assignment work sentence

ASSIGNMENT in a Sentence Examples: 21 Ways to Use Assignment

Are you struggling to understand the concept of an assignment? An assignment is a task or piece of work that has been assigned to someone as part of their job or studies. It requires them to complete a specific set of actions or deliverables within a defined timeframe.

Table of Contents

7 Examples Of Assignment Used In a Sentence For Kids

14 sentences with assignment examples, how to use assignment in sentences.

Assignment is a task or piece of work that someone is given to do. It can also refer to the allocation of a particular task or job to someone. To use the word assignment in a sentence, simply place it in the context of giving or receiving a task. For example, “The teacher handed out the math assignment to the students” or “I have a new assignment at work that I need to complete by Friday.”

When using assignment in a sentence, it is important to ensure that it fits naturally within the sentence structure. Make sure the context in which you use the word is appropriate and clear for the reader to understand.

You can also use assignment in a broader sense, such as “The assignment of duties within the team was well-organized.” In this case, assignment refers to the distribution of tasks among team members.

Remember that assignment can be used in various contexts, not just limited to academic settings. It can be applied to work projects, volunteer tasks, or even household chores. By understanding the versatility of the word assignment , you can effectively communicate tasks and responsibilities in different situations.

In conclusion, the examples of sentences with the keyword “assignment” demonstrate its role in conveying the idea of a task or duty that needs to be completed. Whether referring to a school assignment, work task, or project, the keyword is versatile in indicating a specific job that requires attention and effort. These sentences show how assignments can vary in complexity and nature, from academic exercises to professional responsibilities.

By examining the usage of the keyword “assignment” in different contexts, it is clear that assignments play a crucial role in education, work, and daily life. They serve as a way to allocate tasks, assess knowledge or skills, and facilitate learning and growth. Understanding the significance of assignments can help individuals prioritize and manage their responsibilities effectively, leading to successful completion of tasks and achievements of goals.

In front or infront: which is the correct spelling, targeted vs. targetted: correct spelling explained in english (us) usage.

Are you unsure about whether to use “targetted” or “targeted”?… Read More » Targeted vs. Targetted: Correct Spelling Explained in English (US) Usage

As per Request or As per Requested: Understanding the Correct Usage

Assign In A Sentence: A Great Word For School Or Work!

If you are an English student or someone looking to improve your communication skills, then these examples of assign in a sentence can help! We will also check out the past tense, and noun variants, too! In all, there are over 34 examples to practice today!

Assign in a sentence

Here are 10 examples of assign in a sentence . To help you remember them, read and repeat them all!

The teacher will assign homework at the end of the lesson.
Our boss decided to assign the new project to Jake’s team.
Where should we assign the new hire?
During the cleanup, we will assign volunteers to different areas of the park.
At home, my parents assign weekly chores to my siblings and me.
The head lifeguard will assign specific zones to watch over at the beach.
Sarah will assign seat for everyone for the dinner party.
At the camp this weekend, I want to assign Pete the role of setting up the tent. He’s really good at it.
The coach will assign positions to the soccer players before the match.
I want to assign you to this department, Dave.

Assign in a sentence: shorter ones

Here are some shorter examples of assign in a sentence:

I will assign you to class A.
He doesn’t assign people, I do.
Mark is going to assign me to accounting.
Where should we assign Mr. Smith?

Related: Articulate In A Sentence: 30 Examples For Concise English

Assigned in a sentence

Now let’s look at some examples of the past tense assigned in a sentence:

The teacher assigned us a book report, so I spent my weekend reading.
For the class project, they assigned me to research climate change.
He assigned a portion of his savings to invest in stocks.
The company assigned me to the Berlin office for three months! I’m thrilled to go!
My parents assigned me the task of walking the dog every morning.
The hockey coach assigned positions right before the game started.
We were assigned to different groups and had to present separately.
The event planner assigned seating for the guests to avoid confusion.
She assigned meaningful quotes to each chapter of her novel.
The manager assigned the new waiter his own section on his first day.

Related: Assess In A Sentence: 30 Fantastic Examples

Sentences with assignment

We shall now check out a closely related word – assignment. This is a noun . Read and repeat these sentences with assignment to get more comfortable with them!

For history class, our assignment is to choose a significant event and explain its impact on the world.
At the culinary club, this week’s assignment involves creating a dish inspired by traditional French cuisine.
The latest assignment at the office required compiling a progress report for the quarterly meeting.
Due to the unexpected snowstorm, the science teacher posted our assignment online so we could work from home.
In photography class, our assignment is to capture the essence of autumn in a series of five pictures.
Before adopting a pet, the shelter gives potential owners an assignment to ensure they understand the responsibilities involved.
As a part of my exercise routine, my trainer gave me the assignment of tracking my daily steps for a month.
This month, our book club’s assignment is to read a novel by a Nobel Prize-winning author and discuss its themes.
The coach’s assignment for the soccer team was to watch and analyze a professional game ahead of the championship.
Everyone’s excited about the school’s art show, where the assignment is to create artwork reflecting our hometown’s culture.

Assign meaning

What does assign mean? How do we use it in a sentence?

It’s a verb that means to allocate or give a particular job or piece of work to someone, or to designate a particular purpose for something. It is often used in a variety of contexts, such as in professional settings, schools, and in everyday organizational tasks. When you assign something, you are essentially directing it to a person, place, team, or category.

In English, the basic word order for sentences is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). When using the verb “assign” in a sentence, this structure is followed to create a clear and grammatically correct statement. Here’s how “assign” fits into the SVO structure:

Subject (S) : This is the person or thing that is performing the action of the verb. In the case of “assign,” the subject is the entity that is giving out an assignment or a task.
Verb (V) : This is the action word in the sentence. “Assign” is the verb that denotes the action of allocating or designating a task or responsibility to someone or something.
Object (O) : This is the person or thing that is receiving the action of the verb. With “assign,” the object is the entity that is being given the task or responsibility.
Mr. Johnson (S) will assign (V) math homework (O) at the end of our class.

In sentences with an indirect object, “assign” may take on the structure of Subject-Verb-Indirect Object-Direct Object, where the indirect object is the recipient of the direct object (the task or responsibility). For example:

Mary (S) will assign (V) seats (O, direct object) for everyone (IO, indirect object) for the meeting.

Understanding this word order is vital to formulating sentences that are clear, precisely communicating who is giving out tasks and to whom or what those tasks are being given.

Assign in a sentence: FAQs

Assign is a very common, albeit quite formal English verb. Now that we have practiced it and its other forms (past tense, noun), it would be a good time to go over some general questions about this word:

What does it mean to be on assignment?

Being on assignment means that you have been given a specific task or duty to perform, often for a fixed period of time. This phrase is commonly used in contexts such as journalism, where a reporter might be on assignment in another country, or in a professional setting where an employee is given a particular project. The focus is usually on completing a designated job or responsibility. For example,

Lucy’s on assignment in Europe, reporting on the latest developments in sustainable energy.

What is an assigned task?

An assigned task is a particular piece of work that has been allocated to someone by a superior, teacher, or team leader. It is a defined obligation or duty one is expected to execute. This could range from daily chores to complex professional projects. For instance, “The assigned task for the students was to create a poster about the water cycle.”

Is “I was assigned” correct?

Yes, “I was assigned” is grammatically correct and is the past tense form of stating that someone had given you a particular task or responsibility. It’s used to explain that you were the recipient of an assignment at a previous time. Take a look at this example:

I was assigned the lead role in the school play last semester.

What is the meaning of “I have been assigned”?

“I have been assigned” means that you have recently been given a specific task or responsibility and that the assignment is usually current or ongoing. It’s a form of the present perfect tense in English and suggests a connection between the past action and the present moment. It goes like this:

I have been assigned to lead the new marketing initiative.

What is another word for “assigned by”?

Another word for “assigned by” is “designated by.” It carries the same meaning as having tasks, responsibilities, or roles designated or appointed by someone in authority. For instance, “The project was designated by the committee to a team of experienced researchers.” Other synonyms might include “allocated by” or “appointed by,” depending on the context.

Assign in a sentence: a great word for academia or business!

I hope you have enjoyed reading through all of today’s examples of assign in a sentence , as well as the sentences with assignment! The word in general is a really handy one to know – especially for English students. Why? Let’s summarize the reasons:

As English language learners, we often encounter terms that are essential in academic and professional contexts. The word “assign” is one such term that is incredibly useful for both school and work environments. By incorporating ‘assign’ into our vocabulary, we can effectively communicate about distributing tasks, responsibilities, and roles. For instance, in a classroom setting, a teacher might say, “I will assign the chapters for reading tonight,” making it clear which specific sections of the material we need to focus on. Similarly, in the workplace, a supervisor could announce, “I have assigned John to oversee the new marketing campaign,” providing clarity on team roles and expectations. Mastering the use of ‘assign’ in sentences not only enhances our English language proficiency but also enables us to participate more fully in our educational pursuits and professional endeavors.

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

More from M-W
To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Definition of assignment

task , duty , job , chore , stint , assignment mean a piece of work to be done.

task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

Examples of assignment in a Sentence

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

Word History

see assign entry 1

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing assignment

self - assignment

Dictionary Entries Near assignment

Cite this entry.

“Assignment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assignment. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.

Legal Definition

Legal definition of assignment, more from merriam-webster on assignment.

Nglish: Translation of assignment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of assignment for Arabic Speakers

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Plural and possessive names: a guide, your vs. you're: how to use them correctly, every letter is silent, sometimes: a-z list of examples, more commonly mispronounced words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), popular in wordplay, it's a scorcher words for the summer heat, flower etymologies for your spring garden, 12 star wars words, 'swash', 'praya', and 12 more beachy words, 8 words for lesser-known musical instruments, games & quizzes.

Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

> > ( | | ) >

(n):

Previous Word by Letter:

Next Word by Letter:

Previous Word by Frequency:

Next Word by Frequency:

U.S. Locations
UMGC Europe
Learn Online
Find Answers
855-655-8682
Current Students

UMGC Effective Writing Center Assignment Analysis & Sentence Outline

Explore more of umgc.

Writing Resources

In the Effective Writing Center, we sometimes have to tell students, "Your paper is well written and interesting, but it doesn't fulfill the assignment. You've done good work, but it's not what your professor is looking for. Let's analyze this assignment closely . . . ."

Now, whose fault is this? Nobody's. Learning how to analyze academic assignments is a skill that requires practice and experience. They call it "education" for a reason--students come to college to learn things. One of the things you learn is how to use the thought patterns of academic disciplines you study before earning that coveted degree.

So in the EWC we recommend that whenever you receive a writing assignment from a professor your first step should be to analyze it--preferably with input from us at the Effective Writing Center . In other words, let us help you break down the assignment and determine what the professor really wants so that you can be successful in the experience. In some situations like timed essay exams, you must perform this step quickly. But with formal writing assignments like this one, you have the opportunity to:

break down the assignment into its required parts
check your understanding of the assignment with your professor
create an assignment map or outline before you start writing

This practice of planning out a task before starting it--and receiving feedback on that plan--is common practice in the professional workplace. Whether you share the plan with coworkers or a supervisor, your professor or an EWC advisor , the purpose is the same: For everyone to be "on the same page."

The Basic Question

Here is the basic question that you are trying to answer in this thread or whenever you analyze a writing assignment:

What must my paper contain in order to meet all of my professor's expectations?

Let's say that in another course you received this assignment:

Topic: "The Influence of Television Violence on Children."

What do you think is the overall effect of televised violence on children? Research this question to determine the amount of violence that the average child watches on American television, the concerns of parents and parent groups, what experts in psychology and medicine say about the effects, and what changes, if any, need to be made to safeguard our children.

You might want to limit your definition of a child to a certain age group. At the end of your paper, be sure to give your position on this issue and what actions you would take as a parent.

If you study it closely, you will see that the assignment above provides a clear indication of what your outline must contain:

Title: Effects of Televised Violence on Children
Introduction: Statistics on televised violence and age group for this paper
Body section: Concerns of parents/parent groups
Body section: Studies by experts
Body section: Recommended changes
Conclusion: My views as a parent
Works Cited

See how a preliminary outline can ensure that you understand all assignment requirements before writing? For us at the EWC, it does not matter if your outline is formal or informal. All that matters is that you pre-plan what your paper should contain so that you provide everything the professor is expecting.

Your Assignment:

After reading your teacher's directions closely, write a starter outline and get feedback on it. When writing this outline, focus on the categories of information required in the paper and the examples provided.

The purpose of this outline is to demonstrate that you have an organized way to answer the assignment description with relevant, persuasive points.

Assignment Analysis

When a teacher writes an assignment, the teacher has in mind a correct way for students to respond. View the Effective Writing Center's Video on Assignment Analysis.

Sentence Outline

Click through to view the Effective Writing Center's video on sentence outlines and how to use them.

Our helpful admissions advisors can help you choose an academic program to fit your career goals, estimate your transfer credits, and develop a plan for your education costs that fits your budget. If you’re a current UMGC student, please visit the Help Center .

Personal Information

Contact information, additional information.

By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you intend to sign this form electronically and that your electronic signature is the equivalent of a handwritten signature, with all the same legal and binding effect. You are giving your express written consent without obligation for UMGC to contact you regarding our educational programs and services using e-mail, phone, or text, including automated technology for calls and/or texts to the mobile number(s) provided. For more details, including how to opt out, read our privacy policy or contact an admissions advisor .

Please wait, your form is being submitted.

By using our website you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more about how we use cookies by reading our Privacy Policy .

Assignment in a Sentence 🔊

Definition of Assignment

a particular task or duty that one is expected to complete

Examples of Assignment in a sentence

On assignment for the Washington Post, the reporter combed the city in search of information. 🔊

The student’s math assignment was too difficult, so he asked his teacher for help completing it. 🔊

Each worker in the building is giving a different assignment that he or she is expected to complete by the end of the work day. 🔊

Although Laura didn’t enjoy her latest post assignment, she didn’t regret her decision to join the military. 🔊

The state attorney was recently given the assignment of prosecuting a West Virginian serial killer. 🔊

Other words in the Active category:

Most Searched Words (with Video)

Voracious: In a Sentence

Verbose: In a Sentence

Vainglorious: In a Sentence

Pseudonym: In a Sentence

Propinquity: In a Sentence

Orotund: In a Sentence

Magnanimous: In a Sentence

Inquisitive: In a Sentence

Epoch: In a Sentence

Aberrant: In a Sentence

Apprehensive: In a Sentence

Obdurate: In a Sentence

Heresy: In a Sentence

Gambit: In a Sentence

Pneumonia: In a Sentence

Otiose: In a Sentence

About These Results

Advanced Search

Advanced search - signup for sentence stack pro.

Only premium subscribers can use the advanced search. Signup now, or login if you already have an account.

Query Too Long - Signup for Sentence Stack Pro

Longer queries require a paid membership. Signup / Learn more
If you are seeking grammar & spelling correction, visit our Sentence Corrector .

Sentence Corrector - Length Exceeded

Get longer grammar checks with Sentence Stack Pro! Paid subscribers can check 3X as much text.

Listen to Audio

Listen to English audio with Sentence Stack Pro! Paid subscribers can hear the spoken English audio of over 300 million sentences.

Get More with Sentence Stack Pro

I'm sorry, but you've exceeded your free submission limit. Sign up for Sentence Stack Pro to unlock greater access to our advanced grammar, style, and syntax tools without distractions. Elevate your writing with suggestions from our AI-driven insights, ensuring your work is not only flawless but impactful.

3X Longer submissions
More submissions per day
and much more!

Popular Phrases

problematic
make it working
how many do
doing my best

Sentence examples for assignment working from inspiring English sources

Is your sentence correct in English?

Would he have recommended Sergeant Bales for such a difficult assignment , working with Special Forces teams in Kandahar Province?

"I came to GMAC thinking that it was a short-term assignment working through a liquidity crisis," Mr. de Molina, 52, said in Monday's statement.

Then came a major assignment : working with Deborah Kerr on the musical numbers for The King and I, 20th Century Fox's big musical hit of 1956.

He relished those, starting with his very first assignment , working on the foreground of the wood stork diorama in the Hall of North American Birds.

In the article, we shared a question that had been posed to dozens of managers: Imagine if the president of your company personally asked you to take on a special assignment — working directly for her.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: We had twenty-three teams on the assignment , working nights and weekends, including fourteen freelance teams around the world, none of which spoke English or had ever heard of Ram trucks.

Results showed that SimTraffic is the easiest model to use, CORSIM was found capable of solving complex networks, and performance of AIMSUN model was concluded to be very much acceptable with its traffic assignment working best in comparison with the other two [32].

Write in English at your best, with Ludwig

Used by millions of students, scientific researchers, professional translators and editors from all over the world.

Maria Pia Montoro

Be a smart writer

Most frequent sentences:, write in english at your best with ludwig.

Use "assignment" in a sentence

Assignment example sentences.

1. Now, moving on, your assignment will be to infiltrate the structure

2. He had had the opportunity to have several made recently on assignment in Hong Kong

3. "Thanks for the update, I thank you for the lovely assignment

4. For today’s assignment have a look at the table below

5. "And you didn't mind this assignment ?"

6. "What makes you think it isn't Luray who's off on assignment ?" Their legs had wrapped around each other's by now

7. She was able to find her administrative records, of which her locker assignment was a part, but the laughter in her eyes spilled over into her voice when she saw the dates involved

8. talked about his assignment to the Guides

9. He had finished his assignment twice as fast as the others

10. I actually like the guy, not a lot, but enough that this assignment has been fairly pleasant

11. Harry plowed through the Summer Term receiving marks of Distinction for his every assignment , and the preliminary term of his Sixth Form years was passed

12. “That’s the script for the fourth assignment in Kaha’s movie club

13. on the assignment that he scheduled

14. He is here in Hong Kong for his Far East assignment

15. anymore without an assignment in front of him

16. But he already the next assignment didn’t he? One that he was not

17. His first assignment was to investigate Lao Airlines Flight 301, an ATR-72, that crashed shortly before landing at Pakse International Airport in Loas under adverse weather conditions, killing all 44 passengers and 5 crew on board

18. assignment such as this didn’t bother him

19. I have an assignment for you in Beijing to report on the war against pollution conference and then continue on to Kyiv to cover the invasion of Crimea

20. "That was my assignment

21. “Well, if you’re so sure, then take a look,” Dobber replied, disinterested with Pete’s fears and anything else that remotely related to his assignment

22. Klowa knew someone else would do a background assignment on Luray

23. "The assignment you gave us sir, to get him up and out of there before his memories could be read

24. "This is big time quarters up here," Kuthra told them once the assignment was made and they were on their way to it, "This is where they put visiting professors and research planners, or managers of large factories that the Kassikan owns, once in awhile a media person

25. Just like in this life, the best students will have a better chance of getting the best jobs in their next assignment

26. On the contrary, the whole expense of this borrowing, of employing agents to look out for people who had money to lend, of negotiating with those people, and of drawing the proper bond or assignment , must have fallen upon them, and have been so much clear loss upon the balance of their accounts

27. “Her parents were an assignment ? You mean the Hellhounds went on a wild hunt to catch them? I thought the coven killed them

28. When one of the sisters was given an assignment it was serious business, but the sisters only went on a wild hunt for the worst cases

29. Even in the monied interest, however, the money is, as it were, but the deed of assignment , which conveys from one hand to another those capitals which the owners do not care to employ themselves

30. A capital lent at interest may, in this manner, be considered as an assignment , from the lender to the borrower, of a certain considerable portion of the annual produce, upon condition that the burrower in return shall, during the continuance of the loan, annually assign to the lender a small portion, called the interest ; and, at the end of it, a portion equally considerable with that which had originally been assigned to him, called the repayment

31. Though money, either coin or paper, serves generally as the deed of assignment , both to the smaller and to the more considerable portion, it is itself altogether different from what is assigned by it

32. The deeds of assignment , like the conveyances of a verbose attorney, would be more cumbersome; but the thing assigned would be precisely the same as before, and could produce only the same effects

33. And they cherished every moment they had with him right until to the end, when he would leave on his final assignment

34. to begin the assignment

35. After Rikke dismissed her with a promise of a new assignment within a few days, she first stopped to pick up her new Legionnaire-issue armor and then made her way back to the Winking Skeever for a good night’s rest

36. The plan was to accommodate the exiles in tents here on the plain of Dura while they awaited their assignment to work as slaves with Babylonian households in the city

37. “It may be a wild goose chase but I want answers and all we're getting now is an ever-burgeoning volume of questions!” Mim and Yula were out of their depth on that assignment ; they seemed to realize it and so remained close to the Captain

38. “Ready for assignment my Captain,” she breathed in a tone devoid of any hint of doubt or uncertainty

39. But you were captured by the Naud on that very planet---Tenrith---you won't have remembered that was where you were at the time; so caught up in your surveying assignment and all

40. It’s the other half of Maro’s assignment here

41. Anyway, that was part of his assignment

42. There were a few basic facts about the first assignment on Eludi-4; nothing revealing

43. And then an instant later admonishing him for taking this assignment , when really he didn’t need the money

44. If there was one tangibly positive thing Roidon had gained from this assignment it had to be this car

45. This was his first assignment as an officer on board a whaleship, and his lay was

46. Following this short assignment , Midshipman Waddell was then

47. write much about this assignment but writes that from the Naval

48. During this assignment , he became very proficient in seamanship

49. He began that assignment as a “passed

50. Hawes was ready for his next assignment

51. ordered from his assignment at the Naval Academy to report to

52. Sometimes it has made this assignment or mortgage for a short period of time only, a year, or a few years, for example; and sometimes for perpetuity

53. They’re going on an assignment , they leave in four hours, at nine

54. By the time the CSS Georgia arrived in Cherbourg, Waddell was still waiting for news of a new assignment

55. waiting for an assignment to a fighting ship so they could enter the fight with the Yankees

56. wanted to get on with his assignment

57. 1864 of his new assignment

58. This was a massive assignment for such a rather young naval officer at forty years of age

59. They took as their doctrine a strict set of rules and guidelines know as the Temporal Directive, devising rules for minimal intervention and interference, which then had to be adapted for each assignment

60. This group put forward their intentions, theories and ideas as a serious alternative to the reformists – otherwise thought of as moderates – who were still to commence with that first assignment

61. It would be my reward for the completion of this assignment

62. The assignment had not just been designated to a select few, they all had their part to play in one way or another

63. Being couriered directly to an assignment in the Unity was much

64. He decided to haul me all over the satrapy to help with his assignment

65. With the capacity of each transport, and the roster of each regiment before him, the youngest officer could have made effective assignment and saved such dire confusion, which took two days to untangle, and entailed much sun-exposure and hardship on the soldiers

66. Spying on Sicarius? Could that be secret assignment Hollowcrest had given Amaranthe? The reason she had been in the Barracks to start with?

67. As expected his next assignment was to tie up any loose ends and get out

68. ‘You okay to go on an assignment in Pretoria for a few days?’ Rodger interrupted my thoughts as if on cue

69. After the meeting I went home alone as I had an assignment that had to be handed in by the following Tuesday

70. However, even without Egan there, the prospect of games at the camp was enough of a distraction, so much so that I could not finish the assignment

71. ‘If you want me to go over your assignment before you send it off, I’ll be finished with this in about an hour then I can do it for you

72. Her comments and suggestions were in all honesty fantastic and I amended my assignment accordingly

73. I had so hoped those few hours we had spent together with my assignment had been a turning point in our relationship and in her life

74. “My assignment had come through while I was still in the US and, yes, I suspected that some of the rumors of torture must be true, exaggerated but true

75. If he would but assure him of that same level, the assignment would be his

76. Assignment to the Caribbean coast and promotion to Comandante immediately followed

77. As it turned out, his assignment to the division came at a most opportune time: Costa Rica had recently succumbed to US pressure insisting that it expand its efforts against cocaine

78. At the time, cocaine passed through virtually unnoticed, a problem of little consequence for law enforcement, and that was perhaps the main reason he received the assignment

79. He was given an assignment unwanted by fellow detectives: partnership with the highly independent little Indian, which left him free to serve as the OIJ’s ambassador of corruption to the power brokers

80. That’s enough of an assignment for you

81. Frazer departed Costa Rica surreptitiously on official assignment before the date of the murder, and the OIJ’s cooperation in not drawing attention to his movements would be appreciated

82. He wondered whose idea of a joke had been that particular assignment

83. "Yes, I was reprogrammed to be a deathbot infiltrator and given an assignment , to locate and assist in the termination of one Kazuki Shimatani, location, the Badlands

84. At first he resented his assignment but the two had formed an unlikely bond

85. She received instead an assignment to England

86. Angry at his late night assignment , he was still half asleep

87. He explained his new assignment as a medic and asked her if, in the future, he could pick her up at 08:30 rather than 07:00, and she agreed

88. He asked, “Any chance you can get another assignment where you would need me to drive?”

89. " Joseph stepped forward wondering what his assignment would be

90. You know, if you’re interested, you could put in for a commission and an assignment to our outfit

91. There was also a typewritten list of names and addresses that Quarles suggested he memorize if he were to explain his temporary duty assignment in Paris

92. The temporary duty assignment is open-ended, ‘Until further notice

93. Colling asked to what job he would be assigned, now that he had returned, and Ferguson told him that he did not know, but that Vincent had indicated that he would personally decide Colling’s assignment within the battalion

94. I think this will be an excellent assignment for you

95. By the time Colling returned to his quarters, he felt he knew almost everything he would have to know about his new assignment

96. because you are on assignment for his brother The

97. The Polish lieutenant said something to Hermann before he rolled up his window, and as they drove past the barrier of sawhorses that the soldiers had moved aside for them, he said, “He told me I was lucky to have such an assignment , driving rich Americans around

98. The final report stated, ”Our assignment has been to look for mis-or-mal administration in the oil for

99. But she relished this assignment as driver

100. role in his assignment to Niger

Synonyms for "assignment"

"assignment" definitions.

a duty that you are assigned to perform (especially in the armed forces)

the instrument by which a claim or right or interest or property is transferred from one person to another

the act of distributing something to designated places or persons

(law) a transfer of property by deed of conveyance

an undertaking that you have been assigned to do (as by an instructor)

the act of putting a person into a non-elective position

Home » Assignment – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Assignment – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Definition:

Assignment is a task given to students by a teacher or professor, usually as a means of assessing their understanding and application of course material. Assignments can take various forms, including essays, research papers, presentations, problem sets, lab reports, and more.

Assignments are typically designed to be completed outside of class time and may require independent research, critical thinking, and analysis. They are often graded and used as a significant component of a student’s overall course grade. The instructions for an assignment usually specify the goals, requirements, and deadlines for completion, and students are expected to meet these criteria to earn a good grade.

History of Assignment

The use of assignments as a tool for teaching and learning has been a part of education for centuries. Following is a brief history of the Assignment.

Ancient Times: Assignments such as writing exercises, recitations, and memorization tasks were used to reinforce learning.
Medieval Period : Universities began to develop the concept of the assignment, with students completing essays, commentaries, and translations to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
19th Century : With the growth of schools and universities, assignments became more widespread and were used to assess student progress and achievement.
20th Century: The rise of distance education and online learning led to the further development of assignments as an integral part of the educational process.
Present Day: Assignments continue to be used in a variety of educational settings and are seen as an effective way to promote student learning and assess student achievement. The nature and format of assignments continue to evolve in response to changing educational needs and technological innovations.

Types of Assignment

Here are some of the most common types of assignments:

An essay is a piece of writing that presents an argument, analysis, or interpretation of a topic or question. It usually consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Essay structure:

Introduction : introduces the topic and thesis statement
Body paragraphs : each paragraph presents a different argument or idea, with evidence and analysis to support it
Conclusion : summarizes the key points and reiterates the thesis statement

Research paper

A research paper involves gathering and analyzing information on a particular topic, and presenting the findings in a well-structured, documented paper. It usually involves conducting original research, collecting data, and presenting it in a clear, organized manner.

Research paper structure:

Title page : includes the title of the paper, author’s name, date, and institution
Abstract : summarizes the paper’s main points and conclusions
Introduction : provides background information on the topic and research question
Literature review: summarizes previous research on the topic
Methodology : explains how the research was conducted
Results : presents the findings of the research
Discussion : interprets the results and draws conclusions
Conclusion : summarizes the key findings and implications

A case study involves analyzing a real-life situation, problem or issue, and presenting a solution or recommendations based on the analysis. It often involves extensive research, data analysis, and critical thinking.

Case study structure:

Introduction : introduces the case study and its purpose
Background : provides context and background information on the case
Analysis : examines the key issues and problems in the case
Solution/recommendations: proposes solutions or recommendations based on the analysis
Conclusion: Summarize the key points and implications

A lab report is a scientific document that summarizes the results of a laboratory experiment or research project. It typically includes an introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.

Lab report structure:

Title page : includes the title of the experiment, author’s name, date, and institution
Abstract : summarizes the purpose, methodology, and results of the experiment
Methods : explains how the experiment was conducted
Results : presents the findings of the experiment

Presentation

A presentation involves delivering information, data or findings to an audience, often with the use of visual aids such as slides, charts, or diagrams. It requires clear communication skills, good organization, and effective use of technology.

Presentation structure:

Introduction : introduces the topic and purpose of the presentation
Body : presents the main points, findings, or data, with the help of visual aids
Conclusion : summarizes the key points and provides a closing statement

Creative Project

A creative project is an assignment that requires students to produce something original, such as a painting, sculpture, video, or creative writing piece. It allows students to demonstrate their creativity and artistic skills.

Creative project structure:

Introduction : introduces the project and its purpose
Body : presents the creative work, with explanations or descriptions as needed
Conclusion : summarizes the key elements and reflects on the creative process.

Examples of Assignments

Following are Examples of Assignment templates samples:

Essay template:

I. Introduction

Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a catchy opening sentence.
Background: Provide some context or background information on the topic.
Thesis statement: State the main argument or point of your essay.

II. Body paragraphs

Topic sentence: Introduce the main idea or argument of the paragraph.
Evidence: Provide evidence or examples to support your point.
Analysis: Explain how the evidence supports your argument.
Transition: Use a transition sentence to lead into the next paragraph.

III. Conclusion

Restate thesis: Summarize your main argument or point.
Review key points: Summarize the main points you made in your essay.
Concluding thoughts: End with a final thought or call to action.

Research paper template:

I. Title page

Title: Give your paper a descriptive title.
Author: Include your name and institutional affiliation.
Date: Provide the date the paper was submitted.

II. Abstract

Background: Summarize the background and purpose of your research.
Methodology: Describe the methods you used to conduct your research.
Results: Summarize the main findings of your research.
Conclusion: Provide a brief summary of the implications and conclusions of your research.

III. Introduction

Background: Provide some background information on the topic.
Research question: State your research question or hypothesis.
Purpose: Explain the purpose of your research.

IV. Literature review

Background: Summarize previous research on the topic.
Gaps in research: Identify gaps or areas that need further research.

V. Methodology

Participants: Describe the participants in your study.
Procedure: Explain the procedure you used to conduct your research.
Measures: Describe the measures you used to collect data.

VI. Results

Quantitative results: Summarize the quantitative data you collected.
Qualitative results: Summarize the qualitative data you collected.

VII. Discussion

Interpretation: Interpret the results and explain what they mean.
Implications: Discuss the implications of your research.
Limitations: Identify any limitations or weaknesses of your research.

VIII. Conclusion

Review key points: Summarize the main points you made in your paper.

Case study template:

Background: Provide background information on the case.
Research question: State the research question or problem you are examining.
Purpose: Explain the purpose of the case study.

II. Analysis

Problem: Identify the main problem or issue in the case.
Factors: Describe the factors that contributed to the problem.
Alternative solutions: Describe potential solutions to the problem.

III. Solution/recommendations

Proposed solution: Describe the solution you are proposing.
Rationale: Explain why this solution is the best one.
Implementation: Describe how the solution can be implemented.

IV. Conclusion

Summary: Summarize the main points of your case study.

Lab report template:

Title: Give your report a descriptive title.
Date: Provide the date the report was submitted.
Background: Summarize the background and purpose of the experiment.
Methodology: Describe the methods you used to conduct the experiment.
Results: Summarize the main findings of the experiment.
Conclusion: Provide a brief summary of the implications and conclusions
Background: Provide some background information on the experiment.
Hypothesis: State your hypothesis or research question.
Purpose: Explain the purpose of the experiment.

IV. Materials and methods

Materials: List the materials and equipment used in the experiment.
Procedure: Describe the procedure you followed to conduct the experiment.
Data: Present the data you collected in tables or graphs.
Analysis: Analyze the data and describe the patterns or trends you observed.

VI. Discussion

Implications: Discuss the implications of your findings.
Limitations: Identify any limitations or weaknesses of the experiment.

VII. Conclusion

Restate hypothesis: Summarize your hypothesis or research question.
Review key points: Summarize the main points you made in your report.

Presentation template:

Attention grabber: Grab the audience’s attention with a catchy opening.
Purpose: Explain the purpose of your presentation.
Overview: Provide an overview of what you will cover in your presentation.

II. Main points

Main point 1: Present the first main point of your presentation.
Supporting details: Provide supporting details or evidence to support your point.
Main point 2: Present the second main point of your presentation.
Main point 3: Present the third main point of your presentation.
Summary: Summarize the main points of your presentation.
Call to action: End with a final thought or call to action.

Creative writing template:

Setting: Describe the setting of your story.
Characters: Introduce the main characters of your story.
Rising action: Introduce the conflict or problem in your story.
Climax: Present the most intense moment of the story.
Falling action: Resolve the conflict or problem in your story.
Resolution: Describe how the conflict or problem was resolved.
Final thoughts: End with a final thought or reflection on the story.

How to Write Assignment

Here is a general guide on how to write an assignment:

Understand the assignment prompt: Before you begin writing, make sure you understand what the assignment requires. Read the prompt carefully and make note of any specific requirements or guidelines.
Research and gather information: Depending on the type of assignment, you may need to do research to gather information to support your argument or points. Use credible sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites.
Organize your ideas : Once you have gathered all the necessary information, organize your ideas into a clear and logical structure. Consider creating an outline or diagram to help you visualize your ideas.
Write a draft: Begin writing your assignment using your organized ideas and research. Don’t worry too much about grammar or sentence structure at this point; the goal is to get your thoughts down on paper.
Revise and edit: After you have written a draft, revise and edit your work. Make sure your ideas are presented in a clear and concise manner, and that your sentences and paragraphs flow smoothly.
Proofread: Finally, proofread your work for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. It’s a good idea to have someone else read over your assignment as well to catch any mistakes you may have missed.
Submit your assignment : Once you are satisfied with your work, submit your assignment according to the instructions provided by your instructor or professor.

Applications of Assignment

Assignments have many applications across different fields and industries. Here are a few examples:

Education : Assignments are a common tool used in education to help students learn and demonstrate their knowledge. They can be used to assess a student’s understanding of a particular topic, to develop critical thinking skills, and to improve writing and research abilities.
Business : Assignments can be used in the business world to assess employee skills, to evaluate job performance, and to provide training opportunities. They can also be used to develop business plans, marketing strategies, and financial projections.
Journalism : Assignments are often used in journalism to produce news articles, features, and investigative reports. Journalists may be assigned to cover a particular event or topic, or to research and write a story on a specific subject.
Research : Assignments can be used in research to collect and analyze data, to conduct experiments, and to present findings in written or oral form. Researchers may be assigned to conduct research on a specific topic, to write a research paper, or to present their findings at a conference or seminar.
Government : Assignments can be used in government to develop policy proposals, to conduct research, and to analyze data. Government officials may be assigned to work on a specific project or to conduct research on a particular topic.
Non-profit organizations: Assignments can be used in non-profit organizations to develop fundraising strategies, to plan events, and to conduct research. Volunteers may be assigned to work on a specific project or to help with a particular task.

Purpose of Assignment

The purpose of an assignment varies depending on the context in which it is given. However, some common purposes of assignments include:

Assessing learning: Assignments are often used to assess a student’s understanding of a particular topic or concept. This allows educators to determine if a student has mastered the material or if they need additional support.
Developing skills: Assignments can be used to develop a wide range of skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, research, and communication. Assignments that require students to analyze and synthesize information can help to build these skills.
Encouraging creativity: Assignments can be designed to encourage students to be creative and think outside the box. This can help to foster innovation and original thinking.
Providing feedback : Assignments provide an opportunity for teachers to provide feedback to students on their progress and performance. Feedback can help students to understand where they need to improve and to develop a growth mindset.
Meeting learning objectives : Assignments can be designed to help students meet specific learning objectives or outcomes. For example, a writing assignment may be designed to help students improve their writing skills, while a research assignment may be designed to help students develop their research skills.

When to write Assignment

Assignments are typically given by instructors or professors as part of a course or academic program. The timing of when to write an assignment will depend on the specific requirements of the course or program, but in general, assignments should be completed within the timeframe specified by the instructor or program guidelines.

It is important to begin working on assignments as soon as possible to ensure enough time for research, writing, and revisions. Waiting until the last minute can result in rushed work and lower quality output.

It is also important to prioritize assignments based on their due dates and the amount of work required. This will help to manage time effectively and ensure that all assignments are completed on time.

In addition to assignments given by instructors or professors, there may be other situations where writing an assignment is necessary. For example, in the workplace, assignments may be given to complete a specific project or task. In these situations, it is important to establish clear deadlines and expectations to ensure that the assignment is completed on time and to a high standard.

Characteristics of Assignment

Here are some common characteristics of assignments:

Purpose : Assignments have a specific purpose, such as assessing knowledge or developing skills. They are designed to help students learn and achieve specific learning objectives.
Requirements: Assignments have specific requirements that must be met, such as a word count, format, or specific content. These requirements are usually provided by the instructor or professor.
Deadline: Assignments have a specific deadline for completion, which is usually set by the instructor or professor. It is important to meet the deadline to avoid penalties or lower grades.
Individual or group work: Assignments can be completed individually or as part of a group. Group assignments may require collaboration and communication with other group members.
Feedback : Assignments provide an opportunity for feedback from the instructor or professor. This feedback can help students to identify areas of improvement and to develop their skills.
Academic integrity: Assignments require academic integrity, which means that students must submit original work and avoid plagiarism. This includes citing sources properly and following ethical guidelines.
Learning outcomes : Assignments are designed to help students achieve specific learning outcomes. These outcomes are usually related to the course objectives and may include developing critical thinking skills, writing abilities, or subject-specific knowledge.

Advantages of Assignment

There are several advantages of assignment, including:

Helps in learning: Assignments help students to reinforce their learning and understanding of a particular topic. By completing assignments, students get to apply the concepts learned in class, which helps them to better understand and retain the information.
Develops critical thinking skills: Assignments often require students to think critically and analyze information in order to come up with a solution or answer. This helps to develop their critical thinking skills, which are important for success in many areas of life.
Encourages creativity: Assignments that require students to create something, such as a piece of writing or a project, can encourage creativity and innovation. This can help students to develop new ideas and perspectives, which can be beneficial in many areas of life.
Builds time-management skills: Assignments often come with deadlines, which can help students to develop time-management skills. Learning how to manage time effectively is an important skill that can help students to succeed in many areas of life.
Provides feedback: Assignments provide an opportunity for students to receive feedback on their work. This feedback can help students to identify areas where they need to improve and can help them to grow and develop.

Limitations of Assignment

There are also some limitations of assignments that should be considered, including:

Limited scope: Assignments are often limited in scope, and may not provide a comprehensive understanding of a particular topic. They may only cover a specific aspect of a topic, and may not provide a full picture of the subject matter.
Lack of engagement: Some assignments may not engage students in the learning process, particularly if they are repetitive or not challenging enough. This can lead to a lack of motivation and interest in the subject matter.
Time-consuming: Assignments can be time-consuming, particularly if they require a lot of research or writing. This can be a disadvantage for students who have other commitments, such as work or extracurricular activities.
Unreliable assessment: The assessment of assignments can be subjective and may not always accurately reflect a student’s understanding or abilities. The grading may be influenced by factors such as the instructor’s personal biases or the student’s writing style.
Lack of feedback : Although assignments can provide feedback, this feedback may not always be detailed or useful. Instructors may not have the time or resources to provide detailed feedback on every assignment, which can limit the value of the feedback that students receive.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

Research Project – Definition, Writing Guide and...

Future Research – Thesis Guide

Research Topics – Ideas and Examples

Scope of the Research – Writing Guide and...

Conceptual Framework – Types, Methodology and...

Research Findings – Types Examples and Writing...

Top1000 word
Top5000 word
Conjunction
Sentence into pic

Assignment in a sentence

某某 2016-01-13 联网相关的政策
characteristic (273+4)
reject (233+5)
accuse (158+5)
fishing (202+25)
legislation (216+25)
hat (296+54)
typically (224+14)
solid (258+36)
gate (155+30)
secretary (252+60)
narrow (224+43)
Jew (118+1)
AIDS (269+16)
rural (243+16)
expose (212+11)
cable (176+20)
invest (217+18)
decline (299+17)
engineer (192+18)
massive (279+40)

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Examining Sample Assignment 1: Summary and Analysis

In this chapter and in the next three, I walk through example assignments and how you might analyze them to better understand your task.

This assignment comes from one of my first-year writing classes. It’s a fairly typical early assignment in my first-year writing classes, one that asks students to read a text and engage with it in some way. In this case, the readings include the same one I use as a model in the first section of this book , though the actual assignment differs a bit.

	Summarize the ideas of “segregated coexistence” and “living in community” from Mitchell’s essay and analyze how those ideas apply to the situation described in an additional article (see sources below).
	Fellow college students who are unfamiliar with either of the essays or the terms that Mitchell uses
	“ ” by Nicholas Ensley Mitchell Your choice of the following:
	700-900 words (2-3 pages)

The ability to read critically and summarize accurately is a crucial academic skill. The ability to use ideas from one text to guide understanding in another text is similarly crucial. This assignment helps you practice both of these skills.

Your summary will need to explain the key concepts in Mitchell’s article and to explain the main points in the article that you choose to work with. In class, we will work specifically on critical reading strategies to understand how authors make claims and connect those claims to one another. We will also work on techniques for writing strong summaries that accurately represent an author’s work.

Your summaries of these texts should be between 300 and 400 words of your final paper.

In this part of your paper, you will make connections between Mitchell’s concepts and the specific situation described in the article you have chosen. Specifically, you must try to explain the situation in your article using the terms “segregated coexistence” and “living in community” as Mitchell explains them. Think about questions like the following:

Does the article you have chosen describe a situation that could be considered “segregated coexistence”? If so, what is that situation and how well does it align with “segregated coexistence” as Mitchell describes it?
Similarly, does the article you have chosen describe a situation that could be considered “living in community”? If so, what is that situation and how well does it align with “living in community” as Mitchell describes it?
Are there ways in which Mitchell’s terms don’t apply or don’t cover the issue well enough? How so?

Note that this part of your paper should be between 400 and 500 words long, longer than your summaries. While accurately summarizing is important, readers at the college level are more interested in seeing your thinking, so this part should be longer than your summary.

When I comment on your summary and analysis, I will be looking to see how well you have met the goals of the assignment. That is, I will be looking for how accurately and thoroughly you have summarized the articles and how well you have explained and provided support for your analysis. If you only provide summaries of the articles without analysis, your project will not be successful. Instead, your project should demonstrate your critical reading and thinking skills.

Your summary and analysis will also need to meet the standard expectations of good college-level academic writing, which we will be working on during the term. Your purpose and focus will need to be clear and well explained. You will need to provide your reader with sufficient detail in your summary and your response so that your explanations are clear and thorough. You will also need to provide structural cues that enable your reader to follow the logic of your thinking. And your prose will need to be well written both stylistically and grammatically.

Examining the Verbs in Key Sentences

When I read this assignment, I find three key sentences that tell us what we’re supposed to do in this assignment.

Before going on, try to find the key sentences in the Summary and Analysis assignment. Then, read on to see if you agree with my choices.

Let’s look at them.

First Sentence for Examination

To start, there is a sentence summarizing the assignment at the top. Sentences pulled out like this are often important:

Summarize the ideas of “segregated coexistence” and “living in community” from Mitchell’s essay and analyze how those ideas apply to the situation described in an additional article (see sources below).

The verbs here are pretty direct: summarize and analyze.

What are you summarizing? Mitchell’s ideas
What are you analyzing? How those ideas apply to the situation in the second article you have chosen

Second Sentence for Examination

There’s another key sentence at the beginning of the “Summaries” section:

Your summary will need to explain the key concepts in Mitchell’s article and to explain the main points in the article that you choose to work with.

The verbs here are less helpful, at least until we look at the words around them.

When someone tells you that you “will need” to do something, you know that they mean that you “must” do it. If we substitute “must” for “will need,” we get a bit more help:

Your summary must explain the key concepts in Mitchell’s article and must explain the main points in the article that you choose to work with.

“Choose” is not terribly important for our purposes because it’s just identifying the second source that we are working with. “Explain,” however, seems to be very important.

Here we get a focus for our summary work:

Explain the key concepts in Mitchell’s article (which have been identified in the first sentence we analyzed)
Explain the main points in the article we’ve chosen

In this sentence, we have more detail about what “summarizing” looks like for this assignment.

Third Sentence for Examination

To understand the “analyzing” part of the assignment, we have a couple of sentences at the beginning of the “Analysis” section. I’m including two sentences since the second sentence begins with “specifically,” which indicates that it’s providing more detail about the first:

In this part of your paper, you will make connections between Mitchell’s concepts and the specific situation described in the article you have chosen . Specifically, you must try to explain the situation in your article using the terms “segregated coexistence” and “living in community” as Mitchell explains them.

These verbs require a bit of adjustment before our task will be clear. “Will make” doesn’t tell us much without the following word “connections,” without which we don’t know what we are making. However, “will make connections” can also be understood as simply “connect.” Here’s the sentence with this adjustment (eliminating a few more words to make the sentence grammatically correct:

In this part of your paper, you will connect Mitchell’s concepts and the specific situation described in the article you have chosen . Specifically, you must try to explain the situation in your article using the terms “segregated coexistence” and “living in community” as Mitchell explains them.

Similarly, “must try” doesn’t help us until we look at the words that tell us what we are trying to do. In this case, “must try to explain” is the idea we need to focus on. “Must try” in this sentence is an indication that our professor wants us to make effort, but explaining is really the work here:

In this part of your paper, you will connect Mitchell’s concepts and the specific situation described in the article you have chosen . Specifically, you must explain the situation in your article using the terms “segregated coexistence” and “living in community” as Mitchell explains them.

As with the sentence earlier, “have chosen” just indicates our second article, which is why I skipped that one.

The last “explains” is worth looking at in a bit more detail. In this case, the verb is not about your doing the explaining, but rather the fact that Mitchell has done some. From this sentence, we know that we must use the two identified terms in the same way that Mitchell does.

So, in the analysis part of our paper, we need to do the following:

Connect Mitchell’s concepts, which we summarized in the summary section of the paper, to the situation in our second article.
To do this effectively, we need to use Mitchell’s terms.

Applying Bloom

Having done this analysis, we now have a better sense of the intellectual work of this assignment:

Summary Part 1: Explain Mitchell’s key ideas
Summary Part 2: Explain the main points in our second article
Analysis: Use Mitchell’s ideas to explain the situation in our second article.

Before jumping into the next section, take what you know about the task in the sample assignment and see which types of knowledge and which cognitive processes you believe the assignment is looking for.

After you read the rest of this chapter, decide whether or not you agree with my analysis.

Kinds of Cognitive Processes

First, the verbs.

The summary section of the assignment focused on explaining the key ideas in both articles. It can be helpful to move “up” the pyramid or the side of the grid with the cognitive processes to help us figure this out.

We aren’t being asked to remember, since we can look up the information, but we are being asked to understand both Mitchell’s concepts and the main points from the second article. Notice that on the grid version, summarizing appears at the intersection of factual knowledge and the cognitive process of understanding.

When we look at connections, though, “understanding” doesn’t seem to be enough. Yes, we have to understand, but we’re trying to make those connections (remember the original wording?), and “understanding” seems to be more about making sense of ideas that others have already put together.

The next step is “ applying .” If we look only at the grid, applying doesn’t seem to work, but the pyramids explain this one a bit differently. If applying means to “use information in new situations” or “use information in a new (but similar) form,” the term seems to work, right? The assignment asks us to use Mitchell’s terms to explain the situation in the second article. That sounds like an application to me!

But what about “analysis” in the title of the assignment? Look at the explanation of analyzing on the grid: “Break material into constituent parts and determine how parts relate to one another and to an overall structure of purpose.” Similarly, the pyramids describe analyzing as making connections and exploring relationships.

We aren’t doing this kind of work if we look only at Mitchell’s article; there, we are simply explaining what Mitchell means (i.e., summarizing). But when we get to the second article, we have to do more than just apply Mitchell’s terms. We have to divide up the ideas in that article into ideas that are connected to “segregated coexistence” and ideas that are connected to “living in community.”

To do this successfully, we need to explain how these connections work. This means that it’s not enough to identify specific ideas as either one or the other. We also need to make those connections clear to our reader. Those explanations are kinds of analysis .

The verbs in the assignment do not ask us to make arguments or critique ideas, so Bloom’s “evaluate” doesn’t apply in this assignment. Similarly, we aren’t really “creating” something new, beyond the vague idea that what we write should be in our own words for the most part. These two cognitive processes don’t apply much, if at all, here.

To summarize, looking at the verbs and assignment, we seem to be working in the cognitive realms of understanding, applying, and analyzing.

Kinds of Knowledge

While the verbs tell us about the cognitive processes that we are being asked to use, the examination of those key sentences can also help us focus on the information that we will need to complete the task. While much of this was obvious as we explored the verbs, I’ll break it down a bit here to complete the example.

In this case, we will need to know/understand the following:

Mitchell’s key terms (“segregated coexistence” and “living in community”)
The main ideas in our second article
The connections between Mitchell’s concepts and the ideas in our second article

The first two would be factual knowledge, according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. We should be able to go to the article and find those ideas. We aren’t developing those terms or ideas; we are simply recording them. To do that, we have to understand them, but that’s a cognitive process, and we’ll come back to that in a minute.

The connections, however, aren’t factual. Our chosen article doesn’t use Mitchell’s terms directly, so we have to create those connections ourselves. If you look at the descriptions, you’ll see that this type of knowledge is called “ conceptual ,” which specifically is about organizing factual knowledge.

I don’t see anything here that is asking us to work with procedural (how to) knowledge or metacognition (thinking about thinking), so we are just working with the first two types of information.

Putting It Together

In this assignment, we are being asked to use factual and conceptual knowledge to understand, apply, and analyze.

The assignment comes in two parts. The first part is focused on summarizing Mitchell’s two key concepts and the main points from the second article. This part, then, stays firmly in the factual realm. We’re not supposed to talk about our opinions of any of these ideas or start making connections between them in this section. If we fail to present the factual information (e.g., we are missing one summary or the other; or we misread the article so our summary isn’t accurate), we will not succeed at this part. Also, because this is the more basic part of the assignment (lower on the pyramids and grid), if we don’t do this part accurately, odds are good that our analysis part won’t be as successful as we would like.

The second part, what the assignment calls “analysis,” is really a combination of applying and analyzing. We have to understand the main points, too, but mostly, we would do that in the first part of the assignment. In the “analysis,” we need to explain how the ideas in the second article can be categorized using Mitchell’s terms. We’re applying Mitchell, but we also have to explain if our assignment is going to be successful.

At this point, I have beaten this assignment into submission, but I’m hoping you can see the value in taking an assignment apart like this.

Reading and Writing Successfully in College: A Guide for Students Copyright © 2023 by Patricia Lynne is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Walden University
Faculty Portal

Grammar: Sentence Structure and Types of Sentences

Definitions and examples of basic sentence elements.

The Mastering the Mechanics webinar series also describes required sentence elements and varying sentence types. Please see these archived webinars for more information.

Key: Yellow, bold = subject; green underline = verb, blue, italics = object, pink, regular font = prepositional phrase

Independent clause : An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. It contains a subject and a verb and is a complete idea.

I like spaghetti .
He reads many books .

Dependent clause : A dependent clause is not a complete sentence. It must be attached to an independent clause to become complete. This is also known as a subordinate clause.

Although I like spaghetti,…
Because he reads many books,…

Subject : A person, animal, place, thing, or concept that does an action. Determine the subject in a sentence by asking the question “Who or what?”

I like spaghetti.
He reads many books.

Verb : Expresses what the person, animal, place, thing, or concept does. Determine the verb in a sentence by asking the question “What was the action or what happened?”

The movie is good. (The be verb is also sometimes referred to as a copula or a linking verb. It links the subject, in this case "the movie," to the complement or the predicate of the sentence, in this case, "good.")

Object : A person, animal, place, thing, or concept that receives the action. Determine the object in a sentence by asking the question “The subject did what?” or “To whom?/For whom?”

Prepositional Phrase : A phrase that begins with a preposition (i.e., in, at for, behind, until, after, of, during) and modifies a word in the sentence. A prepositional phrase answers one of many questions. Here are a few examples: “Where? When? In what way?”

I like spaghetti for dinner .
He reads many books in the library .

English Sentence Structure

The following statements are true about sentences in English:

H e obtained his degree.
He obtained his degree .
Smith he obtained his degree.
He obtained his degree.
He (subject) obtained (verb) his degree (object).

Simple Sentences

A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb, and it may also have an object and modifiers. However, it contains only one independent clause.

Key: Yellow, bold = subject; green underline = verb, blue, italics = object, pink, regular font =prepositional phrase

Here are a few examples:

She wrote .
She completed her literature review .
He organized his sources by theme .
They studied APA rules for many hours .

Compound Sentences

A compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses. These two independent clauses can be combined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction or with a semicolon .

Key: independent clause = yellow, bold ; comma or semicolon = pink, regular font ; coordinating conjunction = green, underlined

She completed her literature review , and she created her reference list .
He organized his sources by theme ; then, he updated his reference list .
They studied APA rules for many hours , but they realized there was still much to learn .

Using some compound sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety .

Complex Sentences

A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Dependent clauses can refer to the subject (who, which) the sequence/time (since, while), or the causal elements (because, if) of the independent clause.

If a sentence begins with a dependent clause, note the comma after this clause. If, on the other hand, the sentence begins with an independent clause, there is not a comma separating the two clauses.

Key: independent clause = yellow, bold ; comma = pink, regular font ; dependent clause = blue, italics

Note the comma in this sentence because it begins with a dependent clause.
Note that there is no comma in this sentence because it begins with an independent clause.
Using some complex sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety .

Compound-Complex Sentences

Sentence types can also be combined. A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

Key: independent clause = yellow, bold ; comma or semicolon = pink, regular font ; coordinating conjunction = green, underlined ; dependent clause = blue, italics

She completed her literature review , but she still needs to work on her methods section even though she finished her methods course last semester .
Although he organized his sources by theme , he decided to arrange them chronologically , and he carefully followed the MEAL plan for organization .
T hey studied APA rules for many hours , and they decided that writing in APA made sense because it was clear, concise, and objective .
Using some complex-compound sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety .
Pay close attention to comma usage in complex-compound sentences so that the reader is easily able to follow the intended meaning.

Sentence Structure Video Playlist

Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

Structuring Sentences: Types of Sentences (video transcript)
Structuring Sentences: Simple Sentences (video transcript)
Structuring Sentences: Compound Sentences (video transcript)
Structuring Sentences: Complex Sentences (video transcript)
Structuring Sentences: Combining Sentences (video transcript)
Common Error: Unclear Subjects (video transcript)
Mastering the Mechanics: Punctuation as Symbols (video transcript)
Mastering the Mechanics: Commas (video transcript)
Mastering the Mechanics: Periods (video transcript)
Mastering the Mechanics: Semicolons (video transcript)

Related Resources

Knowledge Check: Sentence Structure and Types of Sentences

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

Previous Page: Main Parts of Speech
Next Page: Run-On Sentences and Sentence Fragments
Office of Student Disability Services

Walden Resources

Departments.

Academic Residencies
Academic Skills
Career Planning and Development
Customer Care Team
Field Experience
Military Services
Student Success Advising
Writing Skills

Centers and Offices

Center for Social Change
Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services
Office of Degree Acceleration
Office of Research and Doctoral Services
Office of Student Affairs

Student Resources

Doctoral Writing Assessment
Form & Style Review
Quick Answers
ScholarWorks
SKIL Courses and Workshops
Walden Bookstore
Walden Catalog & Student Handbook
Student Safety/Title IX
Legal & Consumer Information
Website Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy
Accessibility
Accreditation
State Authorization
Net Price Calculator
Contact Walden

'A disaster so far': Biden freezing on stage during debate draws fire on social media

WASHINGTON − President Joe Biden freezing on stage when discussing healthcare and the economy quickly drew fire on X, formerly Twitter.

The freeze came when Biden was slamming former President Donald Trump for having high debt levels under his administration and mentioned increasing taxes on billionaires. He concluded his answer after a brief pause with “if we finally beat Medicare.”

Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist and NBC News analyst, wrote, “Sorry, I’m voting for President Biden but a disaster so far.” Stephen Hayes, editor and CEO of The Dispatch, tweeted, “Let the Dem panic begin.”

Former top Obama communications person Johanna Maska wrote, "What the hell is he saying? Dems, this doesn't work." Another Twitter user going by the handle @AidanThompsonKS wrote, "Biden is freezing 10 minutes in This is embarrassing."

Some have even called for Biden to be replaced . American journalist Nicholas Kristof wrote on X that he wishes "Biden would reflect on this debate performance and then announce his decision to withdraw from the race, throwing the choice of Democratic nominee to the convention. Someone like @gretchenwhitmer or @SherrodBrown or @SecRaimondo could still jump in and beat Trump."

I wish Biden would reflect on this debate performance and then announce his decision to withdraw from the race, throwing the choice of Democratic nominee to the convention. Someone like @gretchenwhitmer or @SherrodBrown or @SecRaimondo could still jump in and beat Trump. — Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) June 28, 2024

Alyssa Farah Griffin, former White House director of strategic communications under the Trump administration, said, "Hearing from countless viewers of all political stripes and the consensus is Biden needs to be replaced. It’s worse than I believe most people imagined."

Civil rights activist DeRay McKesson said "there’s too much at stake to let the Democratic Party keep doing whatever the “strategy” is that got us in this position tonight at this 'debate.'"

There’s too much at stake to let the Democratic Party keep doing whatever the “strategy” is that got us in this position tonight at this “debate.” Trump is quite literally the worst possible person to be President in generations and that’s saying something. — deray (@deray) June 28, 2024

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Writing Assignments

Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine

Introduction

Assignments are a common method of assessment at university and require careful planning and good quality research. Developing critical thinking and writing skills are also necessary to demonstrate your ability to understand and apply information about your topic. It is not uncommon to be unsure about the processes of writing assignments at university.

You may be returning to study after a break
You may have come from an exam based assessment system and never written an assignment before
Maybe you have written assignments but would like to improve your processes and strategies

This chapter has a collection of resources that will provide you with the skills and strategies to understand assignment requirements and effectively plan, research, write and edit your assignments. It begins with an explanation of how to analyse an assignment task and start putting your ideas together. It continues by breaking down the components of academic writing and exploring the elements you will need to master in your written assignments. This is followed by a discussion of paraphrasing and synthesis, and how you can use these strategies to create a strong, written argument. The chapter concludes with useful checklists for editing and proofreading to help you get the best possible mark for your work.

Task Analysis and Deconstructing an Assignment

It is important that before you begin researching and writing your assignments you spend sufficient time understanding all the requirements. This will help make your research process more efficient and effective. Check your subject information such as task sheets, criteria sheets and any additional information that may be in your subject portal online. Seek clarification from your lecturer or tutor if you are still unsure about how to begin your assignments.

The task sheet typically provides key information about an assessment including the assignment question. It can be helpful to scan this document for topic, task and limiting words to ensure that you fully understand the concepts you are required to research, how to approach the assignment, and the scope of the task you have been set. These words can typically be found in your assignment question and are outlined in more detail in the two tables below (see Table 19.1 and Table 19.2 ).

Table 19.1 Parts of an Assignment Question

Topic words	These are words and concepts you have to research and write about.
Task words	These will tell you how to approach the assignment and structure the information you find in your research (e.g., discuss, analyse).
Limiting words	These words define the scope of the assignment, e.g., Australian perspectives, relevant codes or standards or a specific timeframe.

Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the task word requires you to address.

Table 19.2 Task words


	Give reasons for or explain something has occurred. This task directs you to consider contributing factors to a certain situation or event. You are expected to make a decision about why these occurred, not just describe the events.	the factors that led to the global financial crisis.
	Consider the different elements of a concept, statement or situation. Show the different components and show how they connect or relate. Your structure and argument should be logical and methodical.	the political, social and economic impacts of climate change.
	Make a judgement on a topic or idea. Consider its reliability, truth and usefulness. In your judgement, consider both the strengths and weaknesses of the opposing arguments to determine your topic’s worth (similar to evaluate).	the efficacy of cogitative behavioural therapy (CBT) for the treatment of depression.
	Divide your topic into categories or sub-topics logically (could possibly be part of a more complex task).	the artists studied this semester according to the artistic periods they best represent. Then choose one artist and evaluate their impact on future artists.
	State your opinion on an issue or idea. You may explain the issue or idea in more detail. Be objective and support your opinion with reliable evidence.	the government’s proposal to legalise safe injecting rooms.
	Show the similarities and differences between two or more ideas, theories, systems, arguments or events. You are expected to provide a balanced response, highlighting similarities and differences.	the efficiency of wind and solar power generation for a construction site.
	Point out only the differences between two or more ideas, theories, systems, arguments or events.	virtue ethics and utilitarianism as models for ethical decision making.
(this is often used with another task word, e.g. critically evaluate, critically analyse, critically discuss)	It does not mean to criticise, instead you are required to give a balanced account, highlighting strengths and weaknesses about the topic. Your overall judgment must be supported by reliable evidence and your interpretation of that evidence.	analyse the impacts of mental health on recidivism within youth justice.
	Provide a precise meaning of a concept. You may need to include the limits or scope of the concept within a given context.	digital disruption as it relates to productivity.
	Provide a thorough description, emphasising the most important points. Use words to show appearance, function, process, events or systems. You are not required to make judgements.	the pathophysiology of Asthma.
	Highlight the differences between two (possibly confusing) items.	between exothermic and endothermic reactions.
	Provide an analysis of a topic. Use evidence to support your argument. Be logical and include different perspectives on the topic (This requires more than a description).	how Brofenbrenner’s ecological system’s theory applies to adolescence.
	Review both positive and negative aspects of a topic. You may need to provide an overall judgement regarding the value or usefulness of the topic. Evidence (referencing) must be included to support your writing.	the impact of inclusive early childhood education programs on subsequent high school completion rates for First Nations students.
	Describe and clarify the situation or topic. Depending on your discipline area and topic, this may include processes, pathways, cause and effect, impact, or outcomes.	the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the film industry in Australia.
	Clarify a point or argument with examples and evidence.	how society’s attitudes to disability have changed from a medical model to a wholistic model of disability.
	Give evidence which supports an argument or idea; show why a decision or conclusions were made. Justify may be used with other topic words, such as outline, argue.	Write a report outlining the key issues and implications of a welfare cashless debit card trial and make three recommendations for future improvements. your decision-making process for the recommendations.
	A comprehensive description of the situation or topic which provides a critical analysis of the key issues.	Provide a of Australia's asylum policies since the Pacific Solution in 2001.
	An overview or brief description of a topic. (This is likely to be part of a larger assessment task.)	the process for calculating the correct load for a plane.

The criteria sheet , also known as the marking sheet or rubric, is another important document to look at before you begin your assignment. The criteria sheet outlines how your assignment will be marked and should be used as a checklist to make sure you have included all the information required.

The task or criteria sheet will also include the:

Word limit (or word count)
Referencing style and research expectations
Formatting requirements

Task analysis and criteria sheets are also discussed in the chapter Managing Assessments for a more detailed discussion on task analysis, criteria sheets, and marking rubrics.

Preparing your ideas

Brainstorm or concept map: List possible ideas to address each part of the assignment task based on what you already know about the topic from lectures and weekly readings.

Finding appropriate information: Learn how to find scholarly information for your assignments which is

See the chapter Working With Information for a more detailed explanation .

What is academic writing?

Academic writing tone and style.

Many of the assessment pieces you prepare will require an academic writing style. This is sometimes called ‘academic tone’ or ‘academic voice’. This section will help you to identify what is required when you are writing academically (see Table 19.3 ). The best way to understand what academic writing looks like, is to read broadly in your discipline area. Look at how your course readings, or scholarly sources, are written. This will help you identify the language of your discipline field, as well as how other writers structure their work.

Table 19.3 Comparison of academic and non-academic writing


Is clear, concise and well-structured	Is verbose and may use more words than are needed
Is formal. It writes numbers under twenty in full.	Writes numbers under twenty as numerals and uses symbols such as “&” instead of writing it in full
Is reasoned and supported (logically developed)	Uses humour (puns, sarcasm)
Is authoritative (writes in third person- This essay argues…)	Writes in first person (I think, I found)
Utilises the language of the field/industry/subject	Uses colloquial language e.g., mate

Thesis statements

Essays are a common form of assessment that you will likely encounter during your university studies. You should apply an academic tone and style when writing an essay, just as you would in in your other assessment pieces. One of the most important steps in writing an essay is constructing your thesis statement. A thesis statement tells the reader the purpose, argument or direction you will take to answer your assignment question. A thesis statement may not be relevant for some questions, if you are unsure check with your lecturer. The thesis statement:

Directly relates to the task . Your thesis statement may even contain some of the key words or synonyms from the task description.
Does more than restate the question.
Is specific and uses precise language.
Let’s your reader know your position or the main argument that you will support with evidence throughout your assignment.
The subject is the key content area you will be covering.
The contention is the position you are taking in relation to the chosen content.

Your thesis statement helps you to structure your essay. It plays a part in each key section: introduction, body and conclusion.

Planning your assignment structure

When planning and drafting assignments, it is important to consider the structure of your writing. Academic writing should have clear and logical structure and incorporate academic research to support your ideas. It can be hard to get started and at first you may feel nervous about the size of the task, this is normal. If you break your assignment into smaller pieces, it will seem more manageable as you can approach the task in sections. Refer to your brainstorm or plan. These ideas should guide your research and will also inform what you write in your draft. It is sometimes easier to draft your assignment using the 2-3-1 approach, that is, write the body paragraphs first followed by the conclusion and finally the introduction.

Writing introductions and conclusions

Clear and purposeful introductions and conclusions in assignments are fundamental to effective academic writing. Your introduction should tell the reader what is going to be covered and how you intend to approach this. Your conclusion should summarise your argument or discussion and signal to the reader that you have come to a conclusion with a final statement. These tips below are based on the requirements usually needed for an essay assignment, however, they can be applied to other assignment types.

Writing introductions

Most writing at university will require a strong and logically structured introduction. An effective introduction should provide some background or context for your assignment, clearly state your thesis and include the key points you will cover in the body of the essay in order to prove your thesis.

Usually, your introduction is approximately 10% of your total assignment word count. It is much easier to write your introduction once you have drafted your body paragraphs and conclusion, as you know what your assignment is going to be about. An effective introduction needs to inform your reader by establishing what the paper is about and provide four basic things:

A brief background or overview of your assignment topic
A thesis statement (see section above)
An outline of your essay structure
An indication of any parameters or scope that will/ will not be covered, e.g. From an Australian perspective.

The below example demonstrates the four different elements of an introductory paragraph.

1) Information technology is having significant effects on the communication of individuals and organisations in different professions. 2) This essay will discuss the impact of information technology on the communication of health professionals. 3) First, the provision of information technology for the educational needs of nurses will be discussed. 4) This will be followed by an explanation of the significant effects that information technology can have on the role of general practitioner in the area of public health. 5) Considerations will then be made regarding the lack of knowledge about the potential of computers among hospital administrators and nursing executives. 6) The final section will explore how information technology assists health professionals in the delivery of services in rural areas . 7) It will be argued that information technology has significant potential to improve health care and medical education, but health professionals are reluctant to use it.

1 Brief background/ overview | 2 Indicates the scope of what will be covered | 3-6 Outline of the main ideas (structure) | 7 The thesis statement

Note : The examples in this document are taken from the University of Canberra and used under a CC-BY-SA-3.0 licence.

Writing conclusions

You should aim to end your assignments with a strong conclusion. Your conclusion should restate your thesis and summarise the key points you have used to prove this thesis. Finish with a key point as a final impactful statement. Similar to your introduction, your conclusion should be approximately 10% of the total assignment word length. If your assessment task asks you to make recommendations, you may need to allocate more words to the conclusion or add a separate recommendations section before the conclusion. Use the checklist below to check your conclusion is doing the right job.

Conclusion checklist

Have you referred to the assignment question and restated your argument (or thesis statement), as outlined in the introduction?
Have you pulled together all the threads of your essay into a logical ending and given it a sense of unity?
Have you presented implications or recommendations in your conclusion? (if required by your task).
Have you added to the overall quality and impact of your essay? This is your final statement about this topic; thus, a key take-away point can make a great impact on the reader.
Remember, do not add any new material or direct quotes in your conclusion.

This below example demonstrates the different elements of a concluding paragraph.

1) It is evident, therefore, that not only do employees need to be trained for working in the Australian multicultural workplace, but managers also need to be trained. 2) Managers must ensure that effective in-house training programs are provided for migrant workers, so that they become more familiar with the English language, Australian communication norms and the Australian work culture. 3) In addition, Australian native English speakers need to be made aware of the differing cultural values of their workmates; particularly the different forms of non-verbal communication used by other cultures. 4) Furthermore, all employees must be provided with clear and detailed guidelines about company expectations. 5) Above all, in order to minimise communication problems and to maintain an atmosphere of tolerance, understanding and cooperation in the multicultural workplace, managers need to have an effective knowledge about their employees. This will help employers understand how their employee’s social conditioning affects their beliefs about work. It will develop their communication skills to develop confidence and self-esteem among diverse work groups. 6) The culturally diverse Australian workplace may never be completely free of communication problems, however, further studies to identify potential problems and solutions, as well as better training in cross cultural communication for managers and employees, should result in a much more understanding and cooperative environment.

1 Reference to thesis statement – In this essay the writer has taken the position that training is required for both employees and employers . | 2-5 Structure overview – Here the writer pulls together the main ideas in the essay. | 6 Final summary statement that is based on the evidence.

Note: The examples in this document are taken from the University of Canberra and used under a CC-BY-SA-3.0 licence.

Writing paragraphs

Paragraph writing is a key skill that enables you to incorporate your academic research into your written work. Each paragraph should have its own clearly identified topic sentence or main idea which relates to the argument or point (thesis) you are developing. This idea should then be explained by additional sentences which you have paraphrased from good quality sources and referenced according to the recommended guidelines of your subject (see the chapter Working with Information ). Paragraphs are characterised by increasing specificity; that is, they move from the general to the specific, increasingly refining the reader’s understanding. A common structure for paragraphs in academic writing is as follows.

Topic Sentence

This is the main idea of the paragraph and should relate to the overall issue or purpose of your assignment is addressing. Often it will be expressed as an assertion or claim which supports the overall argument or purpose of your writing.

Explanation/ Elaboration

The main idea must have its meaning explained and elaborated upon. Think critically, do not just describe the idea.

These explanations must include evidence to support your main idea. This information should be paraphrased and referenced according to the appropriate referencing style of your course.

Concluding sentence (critical thinking)

This should explain why the topic of the paragraph is relevant to the assignment question and link to the following paragraph.

Use the checklist below to check your paragraphs are clear and well formed.

Paragraph checklist

Does your paragraph have a clear main idea?
Is everything in the paragraph related to this main idea?
Is the main idea adequately developed and explained?
Do your sentences run together smoothly?
Have you included evidence to support your ideas?
Have you concluded the paragraph by connecting it to your overall topic?

Writing sentences

Make sure all the sentences in your paragraphs make sense. Each sentence must contain a verb to be a complete sentence. Avoid sentence fragments . These are incomplete sentences or ideas that are unfinished and create confusion for your reader. Avoid also run on sentences . This happens when you join two ideas or clauses without using the appropriate punctuation. This also confuses your meaning (See the chapter English Language Foundations for examples and further explanation).

Use transitions (linking words and phrases) to connect your ideas between paragraphs and make your writing flow. The order that you structure the ideas in your assignment should reflect the structure you have outlined in your introduction. Refer to transition words table in the chapter English Language Foundations.

Paraphrasing and Synthesising

Paraphrasing and synthesising are powerful tools that you can use to support the main idea of a paragraph. It is likely that you will regularly use these skills at university to incorporate evidence into explanatory sentences and strengthen your essay. It is important to paraphrase and synthesise because:

Paraphrasing is regarded more highly at university than direct quoting.
Paraphrasing can also help you better understand the material.
Paraphrasing and synthesising demonstrate you have understood what you have read through your ability to summarise and combine arguments from the literature using your own words.

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is changing the writing of another author into your words while retaining the original meaning. You must acknowledge the original author as the source of the information in your citation. Follow the steps in this table to help you build your skills in paraphrasing (see Table 19.4 ).

Table 19.4 Paraphrasing techniques

1	Make sure you understand what you are reading. Look up keywords to understand their meanings.
2	Record the details of the source so you will be able to cite it correctly in text and in your reference list.
3	Identify words that you can change to synonyms (but do not change the key/topic words).
4	Change the type of word in a sentence (for example change a noun to a verb or vice versa).
5	Eliminate unnecessary words or phrases from the original that you don’t need in your paraphrase.
6	Change the sentence structure (for example change a long sentence to several shorter ones or combine shorter sentences to form a longer sentence).

Example of paraphrasing

Please note that these examples and in text citations are for instructional purposes only.

Original text

Health care professionals assist people often when they are at their most vulnerable . To provide the best care and understand their needs, workers must demonstrate good communication skills . They must develop patient trust and provide empathy to effectively work with patients who are experiencing a variety of situations including those who may be suffering from trauma or violence, physical or mental illness or substance abuse (French & Saunders, 2018).

Poor quality paraphrase example

This is a poor example of paraphrasing. Some synonyms have been used and the order of a few words changed within the sentences however the colours of the sentences indicate that the paragraph follows the same structure as the original text.

Health care sector workers are often responsible for vulnerable patients. To understand patients and deliver good service , they need to be excellent communicators . They must establish patient rapport and show empathy if they are to successfully care for patients from a variety of backgrounds and with different medical, psychological and social needs (French & Saunders, 2018).

A good quality paraphrase example

This example demonstrates a better quality paraphrase. The author has demonstrated more understanding of the overall concept in the text by using the keywords as the basis to reconstruct the paragraph. Note how the blocks of colour have been broken up to see how much the structure has changed from the original text.

Empathetic communication is a vital skill for health care workers. Professionals in these fields are often responsible for patients with complex medical, psychological and social needs. Empathetic communication assists in building rapport and gaining the necessary trust to assist these vulnerable patients by providing appropriate supportive care (French & Saunders, 2018).

The good quality paraphrase example demonstrates understanding of the overall concept in the text by using key words as the basis to reconstruct the paragraph. Note how the blocks of colour have been broken up, which indicates how much the structure has changed from the original text.

What is synthesising?

Synthesising means to bring together more than one source of information to strengthen your argument. Once you have learnt how to paraphrase the ideas of one source at a time, you can consider adding additional sources to support your argument. Synthesis demonstrates your understanding and ability to show connections between multiple pieces of evidence to support your ideas and is a more advanced academic thinking and writing skill.

Follow the steps in this table to improve your synthesis techniques (see Table 19.5 ).

Table 19.5 Synthesising techniques

1	Check your referencing guide to learn how to correctly reference more than one author at a time in your paper.
2	While taking notes for your research, try organising your notes into themes. This way you can keep similar ideas from different authors together.
3	Identify similar language and tone used by authors so that you can group similar ideas together.
4	Synthesis can not only be about grouping ideas together that are similar, but also those that are different. See how you can contrast authors in your writing to also strengthen your argument.

Example of synthesis

There is a relationship between academic procrastination and mental health outcomes. Procrastination has been found to have a negative effect on students’ well-being (Balkis, & Duru, 2016). Yerdelen, McCaffrey, and Klassens’ (2016) research results suggested that there was a positive association between procrastination and anxiety. This was corroborated by Custer’s (2018) findings which indicated that students with higher levels of procrastination also reported greater levels of the anxiety. Therefore, it could be argued that procrastination is an ineffective learning strategy that leads to increased levels of distress.

Topic sentence | Statements using paraphrased evidence | Critical thinking (student voice) | Concluding statement – linking to topic sentence

This example demonstrates a simple synthesis. The author has developed a paragraph with one central theme and included explanatory sentences complete with in-text citations from multiple sources. Note how the blocks of colour have been used to illustrate the paragraph structure and synthesis (i.e., statements using paraphrased evidence from several sources). A more complex synthesis may include more than one citation per sentence.

Creating an argument

What does this mean.

Throughout your university studies, you may be asked to ‘argue’ a particular point or position in your writing. You may already be familiar with the idea of an argument, which in general terms means to have a disagreement with someone. Similarly, in academic writing, if you are asked to create an argument, this means you are asked to have a position on a particular topic, and then justify your position using evidence.

What skills do you need to create an argument?

In order to create a good and effective argument, you need to be able to:

Read critically to find evidence
Plan your argument
Think and write critically throughout your paper to enhance your argument

For tips on how to read and write critically, refer to the chapter Thinking for more information. A formula for developing a strong argument is presented below.

A formula for a good argument

A diagram on the formula for a ggood argument which includes deciding what side of argument you are on, research evidence to support your argument, create a plan to create a logically flowing argument and writing your argument

What does an argument look like?

As can be seen from the figure above, including evidence is a key element of a good argument. While this may seem like a straightforward task, it can be difficult to think of wording to express your argument. The table below provides examples of how you can illustrate your argument in academic writing (see Table 19.6 ).

Table 19.6 Argument

Introducing your argument	• This paper will argue/claim that... • ...is an important factor/concept/idea/ to consider because... • … will be argued/outlined in this paper.
Introducing evidence for your argument	• Smith (2014) outlines that.... • This evidence demonstrates that... • According to Smith (2014)… • For example, evidence/research provided by Smith (2014) indicates that...
Giving the reason why your point/evidence is important	• Therefore this indicates... • This evidence clearly demonstrates.... • This is important/significant because... • This data highlights...
Concluding a point	• Overall, it is clear that... • Therefore, … are reasons which should be considered because... • Consequently, this leads to.... • The research presented therefore indicates...

Editing and proofreading (reviewing)

Once you have finished writing your first draft it is recommended that you spend time revising your work. Proofreading and editing are two different stages of the revision process.

Editing considers the overall focus or bigger picture of the assignment
Proofreading considers the finer details

Editing mindmap with the words sources, content,s tructure and style. Proofreading mindmap with the words referencing, word choice, grammar and spelling and punctuation

As can be seen in the figure above there are four main areas that you should review during the editing phase of the revision process. The main things to consider when editing include content, structure, style, and sources. It is important to check that all the content relates to the assignment task, the structure is appropriate for the purposes of the assignment, the writing is academic in style, and that sources have been adequately acknowledged. Use the checklist below when editing your work.

Editing checklist

Have I answered the question accurately?
Do I have enough credible, scholarly supporting evidence?
Is my writing tone objective and formal enough or have I used emotive and informal language?
Have I written in the third person not the first person?
Do I have appropriate in-text citations for all my information?
Have I included the full details for all my in-text citations in my reference list?

There are also several key things to look out for during the proofreading phase of the revision process. In this stage it is important to check your work for word choice, grammar and spelling, punctuation and referencing errors. It can be easy to mis-type words like ‘from’ and ‘form’ or mix up words like ‘trail’ and ‘trial’ when writing about research, apply American rather than Australian spelling, include unnecessary commas or incorrectly format your references list. The checklist below is a useful guide that you can use when proofreading your work.

Proofreading checklist

Is my spelling and grammar accurate?
Are they complete?
Do they all make sense?
Do they only contain only one idea?
Do the different elements (subject, verb, nouns, pronouns) within my sentences agree?
Are my sentences too long and complicated?
Do they contain only one idea per sentence?
Is my writing concise? Take out words that do not add meaning to your sentences.
Have I used appropriate discipline specific language but avoided words I don’t know or understand that could possibly be out of context?
Have I avoided discriminatory language and colloquial expressions (slang)?
Is my referencing formatted correctly according to my assignment guidelines? (for more information on referencing refer to the Managing Assessment feedback section).

This chapter has examined the experience of writing assignments. It began by focusing on how to read and break down an assignment question, then highlighted the key components of essays. Next, it examined some techniques for paraphrasing and summarising, and how to build an argument. It concluded with a discussion on planning and structuring your assignment and giving it that essential polish with editing and proof-reading. Combining these skills and practising them, can greatly improve your success with this very common form of assessment.

Academic writing requires clear and logical structure, critical thinking and the use of credible scholarly sources.
A thesis statement is important as it tells the reader the position or argument you have adopted in your assignment. Not all assignments will require a thesis statement.
Spending time analysing your task and planning your structure before you start to write your assignment is time well spent.
Information you use in your assignment should come from credible scholarly sources such as textbooks and peer reviewed journals. This information needs to be paraphrased and referenced appropriately.
Paraphrasing means putting something into your own words and synthesising means to bring together several ideas from sources.
Creating an argument is a four step process and can be applied to all types of academic writing.
Editing and proofreading are two separate processes.

Academic Skills Centre. (2013). Writing an introduction and conclusion . University of Canberra, accessed 13 August, 2013, http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/conclusions

Balkis, M., & Duru, E. (2016). Procrastination, self-regulation failure, academic life satisfaction, and affective well-being: underregulation or misregulation form. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 31 (3), 439-459.

Custer, N. (2018). Test anxiety and academic procrastination among prelicensure nursing students. Nursing education perspectives, 39 (3), 162-163.

Yerdelen, S., McCaffrey, A., & Klassen, R. M. (2016). Longitudinal examination of procrastination and anxiety, and their relation to self-efficacy for self-regulated learning: Latent growth curve modeling. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16 (1).

Writing Assignments Copyright © 2021 by Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of assignment in English

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

It was a jammy assignment - more of a holiday really.
He took this award-winning photograph while on assignment in the Middle East .
His two-year assignment to the Mexico office starts in September .
She first visited Norway on assignment for the winter Olympics ten years ago.
He fell in love with the area after being there on assignment for National Geographic in the 1950s.
act as something
all work and no play (makes Jack a dull boy) idiom
be at work idiom
be in work idiom
housekeeping
in the line of duty idiom
join duty idiom

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

assignment | American Dictionary

Assignment | business english, examples of assignment, collocations with assignment.

These are words often used in combination with assignment .

Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

Translations of assignment

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)

Learn more with +Plus

Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
English–Dutch Dutch–English
English–French French–English
English–German German–English
English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
English–Italian Italian–English
English–Japanese Japanese–English
English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
English–Polish Polish–English
English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
English–Spanish Spanish–English
English–Swedish Swedish–English
Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
on assignment
American Noun
Collocations
Translations
All translations

To add assignment to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add assignment to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

French woman with partial paralysis receives salary without working for 20 years, sues employer

Woman claims she was ‘discarded employee’, was never given work assignments

A disabled French woman is suing telecom giant Orange, alleging workplace discrimination after she was paid for over 20 years without being assigned any job responsibilities.

Laurence Van Wassenhove was hired by France Telecom in 1993, a company later taken over by Orange.

Born with partial paralysis of the face and limbs, and suffering from epilepsy, Van Wassenhove was initially offered a suitable position as a secretary, and the company initially adapted to her medical conditions.

However, her troubles began after she requested a transfer to another region where the managers did not adapt Van Wassenhove’s work duties to fit her disabilities.

Her conditions remained unchanged despite her repeated requests to work remotely and her complaints to government and anti-discrimination authorities.

During this period, Van Wassenhove described herself as a “discarded employee”, isolated from actual work activities, with no assignments, office, or colleagues.

Van Wassenhove said her income also gradually decreased, and her retirement pension was cut, resulting in an estimated economic loss of about €650,000 (US$700,000).

After consulting with her lawyer, she decided to take legal action against Orange.

Her lawyer, describing Van Wassenhove as “a victim of discrimination since 2004”, claimed that the telecom giant was attempting to coerce her into quitting her job.

Her lawyer stated: “For the disabled, a job means securing a place in society. We sued because of [Van Wassenhove’s] deterioration of health due to the company’s negligence, moral harassment, and discrimination.”

In response, Orange told the French newspaper La Dépêche that it had maintained her full salary and had done everything possible to ensure that Van Wassenhove worked in the best possible conditions.

“A return to work in adapted positions was apparently also planned, but it never materialised because the employee was regularly on sick leave,” the company stated.

In France, the Labour Code stipulates protections against discrimination towards disabled persons.

The regulations include enforcing quotas for disabled employees in companies with at least 20 employees as well as broader mandates to incentivise employers to integrate disabled individuals into the workforce.

The story caught attention in mainland China, with many users expressing jealousy of Van Wassenhove’s situation.

One person commented: “While it’s about dignity for her, I envy her situation. I, too, wish I could stay at home and get paid. Such good fortune seems like only a dream!”

Some people also defended the company’s approach.

“Assuming the company isn’t lying, having an employee who is frequently on sick leave is problematic. Others have to cover her work, and if her output is subpar, it just creates more problems. Besides their regular duties, her supervisors are also pressured to find suitable tasks for her. Should the entire company adapt to her needs?” asked one person.

Another person asked: “Did the company restrict her from pursuing part-time work? She could get paid and find something else to do. Even volunteering would be fine!”

IMAGES

How To Write A Complete Sentence Worksheets
Revision Assignment
The topic sentence assignment.docx
Writing In Complete Sentences Worksheets
Sentences with Assignment, Assignment in a Sentence in English
COMM 141 Week 4 Sentence Writing Assignment 3% .doc

VIDEO

assignment grammar (Conditional Sentence Type 2&3)
How to download assignments and worksheets in word
English Assignment(Sentence Structure/Punctuation Marks)
Facts about Prison in Brazil! #shorts
Synonyms of work
english assignment about "CONDITIONAL SENTENCE"

COMMENTS

Sentences with Assignment: 53 Examples for Better English
Assignment in a sentence Sentences with assignment. Here are the first 10 sentences with assignment. Read and repeat them all. If any of the sentences are tricky to pronounce, say them slowly a few times so that you can build up confidence with them. The assignment was due at the end of the week. Lucy worked diligently on her assignment.
Examples of 'Assignment' in a Sentence
noun. Definition of assignment. Synonyms for assignment. The reporter is here on assignment. The reporter is here on an assignment. She asked if she could change her seating assignment. The students were given a homework assignment. The reporter's assignment is to interview the candidate.
ASSIGNMENT in a Sentence Examples: 21 Ways to Use Assignment
Assignment is a task or piece of work that someone is given to do. It can also refer to the allocation of a particular task or job to someone. To use the word assignment in a sentence, simply place it in the context of giving or receiving a task. For example, "The teacher handed out the math assignment to the students" or "I have a new ...
Examples of "Assignment" in a Sentence
For example, if you have an interest in photography, you may find an assignment asking for an explanation of the differences between digital and film lens focal lengths. 0. 1. The animals were to race across a river, and the order of assignment would be based on the order of the animals reaching the opposite riverbank.
Assign In A Sentence: A Great Word For School Or Work!
In the case of "assign," the subject is the entity that is giving out an assignment or a task. Verb (V): This is the action word in the sentence. "Assign" is the verb that denotes the action of allocating or designating a task or responsibility to someone or something. Object (O): This is the person or thing that is receiving the action ...
Understanding Assignments
What this handout is about. The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms ...
Assignment Definition & Meaning
How to use assignment in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Assignment. the act of assigning something; a position, post, or office to which one is assigned… See the full definition ... Padrón voluntarily moved out of the house, but continued to help the cast work toward finishing their assignment.
Examples of 'assignment' in a sentence
I settled for a short hop across the Channel on a work assignment. Times, Sunday Times. ( 2016) His first assignment was to write a program for an insurance broker in Dorset, using assembly code. Times, Sunday Times. ( 2016) They must be capable of being converted into specific targets and specific assignments. Peter F. Drucker.
ASSIGNMENT in a sentence
Examples of ASSIGNMENT in a sentence, how to use it. 97 examples: Apart from that, there is a suspicion that programming without assignments or…
How to Use Assignment with Example Sentences
Listen to all | All sentences (with pause) Used with adjectives: " I am giving you a special assignment. (special, important) " This assignment could be very dangerous. (dangerous, difficult, tough) " I am busy with a work assignment. (work, school, job) " I've finished my reading assignment.
Assignment Analysis & Sentence Outline
Assignment Analysis & Sentence Outline. In the Effective Writing Center, we sometimes have to tell students, "Your paper is well written and interesting, but it doesn't fulfill the assignment. You've done good work, but it's not what your professor is looking for. Let's analyze this assignment closely . . . ."
Assignment: In a Sentence
Definition of Assignment. a particular task or duty that one is expected to complete. Examples of Assignment in a sentence. On assignment for the Washington Post, the reporter combed the city in search of information. The student's math assignment was too difficult, so he asked his teacher for help completing it.
Assignment in a Sentence
Proper usage of assignment in context. First example: The assignment due date is fast approaching and I still haven't started. ... A task or piece of work assigned to someone as part of a job or course of study. Synonyms: task. ... Example sentences containing assignment from English sources The assignment due date is fast approaching and I ...
ASSIGNMENT
ASSIGNMENT meaning: 1. a piece of work given to someone, typically as part of their studies or job: 2. a job that…. Learn more.
assignment working
High quality example sentences with "assignment working" in context from reliable sources - Ludwig is the linguistic search engine that helps you to write better in English ... The automatic feature only works in Docs on the desktop, though, while manual assignments work in Docs, Sheets and Slides on desktop and mobile. 4 TechCrunch
Assignment in a sentence
assignment example sentences. 1. Now, moving on, your assignment will be to infiltrate the structure. 2. He had had the opportunity to have several made recently on assignment in Hong Kong. 3. "Thanks for the update, I thank you for the lovely assignment. 4. For today's assignment have a look at the table below.
Assignment
Topic sentence: Introduce the main idea or argument of the paragraph. Evidence: Provide evidence or examples to support your point. Analysis: Explain how the evidence supports your argument. ... Individual or group work: Assignments can be completed individually or as part of a group. Group assignments may require collaboration and ...
What is the difference between assignment and homework ...
homework. ? 1 `assignment'. An assignment is a task that someone is given to do, usually as part of their job. My first major assignment as a reporter was to cover a large-scale riot. An assignment is also a piece of academic work given to students. The course has some heavy reading assignments.
Examples of "Assign" in a Sentence
1. 0. Assign a specific egg color for each team. 1. 0. He brought existential propositions, indeed, within a rational system through the principle that it must be feasible to assign a sufficient reason for them, but he refused to bring them under the conception of identity or necessity, i.e. 0. 0.
Assignment in a sentence (esp. good sentence like quote, proverb...)
264+16 sentence examples: 1. She's gone to Italy on a special assignment. 2. He has got a new assignment for you. 3. I've been working at my assignment all day. 4. He's made a monumental cock-up of his first assignment. 5.
Examining Sample Assignment 1: Summary and Analysis
To start, there is a sentence summarizing the assignment at the top. Sentences pulled out like this are often important: ... Having done this analysis, we now have a better sense of the intellectual work of this assignment: Summary Part 1: Explain Mitchell's key ideas; Summary Part 2: Explain the main points in our second article ...
Sentence Structure and Types of Sentences
Sentence types can also be combined. A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. Key: independent clause = yellow, bold; comma or semicolon = pink, regular font; coordinating conjunction = green, underlined; dependent clause = blue, italics She completed her literature review, but she still needs to work on her methods section even ...
Biden freezing on stage during debate draws fire on X
Dems, this doesn't work." Another Twitter user going by the handle @AidanThompsonKS wrote, "Biden is freezing 10 minutes in This is embarrassing." Some have even called for Biden to be replaced .
Writing Assignments
Writing Assignments Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine. Figure 19.1 Assignments are a common method of assessment at university and require careful planning and good quality research. Image by Kampus Production used under CC0 licence. Introduction. Assignments are a common method of assessment at university and require careful planning and good quality research.
At least 5 dead after missile fragments scatter over beachgoers in
At least five people, three children and two adults have been killed, Russian authorities announced Sunday and over 100 people injured where fragments reached some beachgoers during a Ukrainian ...
ASSIGNMENT
ASSIGNMENT definition: 1. a piece of work given to someone, typically as part of their studies or job: 2. a job that…. Learn more.
Officer found guilty in McClain killing won't be allowed to finish
A former police officer convicted in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain will continue serving his sentence in a jail work-release program, rather than on in-home detention, 9NEWS Investigates has ...
French woman with partial paralysis receives salary without working for
A disabled woman in France is suing Orange and accusing it of never assigning her work duties despite paying her salary for 20 years. ... isolated from actual work activities, with no assignments ...