Assignments
At first, completing assignments can seem a daunting task, especially if you have not written anything of this kind in a while. This area has hints on planning and writing your assignments as well as ways to manage the stresses they can bring.
Preparing for your assignments
- Types of assignment – Essay style questions, reports, oral assignments, short-answer questions.
- Understanding the question – know exactly what the assignment question is asking you to do.
- Stages in planning assignments – how to organise yourself and your materials. Contains examples of essay-style assignments.
The craft of writing
- Write like a professional – using supporting evidence, paraphrasing, quotes and referencing.
- Use the appropriate writing style – how to express yourself.
- Introductions and conclusions – what they are meant to do.
- Dividing your work into paragraphs – know when a paragraph should start and end.
- Using linking words – how to make your logic flow.
- English for learning - if you are worried about your standard of English language.
- Reading list – for more help with assignment writing
Managing stress
Preparing assignments, revising and taking exams can make you feel anxious and stressed. Download and listen to our relaxation exercises, or try some stress busting techniques, such as visualisation and positive self talk.
- Coping with exam stress - audio to help deal with stress.
- Visualisation techniques for dealing with stress - Methods to help you relax and be positive.
- Self talk for dealing with stress - Using positive self talk.
English for academic purposes online (L185)
You could take English for academic purposes online (L185), a 30 point, level 1 course that will help you to develop your skills of reading, writing and communicating in academic English. L185 can be taken as a degree programme in a range of disciplines. It is different from subject-based Openings courses in that it offers support and development of academic English. It draws material from many different OU courses and prepares students to work with a wide range of academic texts, including spoken presentations.
Booklet
This booklet complements what you will find on this website. If you are an OU student and would like a printed copy of this booklet, contact your regional centre.
You will need your OU computer username and password to access the booklet.
Assessment query
Check out the Assessment site for help with queries about the assessment of your studies with the Open University.
Remember
Use the assessment calculator, available for most courses, to estimate your overall continuous assessment score at any stage prior to the release of course results, before substitution. If you have any queries, contact your nearest regional centre or the Assignment Records Office at Walton Hall.
Make life easier
If you use your computer for studying you may want to view our demonstration about how to create a folder and save a document on your computer.
Lost a file on your computer? our demonstration may help you search for your document.