, is believed to be a true nightmare and a challenge. The reason for that is simple; not everyone has good writing skills. Plus, almost everyone experiences a writing block that slows down the process and causes stress.

To make matters worse, students have to handle some other bumps on the road to success, for instance

• They need to avoid accusations of plagiarism.
• They need to avoid focusing on external approval because it may shut down creativity.
• They need to meet strict deadlines.
• They need to balance education and personal life, including work or volunteering.
• They need to do extensive research.
• They need to finish other assignments.

Where to Get Coursework Help?

Coursework help may come in different forms. It can be coursework assistance provided by the teacher or instructor during lessons or special meetings in high school. Alternatively, it can be an online coursework help provided by tutors through digital means of communication.

Pandemic and its severe restrictions have boosted many services whose task is to provide coursework help online. Let us consider the classification of these platforms to know what help you might get.

Types of Coursework Help Services

Coursework help services come in all shapes and sizes to meet teachers' most sophisticated needs and highest expectations. Let us consider the most popular ones:

• Custom coursework help.
• Creating coursework from scratch.
• Rewriting coursework.
• Proofreading coursework.
• Review coursework to get vital feedback for improvement.
• Citations help.
• Creating supporting PowerPoint presentations.

Whatever problem or issue you have, you may undoubtedly get professional help with coursework regardless of its niche, subject, requirements, and deadline.

But, what if you do not need any assistance provided by coursework services and all you crave is just a little push and guidance to do this task yourself. Then you can opt in favor of an oldie but goodie collection of professionally written and edited coursework examples since they meet those needs and offer so many benefits without compromising your time, effort, and budget.

Benefits of Using Coursework Examples

Getting cousework help through exploring coursework samples offers a bunch of benefits. For instance,

• They show what you need to score that top-notch mark.
• They give insights on how to improve the reading experience.
• They help to infuse your work with some unique and exciting passages.
• They offer an alternative view of the topic that may generate new ideas.
• They display the ideal order of the content and adequate evaluation of evidence.
• They show how to organize arguments and counterarguments to support students' positions and opinions.
• They give insights on how to create a smooth transition between abstracts making one idea flow into another without tension and using words that are understandable by people at any level.
• They demonstrate more up to the point writing.
• They ensure no unnecessary deduction in marks that may occur due to incorrect formatting.
• They have correct grammar and the right tone of language that students may easily imitate in their papers to level them up.
• They stick to format rules showing the right way to implement instructions to meet university standards and teachers' instructions.
• They help students to focus on their tasks without losing nerves.
• They ease stress and help students avoid drama and mental issues.
• They save students precious time, letting them focus on more critical tasks or dedicate their efforts to experiments and social work that may improve their coursework with real-life experience.
• They give a much-needed boost to kick off the work and, most importantly, overcome writing block.

All you need to enjoy all those benefits is to find a reliable platform that offers college coursework help. Though, this is not a problem because there are a bunch of them in the wild.

How to Write Top-Grade Coursework? Best Practices

Completing coursework is a hard nut to crack; however, making it worth a top grade is even harder. However, no obstacle is insurmountable if you know what to do. Many teachers and top-level postgraduates suggest using as much help as possible and following the best practices.

Therefore, consider these tips shared by professionals to help you in this matter:

• Stop trying to write a good completely free essays online . Let your creative juices flow.
• Take your time and do extensive research.
• Ask yourself, "What surprises me about this subject the most?" Focus on your answer and build your story around this finding or discovery.
• Write three to five sentences covering your most crucial points.
• Quote sources liberally throughout your paper. If you are not allowed to quote, you can re-phrase what has been said in your own words and give proper credit. Also, make sure 60% of the content belongs to you, while 40% are quotes or paraphrases from your sources to avoid sounding too "source" heavy.
• When creating a draft, write in this order: first – body, then – introduction, after that – conclusion.
• Reach the required word count. Stay to the point but be descriptive and argumentative.
• Make sure your arguments flow smoothly from one idea to another.
• Last but not least, if you feel something is wrong with your paper or requires some polish, do not be afraid to check and proofread it on platforms that offer coursework online help.
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Examples List on Coursework

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Definition of coursework noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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What is Coursework? | Definition, Meaning & keypoints!

What is coursework.

Coursework is a practical work or study done by a student in partial fulfilment of a degree or training. Projects, field work, design studies, long essays etc constitutes a coursework. The nature of work which requires to be carried out depends on the course. It is largely a part of learning exercise and a step to prepare you to handle the required work/ task effectively and efficiently.

Written or practical work done by a student during a course of study, usually assessed in order to count towards a final mark or grade.

Who assigns coursework and why?

Major types of coursework & how to go about them, coursework for academic topics which require writing:, what makes a good and effective content, coursework requiring you to make something like model, sculpture or artwork, key points to be kept in mind while working on coursework.

Doctorates are the highest degrees conferred by universities. An online or on campus doctorate can lead to a high-level position in a number of different fields, from business administration to health care to quality control. The lengthy road to earning a doctorate can be shortened by at least several months through online study.

Admission to doctoral programs requires completion of an undergraduate degree program and typically, but not always, of a master’s degree program. Students earning a doctorate must take a specified number of advanced graduate-level courses, requiring at least two or three years of study beyond the master’s degree. Upon passing written or oral examinations, or a combination of both, doctoral students are granted the status of doctoral candidates. Then they must research and write a dissertation on an original topic, and then satisfactorily defend the dissertation before a committee of professors in the field.

About The Author

Coursework: Requirements for an A+ Paper

• Icon Calendar 5 July 2024
• Icon Page 4102 words
• Icon Clock 19 min read

Academic writing is an essential activity in higher education and comes in various forms. Basically, one of these forms is coursework writing, where instructors assess students’ levels of understanding of a course during a semester. Unlike other papers, coursework assignments evaluate students’ understanding of a particular course and not just a topic in a class. Besides, various forms of coursework writing include essays, term papers, theses, dissertations, report projects, and others. Hence, people need to learn what is a coursework assignment and how to write such a paper effectively.

General Aspects

College and university students undertake different kinds of academic exercises, with writing projects taking a significant portion of their grades. Basically, one of these exercises is the writing of a coursework paper, an assignment they submit at the end of their semester. This kind of work also assesses students’ understanding of a particular field of study within a single semester. In turn, instructors rarely require someone to write a paper for things they learned during a previous semester. Therefore, coursework entails completing various writing assignments, such as essays, research projects, experiments, and presentations that assess a student’s understanding and application of a subject material.

What Is a Coursework and Its Purpose

According to its definition, coursework is an academic project assignment that students are required to undertake as part of their educational curriculum and which they must submit before a final closure of an entire semester. The primary purpose of writing a coursework assignment is to evaluate learners’ levels of knowledge and skills acquisition, meaning such a project contributes to their final grades (Godfrey, 2022). Ideally, coursework is what students learn during a semester, and such an assignment is meant to measure how well they have understood a subject matter. Moreover, individuals use reliable and relevant sources to study, examine, and evaluate a chosen coursework topic (Haines, 2021). As such, this task is very similar to other academic assignments, such as essays, research papers, reports, thesis writing, dissertations, and other types of papers . In terms of pages and words, the length of a coursework assignment depends on academic levels, subjects, institution’s requirements, and its nature and scope, while general guidelines are:

High School

• Length: 6-10 pages
• Words: 1,500-2,500 words
• Length: 10-16 pages
• Words: 2,500-4,000 words

University (Undergraduate)

• Length: 16-24 pages
• Words: 4,000-6,000 words

Master’s

• Length: 24-32 pages
• Words: 6,000-8,000 words
• Length: 32-52 pages or more (depending on the complexity and depth of the research)
• Words: 8,000-13,000 words or more

Note: Some sections of a coursework paper can be added, deleted, or combined with each other, and it depends on specific college instructions. However, a typical structure of coursework covers a title page, table of contents, abstract/executive summary, introduction with a thesis or research question, literature review, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, references, and appendices.

Differences With Other Papers

In any course of their classes, students write different types of papers, including essays, research papers, and reports. Basically, the major difference between coursework writing and these papers is that it assesses people’ understanding of what they have discovered throughout a semester (Couch, 2021). In contrast, essays and other papers assess learners’ understanding of a specific topic, concept, result, or theory. Moreover, students may need to address an issue in their project they might have covered in an essay assignment sometime during a previous semester. As such, a coursework assignment is broader in scope than other papers.

Expectations

Like essays and other papers, a coursework assignment varies from one area of study to another. For example, there is a coursework for the English subject and another for the sciences (Godfrey, 2022). Therefore, individuals are expected to complete their coursework assignments according to their instructor’s or department’s instructions. In most cases, this expectation includes presenting an assignment in an essay format, where they select a title of their choice. Depending on a specific subject, some assignments expect students to collect, examine, infer, and report data when answering a specific question (Haines, 2021). Finally, in college, coursework refers to writing assignments, projects, and tasks students must complete as part of their academic curriculum to demonstrate their understanding and application of a subject material.

When it comes to a grading aspect of academic assignments, instructors look at how well a student has attended to all the requirements and expectations. For instance, these requirements include writing about a choice of themes or text excerpts in a given format (Haines, 2021). In essence, people must use a good approach they believe is likely to give them a higher grade, meaning a technique that helps them to answer a specific question methodically, logically, and critically by using relevant information. In essence, these are three dimensions for grading a coursework assignment (Couch, 2021). As such, to write a coursework paper effectively, one should conduct thorough research, follow a clear and organized structure, adhere to given guidelines, and proofread a final document to ensure accuracy and coherence.

Steps on How to Write a Coursework Paper

Like an essay, a coursework assignment takes a particular structure. Basically, students should understand core components and make sure they address them in their academic writing (Bjorn et al., 2022). In this case, the most significant issue for writers is to ensure a logical flow of ideas. Moreover, developing a thesis statement is essential to provide high-quality essays with a guideline on focal issues. Primarily, these issues are class concepts and theories a person has learned in a specific course during a semester (Godfrey, 2022). As a result, to write coursework, students thoroughly research their topics, create detailed outlines, adhere to specified formats, draft their content clearly and concisely, and proofread their papers for any mistakes.

Step 1: Preparation

Planning or preparation is the first step in writing a coursework paper. For instance, an essence of any form of academic writing is to measure a person’s level of understanding about a particular area of study (Haines, 2021). To start coursework, students begin by carefully reviewing assignment guidelines, conducting preliminary research to understand their assigned topics, and outlining main points and structure of their papers. Since such an project measures what a student has learned in a given course, it is paramount for each person to prepare well when executing an assignment. Here, learners have to choose a topic that they are comfortable with, one that they are passionate about. Additionally, they should generate ideas about their coursework by deciding what is relevant and what is not. In principle, a typical reasoning that guides this decision is a particular expectation outlined in assignment instructions (Godfrey, 2022). Lastly, people should understand their audience – consumers of their work or readers. Like any other assignment, a target audience is course instructors. Hence, writers should ensure their class projects satisfy a curiosity of readers. In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning a coursework paper include:

• In recent years, the topic of [subject] has gained a significant attention due to its direct impact on [related field/issue], while this coursework aims to explore … .
• The origins of [subject] can be traced back to [year/era], when [important event/person] first introduced a particular concept of … .
• Understanding [subject] is crucial for [reason/field], as it offers more insights into [related concept or application], and this paper seeks to examine … .
• Currently, [subject] is experiencing a period of rapid development, with new research and advancements being made in areas, such as … .
• By exploring a research question: [research question], this paper aims to examine [purpose of the study] … .
• While much has been written about [subject], there remains a significant knowledge gap in a current literature regarding [specific aspect], which this paper will investigate … .
• During my studies/experience in [related field], I observed [specific phenomenon], which prompted me to investigate [subject] more thoroughly … .
• According to recent statistics, [relevant statistic] highlights the importance of [subject], which this coursework will explore … .
• As [author/expert] once said, ‘[relevant quote],’ this statement underscores a real significance of [subject], which will be a particular focus of this paper in … .
• This coursework is based on a particular hypothesis that [hypothesis statement], and this comprehensive analysis and research will seek to prove/disprove … .

Step 2: Setting Up

After preparation, people should set up the stage for coursework writing. Basically, a first preoccupation is to find sources relevant to an assignment prompt – those that are more likely to provide enough evidence and support needed claims. As scholars review credible sources, they should take notes to provide a strong argumentation in their projects (Walter & Stouck, 2020). Then, another activity involves deciding on a coursework outline, which should help to answer an assignment prompt logically and critically. Lastly, learners should create an annotated bibliography, a summary of each source they intend to use as a valid basis for their arguments in an entire document.

Step 3: Writing a First Draft

After preparing and setting up the stage, students should start writing a first version of their coursework assignment. In this case, armed with notes taken during a review of reliable sources and an outline they have created, people should start with a first draft, where they develop a thesis statement. Basing all opinions and arguments on a thesis, writers should answer an assignment prompt methodically, logically, and critically. For example, a coursework statement is a concise declaration of a main objective or thesis that an entire project aims to explore and demonstrate (Godfrey, 2022). Moreover, a thesis statement should ‘hook’ a target audience and make them interested in reading a substantial part of a paper – a body. In essence, a body section is where students use all the evidence they have gathered about an assigned topic, while a thesis informs a target audience of what individuals have focused on in their papers. As a result, any coursework paper adopts a typical outline, as indicated below:

• Table of Contents
• Abstract or Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Body Paragraph(s)
• Reference List
• Appendices (Optional)

Step 4: Wrapping It Up

It is normal for a writer to make mistakes when writing an academic document. For example, these mistakes include inconsistent arguments, irrelevant content, punctuation errors, and countless grammatical mistakes (Haines, 2021). Therefore, after completing a first draft, writers should read it through, at least twice, to identify these mistakes and correct them. Basically, common processes of correction include revising and editing a written paper. Regarding revisions, students should give their work to a friend or mentor to read it through. In their feedback, these individuals are likely to point out areas where authors should make corrections for their papers to be logical and interesting to read. Concerning editing a complete document, people should proofread their work to ensure it is free of spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and other grammatical mishaps.

Step 5: Developing Body Paragraphs

A body paragraph of any academic text, including a coursework assignment, utilizes several features to make a whole paper logical. Basically, the first feature is writing a topic sentence that opens up each paragraph (Couch, 2021). In principle, a primary purpose of this feature is to strengthen a central idea captured in a thesis statement. Then, the rest of a single paragraph structure backs up this claim using evidence gathered from different sources. In turn, another feature is a concluding sentence, which closes each paragraph (Godfrey, 2022). As such, a main goal of this aspect is to connect a topic sentence with a thesis statement. Finally, another feature is transition words and phrases that help readers to sense a logical flow of ideas throughout a whole paper. In short, writers use transitions within and between paragraphs to create a logical flow of information and ideas.

Step 6: Referencing Format and Peer Reviewing

Besides ensuring an entire paper is written methodically and logically, authors should see it meets the highest academic writing standards. In this regard, they should ensure it follows a particular format – APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian. In most cases, an assignment prompt dictates a specific format learners should use. Moreover, a particular referencing manual informs about a typical structure of a whole paper and its format of citations. In turn, another essential activity that students should perform is to commit a complete document to peer review. Here, authors give coursework papers to distinguished scholars, such as a professor or classmate, to assess an overall validity and quality of information used, including sources.

Step 7: Writing a Final Draft

After subjecting a first draft to vigorous scrutiny through revisions, editions, and peer review, people should start writing a final draft of a coursework paper. Basically, this draft should be thoroughly polished, meaning it should be free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes, as well as inconsistent arguments and irrelevant sentences (Lawrence, 2020). Moreover, it should indicate an effective use of transitions in paper’s body paragraphs. In short, a final draft is an improved version of a first draft because writers have revised and edited it and incorporated feedback from a friend, mentor, or professor. However, they still need to read through a final draft, at least once, to ensure it is perfect before submission to a grading department. In turn, if someone notes several mistakes, it means another revision is necessary. Hence, a student’s focus should be a correct content, organization of ideas, style of writing, and format.

Types of Coursework

Given that coursework assignments test students’ levels of understanding about a course’s content in a given semester, it means such a project takes several writing forms. For example, these documents include a term paper, a Master’s thesis, a dissertation, or a report project (Godfrey, 2022). Ideally, such a composition is an essential requirement for a student to complete an entire course successfully. It also means such a project is essential to be awarded a degree. Moreover, the only difference between these types of coursework assignments is that they take a different approach to examining and analyzing a course’s content, with each subject taking a unique approach. In turn, common types of coursework projects include:

Writing Techniques

The dream of every student is to pass any assessment and attain a higher grade. In a coursework assignment, learners can utilize different techniques to ensure they attain higher grades after assessments (Haines, 2021). As indicated earlier about a grading aspect of coursework, writers should use an approach they believe answers an assignment prompt methodically, logically, and critically. As a result, every technique they use must allow them to answer a specific question in a way that satisfies these three grading dimensions.

Compare and Contrast

A compare and contrast essay technique is about analyzing two subjects, ideas, concepts, or theories by comparing them, contrasting them, or doing both. Basically, a primary purpose of answering a coursework assignment through this writing approach is that students must not state obvious things (Couch, 2021). Instead, they need to shed light on subtle differences or unexpected similarities between subjects, ideas, concepts, or theories.

Cause and Effect

A cause and effect essay technique allows writers to develop their paper’s body by analyzing possible reasons for and consequences of a decision, action, or event. When organizing a paragraph, students adopt a structure that allows them to arrange defined causes and effects in a chronological or reverse chronological order (Godfrey, 2022). Alternatively, authors can present their arguments through emphasis, starting from least important to most important aspects, or vice versa.

Investigation

An investigation technique involves undertaking an in-depth examination of a topic, idea, concept, or theory. Basically, this technique’s primary goal is to demonstrate that students have gained a thorough knowledge of a specific subject, which is indicated in their methodical, logical, and critical analysis and presentation of information. In esense, ensuring research findings are interpreted and presented in an organized manner throughout a research paper is critical (Walter & Stouck, 2020). Ultimately, such a technique enables writers to demonstrate their articulate understanding of various viewpoints about a particular issue under investigation. 

How to Present Strong Arguments

For an academic paper to capture an audience’s attention and interest, students must not only develop a thesis statement but also ensure they use strong arguments to back up a central idea in a main statement. Basically, the “they say, I say” technique is the simplest method to present arguments properly (Couch, 2021). In this regard, the information that a person uses in answering a coursework assignment prompt should be free of plagiarism and cite all sources properly. Then, another way to ensure an entire writing is persuasive is to confirm that authors have attained a required word count limit without counting footnotes, endnotes, references, and appendices (Haines, 2021). Ideally, selecting a topic that one is comfortable with and passionate about enables an overall writing to be high-quality in terms of argumentation. Besides, students should discuss alternatives with their mentor or instructor. Finally, a thesis statement should not be complicated.

Scope of Research

Students make different kinds of mistakes when writing academic texts. For example, a common mistake in coursework writing involves a scope, where students fail to focus on one area of a particular topic and instead try to be broad in their argumentation (Godfrey, 2022). In principle, they may waste space talking about irrelevant material, leaving them with little space to write about a core idea. As such, an effective solution to this problem is to develop a thesis statement that sets out a paper’s specific agenda. In doing so, authors can realize every time they go off-topic.

Colloquialism

By considering colloquialisms, students may use a language that is not standard for academic writing. Essentially, this problem is particularly common with learners who become excited about a specific topic and try to express their ideas creatively (Haines, 2021). Moreover, a whole project shifts from being evidence-based to a document about an author’s opinion. In turn, a particular solution to such a problem is to pick a topic that is exciting and critically discussed in an existing literature. As a result, students can identify several sources that discuss their assigned topics to use as bases for evidence of their claims and arguments about their central themes.

Common Mistakes

• Lack of Clarity in Thesis Statement: Failing to clearly define a main argument or purpose of an entire paper can lead to a lack of focus throughout a coursework project.
• Insufficient Research: Relying on too few sources or not consulting credible and up-to-date references can weaken an overall quality and depth of an analysis.
• Poor Organization: Not following a logical writing structure can make a paper difficult to follow due to an inadequate flow of ideas.
• Overuse of Quotations: Excessively quoting sources rather than paraphrasing or synthesizing information can make a whole paper seem unoriginal and reduce an author’s voice.
• Ignoring Formatting Guidelines: Not adhering to a required citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian) or formatting instructions can result in a loss of marks.
• Lack of Proofreading: Submitting a paper with grammatical errors, typos, and spelling mistakes can undermine an overall professionalism and readability of a project.
• Inadequate Analysis: Simply describing sources without critically analyzing or interpreting the information can lead to writing a biased paper.
• Failure to Address a Prompt: Straying from an assigned topic or not fully addressing a coursework prompt can result in an irrelevant or incomplete paper.
• Plagiarism: Copying text without proper citing attribution, even unintentionally, can lead to serious academic consequences.
• Weak Conclusion: Ending a coursework paper without a clear closure or failing to adequately summarize key findings and implications can leave any reader unsatisfied.

Coursework vs. Research Paper

Ideally, an outline of a coursework assignment is similar to that of a research paper. In this case, an abstract serves as a brief overview of a research paper and informs readers of writer’s focal points. More importantly, such an outline has a body, where writers use different paragraphs to make an argument about a specific topic. In turn, each of the paragraphs begins with a topic sentence and ends with a concluding sentence. Like research papers, body paragraphs of a coursework assignment serve to cement writer’s claims and arguments, which are linked to a thesis statement.

Students should master following tips when it comes to writing a coursework assignment:

• Choose an exciting topic and stick to it. Basically, students come across tons of exciting information about their topic. However, to avoid going off-script, they should focus on their core subject and avoid a particular temptation of using data that may prove irrelevant.
• Use evidence (quotes and statistics) selectively. In principle, relevancy is a significant indicator of a high-grade paper. As such, where authors are not going to refer to some data directly because it adds no value to their argument, they should avoid dwelling on it in their paper.
• Cite sources correctly. When citing sources, writers should note format standards in use – APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian – as each has a unique approach.
• Revise, edit, and proofread a complete paper. High-quality coursework writing should be free of inconsistent arguments, irrelevant sentences, and spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes.

A coursework project is among writing assignments that students in colleges and universities undertake in preparation for their degree. Unlike other papers, this assignment assesses learners’ understanding of what they have learned in a course in a given semester. As such, students must complete and submit it before a semester comes to closure. Finally, different types of coursework include essays, term papers, theses, dissertations, and report projects.

Bjorn, G. A., Quaynor, L., & Burgasser, A. J. (2022). Reading research for writing: Co-constructing core skills using primary literature. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice , 7 (1), 47–58. https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2022.237

Couch, D. (2021). Your guide to college writing . Chemeketa Press.

Godfrey, J. (2022). Writing for university . Bloomsbury Academic.

Haines, C. (2021). Assessing students’ written work marking essays and reports . Routledge.

Lawrence, T. S. (2020). Writing a research paper. International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics , 106 (4), 674–676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.12.005

Walter, L., & Stouck, J. (2020). Writing the literature review: Graduate student experiences. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning , 11 (1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2020.1.8295

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What is Coursework?

Table of Contents

Definition and Meaning

So what is coursework? Coursework is an integral part of the educational process, which refers to written or practical tasks that students perform during educational courses. These assignments are typically evaluated and contribute to the final grade or mark. The coursework definition, especially the term “curriculum-mandated” signifies that instructors are required to assign coursework within certain guidelines. This aspect of academic work is crucial as it extends learning beyond the traditional classroom setting.

While some coursework may involve practical tasks conducted within the classroom, a significant portion is often completed independently by students, such as in their homes or dormitories. Notably, certain colleges in Texas are adopting policies that mandate a minimum of 20% of writing coursework to be completed in class, under the supervision of educators. This approach ensures the authenticity of students’ work and provides an opportunity for direct observation of their writing skills.

Additionally, it’s common for students to access previously submitted coursework online, serving as a resource for their own assignments. However, when utilizing such materials, it is imperative to thoroughly rewrite and adapt the content to maintain originality and avoid plagiarism.

Types and Examples of Coursework

The many faces of coursework.

So, what is coursework? Coursework isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. It morphs to fit the subject, the course, and the learning objectives. Here’s a snapshot:

• Essays and Written Assignments. From reflective pieces to extensive research papers, these are staples in humanities and social sciences.
• Lab Reports and Scientific Research. Science and engineering students often get hands-on with experiments, followed by detailed reporting.
• Art and Design Portfolios. For the creatives, it’s about showcasing their artistic journey through portfolios.
• Group Projects and Presentations. These emphasize collaboration and communication skills, common in business and management courses.
• Fieldwork and Case Studies. Especially in disciplines like anthropology or marketing, where real-world application is key.

Examples in Different Fields

• Biology Coursework. Might involve a lab-based investigation into a specific biological phenomenon.
• Literature Coursework. Could be an analysis of a particular literary work or a comparative study of multiple pieces.
• Computer Science Coursework. Often involves coding projects or developing software solutions.

Importance and Objectives

More than just grades.

What is coursework? Coursework is about more than chasing an ‘A’. It’s an integral part of the learning process. Through coursework, you:

• Develop Critical Skills. Like research, analysis, and problem-solving.
• Apply Theoretical Knowledge. It’s your chance to use what you’ve learned in a practical context.
• Prepare for the Future. Whether it’s further academic pursuits or the professional world, coursework lays the groundwork.

Educational Objectives

Graduate coursework, in particular, is designed to deepen expertise in a field. It’s less about memorizing facts and more about developing a sophisticated understanding of complex concepts.

Challenges and Strategies

Common roadblocks.

• Time Management: Juggling multiple assignments can be overwhelming.
• Understanding Requirements: Sometimes, assignment briefs are as clear as mud.
• Maintaining Academic Integrity: The line between inspiration and plagiarism can get blurry.

Navigating the Coursework Maze

• Start Early: Procrastination is your enemy. Begin as soon as you get the assignment.
• Seek Clarification: If you’re not sure, ask. Better safe than sorry.
• Use Resources Wisely: Libraries, online databases, and even study groups can be goldmines.

Helpful Sources

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Merriam-Webster
• Can you attend two colleges at once ?

Final Thoughts

In a nutshell, what is coursework? Coursework is an indispensable part of the academic journey. It’s where theory meets practice, where skills are honed, and knowledge is deepened. As education continues to evolve with technology and changing societal needs, so does coursework. It adapts, transforms, and continues to play a crucial role in shaping competent, well-rounded individuals ready to take on the world. So, embrace your coursework – it’s not just a stepping stone to a grade, but a pathway to learning, growth, and success.

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What is Coursework

First of all, you need to understand what is coursework and how to write it. When one is writing a coursework, they have to do profound research that will reveal their knowledge base. A coursework may consist of design studies, field work, projects, long essays, and other kinds of work. Depending on the particular course, it can be performed in a number of ways. You need to write a coursework not only to show what you know about a particular subject and enlarge your knowledge base but also to prepare yourself to deal with the work you will need to perform in the future.

The Oxford Dictionary defines coursework as the type of practical or written work performed by a student and assessed by their professor. Hopefully, it makes the coursework meaning clearer for you.

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Why coursework is necessary and who assigns it.

Now when you know what is coursework, you also have to understand why it is needed. Usually, a student's mentor or teacher assigns coursework as it is a part of the course structure. Writing a coursework is important since it helps the student reflect on what they have learned from the given course. Realizing the coursework meaning, one can understand the material better and see how their knowledge can be applied in various situations. This type of work also reveals the student's way of thinking and helps them learn how to express their thoughts. Coursework has an utterly diverse nature. A student's instructor can ask them to perform it in a written way and work on an essay, term paper, or thesis (this form of coursework is the most widespread). A coursework can also be done in a more creative way; for example, a student may be asked to create a sculpture. At times, taking a test is preferred by the instructor. In some cases, several types of coursework can be combined into one. Choosing a specific type or a combination of types depends on the course. Whatever the kind of coursework is, it always requires being evaluated. The student's mark will be based on their understanding of the topic, creativity, as well as on the innovative aspect of their work.

How to Perform the Most Important Types of Coursework?

Even understanding the coursework meaning, students have mixed feelings on it. Some of them like to do research, learn new information, and write about the results, while for others, it seems to be an unnecessary task, or even a burden. Whichever opinion is true for you, being a student, you will still have to write a coursework at some point. For this reason, you need to know how to do it successfully. Below you see the list of rules and guidelines that will make this task easier for you.

Read these steps carefully and make sure you follow them as they will help you get started.

Coursework that requires writing:

• Carry out superficial research on the topic of your coursework.
• Settle on your topic.
• Work on the structure of your coursework.
• Make a summary or an abstract and confirm it with your instructor.
• Conduct profound research to find all the information you need.
• While writing, keep on researching the topic more.
• When you are done, check your coursework for plagiarism.
• Make a reference list.

To make sure that your coursework features a good content that is clear and easy-to-understand for your reader, work on the structure of your work. Check out if you maintain its consistency, use relevant information, complete your topic, and make it look concise.<

Coursework that requires to create a model, sculpture, or artwork:

• Find a design or concept you like.
• See how it can be applied to the area of your study.
• Think about what you want to create and decide on the scale of this object.
• Decide what kind of materials you need to finalize your work.
• Find everything you need for creating your artwork.
• Make sure that you have a mental image of the result and make a rough sketch of it.
• Begin working!

Key points you should consider:

• Originality - You need to be sure that your topic or idea is original. It is an extremely important point you have to keep in mind from the very beginning of your work. Numerous researches are being done by numerous people, so you have to make yours stand out.
• Need - Your coursework should be able to answer certain questions or find solutions. For that, it has to identify the key problems and help the reader understand them clearly.
• Uniqueness - Both your topic and your content have to be unique. Make sure to avoid plagiarism and never copy information from other sources. Conduct surveys or prepare questionnaires to add originality to the content of your coursework.
• Your input - This aspect is very important. When working on your coursework, you need to reflect on your topic a lot and understand how you can apply it. If you do it, the purpose of writing a coursework is served. For this reason, do your best to make as much input in your work as possible.
• Outcomes & future applications - Even if you have worked hard and put a lot of effort into writing your coursework, it can turn out to be a failure in case you do not show useful outcomes. Therefore, you need to provide a well-made analysis of the information you used. Make a well-structured conclusion for your topic and talk about the way it can be researched further.

If you keep all these points in mind and follow the guidelines, you will certainly write a good coursework.

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Definition of coursework – Learner’s Dictionary

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(Definition of coursework from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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used for saying that you accept that you are wrong or that something is your fault

Committing, tackling, and solving: Talking about crime

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What is Coursework: Updated Guide for 2024

Coursework is the most significant part of academic writing that requires so much time and effort. You should consider the guidance of your teachers and your seniors who have similar experiences in writing a coursework. This makes the process of working faster and more effective, which leads to the best outcomes. This guide will help you to understand what coursework is and how to write coursework effectively, based on expert tips from our coursework writing service team.

What is Coursework?

Coursework consists of all basic assignments given to students to evaluate their level of understanding. It includes many types of assignments, such as essay writing, research papers, discussion boards and written reports. To get excellent grades and grade point averages (GPA), students must understand the basic concepts of their courses. Coursework is difficult to define, even though it is usually important to complete a specific program. This kind of assignment can be completed in a wide range of formats. 

Importance of Coursework

Coursework is the most common type of assignment that teachers give students to understand their level of learning on a specific topic or subject. Moreover, it shows how well a student understands and uses the topic in various contexts. Through coursework writing, students may improve their research abilities, increase their understanding of a subject, develop their analytical skills, and apply the knowledge they have discovered to use independently. Furthermore, students learn to summarize the topic with key arguments and then draw conclusions by learning how to write coursework . 

Types of Coursework

Five different types of coursework are given to students:

Analytical Coursework

Analytical Coursework presents a thesis statement or claim and demonstrates how to study different things. It usually focuses on the literary style of the text rather than the synopsis.

Supportive Commentary

Supportive Commentary helps students to create a single piece of media writing. Coursework should be written in an experimental mode, such as written, spoken, or multimodal. Students must also include a supporting statement that contains all the information and aspects. 

Journal Coursework

Writing journals for coursework is regarded as an act that promotes casual writing as a regular activity. This can take many different forms and is useful for multiple purposes. It can be both creative and personal. In order to organize their thoughts, compose their ideas, and respond to them, students are always expected to keep journals as part of their coursework.

Analytical Study

Analytical study is the process of sharing an analysis of the chosen work and how it relates to the relevant material. It also shows how well the writer understands the entire process of writing. Students should use proper vocabulary and must maintain word consistency. Also, understand the structure and format of writing.  

Commentary and Creative Writing

In commentary and creative writing coursework, students are asked to generate creative content that reflects the tone or style of the assessed text. It also helps to share comments to support the knowledge. Additionally, the major purpose of creative writing and commentary is to demonstrate knowledge, test skills, and engage the target audience through various languages.

Coursework Writing Tips

There are some key points that you should keep in mind while writing coursework. 

It is the worst possible scenario for any kind of academic writing assignment. Today, the internet has tons of relevant information, and professors become rigorous in the context of plagiarism. Your own words should be used in all writing! Use the advised citation style and make references list if you choose to include quotations from the sources. Claim that it is your own project and sign the declaration.

Keep in mind the precise guidelines for the coursework's length. Specify whether the references, appendices, and footnotes are counted as part of the word count.

Browse the possible topics. Try to pick a relevant coursework topic that is similar to the subject of the upcoming exam if one will be held on it. 

Get Help from Tutor

Never ignore your teacher's advice; ask for their guidance on your topic. Also, to learn more, ask questions, but remember they may only read the first draft once and give general suggestions.

Perfect Coursework Writing Structure

The precision required for coursework writing depends not only on the writing process but also on the design. Even if you produce a stunning and thoroughly researched paper for the professor, poor design will still result in bad grades. We have chosen the most significant components to build a flawless coursework structure for you after reviewing many coursework standards. The structure consists of the following main components:

Introduction or Opening

The first step is to write the coursework introduction after choosing a topic. This introduction section needs to be extraordinary to catch the reader's attention. Make sure to include all essential details, and keep it brief or precise. 

Include any background data about the topic you have chosen. Write down your goals as well. This section should contain your thesis statement. Also, write the introduction in such a way that it serves as the reader's guide.

Main Body 

Your hard work and dedication will be reflected in this section. In the body section, you should add every minute detail you discovered on your research journey. Additionally, this section will be written in the past tense with an informative tone. 

Readers may find research findings boring because they are just stats and figures. Therefore, this section should include appealing tables, graphs, infographics and charts to make it interesting. Mention each statistic as it is; do not change any findings. 

Summarize your whole coursework in this section. The conclusion needs to be short while covering all the details. You might mention the essential takeaways from the coursework.

How to Write a Coursework: Step-by-Step Guide

This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to write coursework effectively

Research is the most crucial part of any writing project. A lot of effort and time is required, but it is worthwhile because it serves as the core of your work and helps establish and defend your point of view.  You can find the necessary information from many primary and secondary sources. Always double-check the information you get online because not all of it is reliable, and some of it can be out of date. Make notes on each source you consult while researching, including the definition, quotation, or information you discovered. Make a table with citations or links to web sources. It is also very helpful to utilize such a table while writing the bibliography section.

Planning 

At the planning phase, it is advised to make a rough outline of your coursework, decide which information you will add, and what points you should add in each section. Making a plan first and then sticking to it is very helpful.  For example, create a table and include all steps of your work with the dates when you want to work on them. This is a fantastic method for time management and a great way to quit delaying things so you can finish them before the deadline.

Drafting 

It could be challenging to write the initial draft of a lengthy article. However, there isn't much you can do about it. In this scenario, the sole piece of guidance that is appropriate is to start writing. Once you start putting together your coursework, you'll observe that there aren't a lot of differences between your paper and other typical written assignments. The section for which you have the most information should come first. These academic papers are never written according to the structure's order. The opening portion of your paper is where you can begin writing because it is more general than the rest.  You can pick out some interesting, pertinent coursework examples or reports to discuss in your writing so your reader will better understand the issue you are gradually focused on. You can go on to terms and situations that are more precise after acquiring the background information.

The last step is to edit and polish your document. While proofreading, it's crucial to focus on consistency problems, stylistic errors, and grammar and punctuation errors.

Many tools, including Grammarly , are available to help you with grammar. You should use these tools because you might miss some errors. No software can help you fix your writing style and logical structure mistakes. However, you can turn to a team of expert writers and editors for a high-quality editing service and a properly polished document.

Verify the word count and formatting specifications provided by your educational institution. Before submitting your work for review to your professor, you should also allow time for the editing phase, so plan accordingly.

Formative vs Summative Coursework Assessments

Formative assessment assesses students' understanding of a subject by offering them practice in essay creation and structure which can also be beneficial for tasks like term paper writing . It assists students in evaluating their strengths and weaknesses and focuses on areas that require improvement. Moreover, formative assessments help instructors in identifying students' areas of difficulty and taking prompt action to resolve issues

Summative assignments, on the other hand, evaluate students' knowledge at the end of the semester. Summative assessment includes mid-term exams and final-year project. When completing courses, it is vital to understand the type of review you are submitting to. If you understand the coursework meaning and finish your assignments on time, you might obtain an A+.

Get Coursework Help from Experts

If you want to write your coursework successfully, follow all the steps mentioned above. If you still have difficulty writing coursework, you can get academic writing help at our essay writing service  with one click. We have a group of experienced writers who can offer you timely, cost-effective coursework help online. 

Table of Contents

Persuasive essay topics – how to choose one for you, how to write a persuasive essay- expert tips.

The presidential nominating conventions every four years are political events, but they are also media events. Since the advent of television, Democratic and Republican national convention organizers have sought to tightly stage-manage their gatherings for home viewers, and they’ve often succeeded.

But not always.

One of the worst misfires was the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, when anti-war activists on Michigan Avenue chanted to the TV cameras “ the whole world is watching ,” as Mayor Richard J. Daley’s police beat them with billy clubs. In the convention hall itself, delegates staged their own protests for the cameras, and Daley’s security forces famously punched CBS newsman Dan Rather .

Images of that chaos circulated for months, and the Democratic nominee Hubert Humphrey never fully made up the points he lost when Americans saw that violence on their TV sets.

As an expert on the 1968 convention and, in particular, on how TV news covered that crisis, I’ve been thinking about how Chicago might handle — or mishandle — the Democratic convention as both a political and a media event this August.

Fear of a ‘68 replay looms large , as the city has thus far denied permits to groups seeking to gather near the United Center, site of the convention. That denial of permits feels like a page from the Daley playbook.

But just because a situation echoes the past does not mean history is repeating itself. Today’s media is completely different, and a machine politician is no longer at the helm in Chicago.

Protesters outnumbered by law enforcement

Since 1998, conventions have been legally designated as national special security events, managed largely by the Secret Service .

But back in 1968, Daley decisively held the reins. Asked whether his police had “over-reacted” to protesters, Daley declared , “The policeman is not here to create disorder. The policeman is here to preserve disorder,” a statement that was less malapropism than Freudian slip. Under his guidance, the city was secured like a fortress, as 10,000 protesters faced off against phalanxes of police and National Guardsmen , with demonstrators outnumbered 2 to 1.

Daley scared off thousands with “law and order” threats in advance of the convention, but it’s reasonable to expect a much higher number of demonstrators arriving in 2024. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is a progressive who is widely perceived as more sympathetic to activists than to the police . He has not discouraged protest at the upcoming convention.

That fact alone marks a pivotal difference between Johnson and Daley. Johnson is a Democrat , but not the team player and machine boss that Daley was. Nor is he the authoritarian that Daley was. Daley had the police in his back pocket .

He did not, however, have the media in his back pocket, and neither does Johnson. In fact, even if he wanted to, Johnson could not suppress the voices of the journalists, influencers, bloggers, TikTokkers and podcasters sure to descend upon Chicago.

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The media ecosystem is radically different from what it was 50-plus years ago, when news was more centralized and media technologies were less portable and more difficult to obtain by nonprofessionals.

Kneecapping news reporting

Taking advantage of this top-down communications structure, Daley did everything he could to stymie journalism during the convention. Crucially, he did not resolve an electrical workers strike against the local phone company, which led to a double-edged crisis.

First, not enough extra phones were installed on the convention floor and other key areas such as convention hotels. That shortage made it difficult for print journalists to communicate with editors and call in stories. The 3,200 extra telephones installed before the convention fell far short of what was needed. It boggles the mind, but this was life before everyone carried phones in their pockets.

Second, the electrical lines and hookups the networks needed for live street coverage could not be installed because of the strike, which meant the only live TV coverage was in the convention hall itself . Film footage shot in the streets was raced by motorcycle couriers to the convention site, the International Amphitheatre, where it was developed, edited and aired.

An awkward but more accurate chant during the Battle of Michigan Avenue would have been, “The whole world will be watching in three or four hours!”

CBS, NBC and ABC understood that Daley was deliberately kneecapping them. It felt like “a total news blackout,” as exasperated CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite declared, an atypical, quick aside that perhaps only a media historian obsessively rewatching every moment of network convention coverage would pick up on.

NBC anchorman Chet Huntley reported that “the news profession in this city is now under assault by the Chicago police .” These were heavy words. Before the rise of cable news, much of which slants left or right, the professional norms dominating TV news insistently dictated neutrality. If Huntley went out on a limb to critique Chicago police, it had to be true.

Or did it? Could Huntley be trusted?

Support for police, not journalists

This is the part of the story that sounds most contemporary. In surveys taken after the convention, and mountains of letters and telegrams sent to the networks, a majority of Americans judged the police to have used an appropriate amount of force or even insufficient force against protesters .

Criticism of violence against journalists was scant. Instead, the networks were accused of “liberal bias” for showing too much violence on the part of police and not enough on the part of protesters. The CBS News archive is packed with letters from viewers decrying a lack of objectivity. Many harshly declared that Dan Rather got what he deserved.

Broadcasters responded to critics that they had merely shown what happened . A rigorous content analysis done by NBC at the time found that 3% of the network’s coverage included street demonstrations. CBS showed closer to 5%, by NBC’s estimation.

Having watched the gavel-to-gavel coverage, I can attest that, if anything, the networks undercovered police violence against protesters, not the opposite.

Suppression ‘unimaginable today’

In 1968, defenders of Daley claimed that the press told the Chicago story incorrectly, but they didn’t deny that the police had been violent. Today, by contrast, basic truths are subject to partisanship , and the belief that the mainstream media is infused with liberal bias has taken root among conservatives and those farther right .

Former President Donald Trump exploited this preexisting worldview to his benefit while in office, and after, spreading the falsehood that the 2020 election had been stolen from him .

GOP members of Congress and Fox News personalities likewise tapped into a belief among their followers that mainstream media could not be believed when they described footage of the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 as evidence not of an insurrection but of “sightseeing .”

Accusations of “ fake news ” and exclamations that the mainstream media is “ the enemy of the people ” have put journalists in jeopardy not only at high-profile events such as political conventions but also during their everyday work.

This will all weigh heavily in the air in Chicago in August. And at the GOP convention in Milwaukee in July.

The suppression of live coverage is unimaginable today, with mainstream media distributing instant images, and nonprofessional videos circulating like quicksilver on social media.

With phones that also function as cameras in everyone’s hands in 2024, the challenge for Americans observing both conventions from afar will be less censorship and a paucity of live imagery than the reverse — an overabundance of unsorted imagery, potentially coupled with a proliferation of disinformation, amplified by those with malicious intent.

There are many differences between the 1968 and 2024 conventions. One of the biggest is that now, the whole world is filming. The problem today is not how much we can see but how much we can believe.

Heather Hendershot is the Cardiss Collins Professor of Communication Studies and Journalism at Northwestern University. This essay originally appeared in The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons license.

©2024 The Conversation

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Applying the $1 rule to big purchases, what if something doesn’t pass the $1 rule, you can pay off debt and still live your life, i ditched debt and retired early by following the $1 rule. and it can help you, too.

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Dashia is a staff editor for CNET Money who covers all angles of personal finance, including credit cards and banking. From reviews to news coverage, she aims to help readers make more informed decisions about their money. Dashia was previously a staff writer at NextAdvisor, where she covered credit cards, taxes, banking B2B payments. She has also written about safety, home automation, technology and fintech.

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When I was knocking out my debt , I considered the “scrimp-and-save” method, which severely restricts buying anything except essentials so you can squeeze a little extra into your payoff.

But constantly tracking every penny and slapping myself on the wrist when I went over budget didn’t make me want to spend less -- it just made me feel worse when I did. Plus, limiting my spending actually made me want to spend more , trapping me in a spend-and-restrict cycle. Now that I’m a money coach , I understand why. This approach isn’t sustainable, and it doesn’t address the real problem.

I eventually ditched the classic tips and created my own spending rule. By rewiring the way I think about spending , it’s helped me curtail my spending without giving up things I need (or want) to buy. It also let me set ambitious financial goals, like saving enough for retirement 30 years ahead of schedule. I share this rule with the thousands of clients I’ve helped wipe out debt and crush their money goals. And now I’m sharing it with you.

Ready to reframe your mindset around spending? Here’s how the “$1 rule” works and why it just might change your life.

The $1 rule is my spin on the age-old cost-per-use idea, specifically calling out a dollar as the benchmark. Before buying an item, figure out how many times you’ll use it. If it breaks down to $1 or less per use, I give myself the green light to buy it.

So, if an item costs $100 and you’ll only get five uses out of it, that breaks down to $20 per use. Following the $1 rule, that purchase wouldn’t be worth it.

This rule works especially well when applied to your weak spots, where you tend to binge. For me, that’s clothing, accessories and home goods. I still buy things that I love (and will get plenty of use out of), but it stops me from making impulse purchases that might seem like a good deal.

It also encourages me to choose sustainable and high-quality items. I’ve moved almost entirely away from fast fashion because even a $5 shirt I might only wear once or twice breaks the $1 rule.

The $1 rule in action

Growing up in New York, I fell in love with sneakers. But sneakers aren’t cheap, so I’m always on the lookout for discounts. Recently, I found a pair of pink and black Nike dunks for $50 on sale.

So, I crunched the numbers. I calculated that I would probably wear them once a week for a year, or at least 52 times. That means it would cost me around $0.96 for each use. So I got them.

Formula: $50 divided by 52 uses = $0.96 per use.

During the same shopping trip, I found a beautiful fluffy skirt on clearance, marked down from $150 to $37.50. While I was lured in by the big discount and brand name, I let the $1 rule guide me.

I considered the number of special occasions where I might show off this skirt, and I just couldn’t see myself wearing it 37 times. So, I decided it wasn’t worth the money.

When debating major expenses, like furniture or technology, price tags look different when you calculate how many uses you’ll get out of them first.

For example, when we bought our last home, it became clear that my old HGTV-obsessed self was making a comeback. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of decorating a new home that you buy more than you really need. But what’s actually  worth  the money?

With my husband and I working from home permanently, we decided we were willing to pay a little more for quality desks and office chairs. We learned from previous moves that cheaper desks tend to fall apart easily. So instead of going to Target or getting a desk from Craigslist like we’d done before, we went to a higher-quality furniture outlet.

We found a classic desk that retails for $699, marked down 40% to $419. That’s more than I’ve ever spent on a desk, but using the $1 rule, I realized I would sit in front of it five days a week for 50 weeks a year, which is 250 uses per year. The purchase would pass the $1 rule in less than two years.

I felt much more confident in that purchase than I did in the days I used to scrimp and save every penny.

The $1 rule doesn’t give you permission to spend money that’s not in your budget. You still need to pay attention to how much flexible income you have. But using this rule to curate the purchases you make with your discretionary income can help you put an end to overspending, without feeling restricted.

I still spend occasionally without following the $1 rule. When it comes to paying for events or travel, the $1 rule doesn’t always work. But that’s when I lean on my budget and past experiences to help me decide if an expense is worthwhile.

The Broadway show Hamilton came to our city when I was focused on paying off my student loans and mortgage. The musical theater geek in me was conflicted with the voices of prominent debt experts saying that buying these expensive tickets would be a mistake. But since I stick to the $1 rule for 99% of my purchases, I knew I could make an exception.

Yes, I bought the Hamilton tickets instead of putting extra money toward my debt, and I have no regrets. But I also didn’t use credit to finance the purchase. Instead, I swapped other expenses I would have made during the month, like dining out and social gatherings, so I could pay for the tickets in full without a credit card and without blowing my budget.

The $1 rule won’t always be able to help you when deciding if an experience, such as a vacation or concert, is worth the money. But if you stick to it most of the time for material purchases, you’ll be able to free up more money for experiences, without hurting your debt payoff goals.

Leaving room to enjoy my money has kept me focused on the long and often monotonous journey of paying off debt and saving for the future. At the same time, I’m removing the guilt of spending on things that are meaningful to me, which has helped me build a healthier relationship with money.

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Top Notre Dame Recruit Takes to Social Media to Try and Help Recruit Star Receiver

Nick shepkowski | jul 10, 2024.

• Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Deuce Knight is one of the top rated quarterbacks in the 2025 recruiting cycle and is only a couple months short of being committed to Notre Dame for a full calendar year. Knight has been rumored to be flipping his commitment to the SEC by various people, but through it all he has told anyone that will listen that he remains true to Notre Dame. In looking ahead to his Notre Dame career, Knight took to social media on Wednesday to try and do some public recruiting himself. Notre Dame has been having a bear of a time in the wide receiver department for the 2025 class, and Knight made a post to try and help the Irish land highly regarded 2025 wide receiver Derek Meadows of Las Vegas.

Enough said💯 pic.twitter.com/RWRtpLbEfa — Deuce Knight (@DeuceKnight) July 10, 2024

"WE WANT MEADOWS"

It doesn't get a whole lot less complicated than that. And why wouldn't Knight want Meadows? Derek Meadows checks in at 6-5, 200-pounds, and with a wingspan of 80-inches. He has the build that screams "NFL body" and a commitment from him would quickly change the narrative in Notre Dame's inability to land big-time wide receivers this cycle. Meadows is set to announce his commitment on Saturday, July 13. He'll be the first of three Notre Dame wide receiver targets in the next week to announce a commitment decision . Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Michigan are each listed as finalists for Meadows as well as Notre Dame.

A Look at Lane Kiffin's Rough Monday

NICK SHEPKOWSKI

Biden digs in despite lapses, alarming polls, doubts: 6 takeaways from ABC interview

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden  dismissed concerns about his mental fitness Friday and rejected calls to drop out of the 2024 election as he pushed back at detractors in perhaps the most consequential television interview of his presidency.

Biden, in an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos that aired on primetime television, reiterated he won't withdraw from the race following his disastrous debate last week, downplaying his performance as a "bad night" because of fatigue and a "really bad cold."

The 22-minute interview was Biden's first on television since his dismal debate performance in which the incumbent president struggled to complete thoughts, finish sentences and rebut claims made by former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

Here are six takeaways from the interview, which was taped during Biden's campaign visit Friday afternoon to Madison, Wisconsin.

Biden says he won't even entertain exiting race

Biden dug in as Stephanopoulos repeatedly pressed Biden whether he would end his candidacy if Democratic congressional leaders came to him to convince him he can't defeat Trump in November.

"Well, if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me to do that, I might do that," Biden said, later insisting that his Democratic allies aren't going to demand that he exit.

"I'm not going to answer that question. It's not going to happen," Biden said. "I've not seen what you're proposing."

Biden said he's seen concerns about his candidacy "from the press," but not heard it from most Democrats.

Five Democratic members of Congress have publicly called for Biden to drop out of the race. The Washington Post reported Friday that U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., is working on assembling a group of Democratic senators to ask Biden to exit the presidential race

Biden won't commit to a cognitive test

Biden said he has not taken a neurological or cognitive test to measure his mental fitness, nor would he commit to an independent medical evaluation that includes such an exam.

"No, no one said I had to. They said I'm good," Biden said, adding that he takes a cognitive test "every single day" given the demands and responsibilities of being president.

More: Biden refuses to say whether he'd take independent cognitive test and make results public

"Everything I do, I have that test," Biden said. "Not only am I campaigning but I'm running the world."

Asked again whether he would take a cognitive test to assure Americans of his health, Biden again refused.

"Watch me. There's a lot of time left in this campaign. It's over 125 days."

Biden says he doesn't believe polls showing him losing

Despite Trump leading Biden in virtually all national polls and in most battleground states Biden said he doesn't believe he's currently losing.

"I don't buy that," Biden said. "All the pollsters I talk to tell me it's a toss-up."

Biden also said he doesn't buy that his approval rating is as low as 36%, which some polls have found.

"I don't believe that's my approval rating. That's not what our polls show," he said.

Even before Biden's disastrous debate, Democrats were growing more nervous about a second Trump presidency because of polls showing Biden consistently behind the former president.

When asked whether he's being honest with himself about his ability to beat Trump, Biden responded: "Yes, yes, yes, yes.''

"Look, I remember them telling me the same thing in 2020 − the polls show I can't win," Biden said.

At the end of his interview, Biden gave an answer that is sure to upset his detractors on how he would feel in January if Trump wins the election.

“I’ll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did as good a job as I know I can do, that’s what this is about," Biden said.

'I'm still in good shape,' Biden insists

Biden insisted that he's in good enough physical and mental condition to serve in the White House another four years.

"Can I run a hundred in 10 flat? No. But I'm still in good shape," said Biden, who spoke clearer than he did in the debate but still sounded hoarse at times.

Biden said he is not frail or in worse condition than when he entered the White House three and a half years ago.

"I wouldn't be running if I didn't think I did," he said about whether he can serve another four years, which would make him 86 years old at the end of his term.

Stephanopoulos asked if Biden was being honest with himself.

"Yes, I am. George, the last thing I want to do is not being able to meet that," Biden said.

Biden says he hasn't watched the debate

Biden said he hasn't watched his heavily criticized debate, which was now eight days ago.

"I don't think I did − no," Biden said.

Biden said his performance was "nobody's fault but mine," and that he prepared for it by going over material in "explicit detail," like he does for meetings with foreign leaders with his National Security Council.

Biden said he had trouble keeping up with all of Trump's lies.

Biden was asked about recent comments from former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling it a "legitimate question" to ask whether Biden's debate performance was a "bad episode" or a sign of a more serious "condition."

"It was a bad episode," Biden said. "No indication of a more serious condition. I was exhausted. I didn't listen to my instincts in terms of preparing. I had a bad night."

Biden says recent travel made him tired because of 'really bad cold'

Biden was pressed how could have been tired from recent overseas travel − which he has claimed − when he returned to the United States 12 days before the debate took place.

"Because I was sick. I was feeling terrible," he said, adding that he felt so bad that he had his doctors test him for COVID and other viruses, which turned out negative. "They just said I had a really bad cold."

Biden spent the six days leading up to the debate at the Camp David presidential retreat preparing with top White House aides.

Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.