skipping an assignment in college

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• Academic Success

What’s the big deal if I don’t do an assignment or lab?

• January 14, 2015

Taking an online course seems so much easier than trekking to campus every week to sit in class, but it isn’t! Without dedicated classroom time, you are always pressured to “carve out” time from your busy schedule to get your work done in each class that you are taking. Online students must have a lot of self-discipline to make sure that each week they set aside time to go online and get their work completed.

One area that can trip up even strong students is when an assignment is missed and you think “That’s no big deal, I have an A average already”. But missing even one assignment can wreck your grade average for that category. For example, in one online class we had a special project that involved recording a job interview. Some students completed it quickly, but others had delays due to finding time to meet with their interviewer, or they had issues with the technology. Those students got a zero on the assignment because they failed to turn anything in on time.

Three students with a high “A” average then had low “C” averages with the missing assignment. For example: before the missing assignment a student’s grade average was 95 for the assignment category, but with a zero for the missing assignment, the grade average dropped to 77. That is a two letter grade drop just from missing one assignment.

Assignments, labs, and discussion boards are things directly under your control – you pick the time to complete it, and you have resources to use to complete the work. It is important to maintain high averages in those areas you do control in order to give you a cushion for a quiz or exam score that may not be as great as you wish.

Discussion board postings are another category where students may not realize the impact of not doing the weekly work. In an online course, the discussion board postings are the equivalent to raising your hand and participating in class. Which means this category is time sensitive and if you miss it – you can’t make up the work.

So how much are those discussion board posts worth to your final grade? You can see the categories of grading by looking at the syllabus for the class. In the syllabus it will indicate what type of work will be graded and the “weight” of that category. For example, if a discussion board category is given a weight of 25% that means that all your work in discussion board postings will be averaged, and that final score then represents ¼ of your final grade! The larger the weighted percent, the bigger the impact that category will have on your final grade.

Patt Peterson, HIT Online Program Coordinator

• Teaching Tips

Dealing With Students Missing Exams and In-Class Graded Assignments

Teachers often become more aware of students’ out-of-class activities than they might wish. Announcements and memos from the dean of students inform about sporting teams and their games and tournaments, forensics, service learning conferences, community-based work, and the like. And teachers quickly become familiar with student lifestyles and illnesses ¾ mono, strep throat, hangovers, the opening of deer and fishing seasons, quilting bees, family vacations, and their family mortality statistics. The relationship between exams and mandatory in-class work and the death of students’ cousins and grandparents is so high it should be a concern of the National Center for Disease Control. Given all this, it is a certainty that students will miss exams and other required activities. What is a teacher to do?

If you want to hear colleagues express frustration, ask them about make-up exams and assignments. Despite knowing intellectually that such absences will occur, teachers hope and pray, even in public institutions, that all of their students will take exams as scheduled. Alas, such prayers are rarely answered, and teachers are faced with the practical issues of keeping track of students who miss exams and assignments, as well as managing make-ups.

All of our advice, except that related to ethics, should be read through the filter of the type of institution where you teach, and the types of courses you teach and how large they are. For example, at a small liberal arts school, where teaching is a faculty member’s primary responsibility, more time may be spent with students who miss exams or assignments, and more creative (time consuming) alternatives may be practical as compared with someone teaching classes of 300 or 500 or more in a Research I institution.

Ethics Teachers are not to cause students harm; we must treat them fairly and equitably, and they must be allowed to maintain their dignity (Keith-Spiegel, Whitley, Balogh, Perkins, & Wittig, 2002). Whatever your procedures are for students who miss exams and required in-class work, they must be equitable, providing students equal chances to earn a good grade by demonstrating equal knowledge. The hard part may be balancing academic rigor and accountability for what students are to learn with a fair and manageable process for those who miss required exams and assignments.

Make-up Exams These should not be more difficult than the original test but must be, as best as you can design, alternate forms of the same exam. Exam banks that accompany texts make designing such alternate forms of multiple-choice tests relatively easy, and colleagues teaching two or more sections of the same course in a semester, who give alternate forms of exams, are often a good source of advice on this matter. Be thoughtful about the following:

• An essay make-up exam may be unethical if regular exams are multiple choice or short answer (or vice versa), since students must study differently and they may be more difficult.
• An oral exam may “punish” students who do not think well on their feet, or are more socially anxious.
• Scheduling make-up exams at inconvenient or undesirable times may express your frustration, but you or someone else will have to be there at the “inconvenient” time also, and such arrangements raise issues of foul play.
• It may be inequitable to students who meet all course requirements to allow their peers to do extra credit or drop their lowest grade instead of making up a missed exam.

In-class Assignments The same considerations exist for students who miss in-class required presentations, or other graded work. If possible, students who were to present should be given opportunities to make up the assignment using the same grading criteria.

Planning Ahead

Spell-out Missed Exam Procedure in Course Policies No matter how well you teach or what inducements or penalties you impose, some students will miss exams and required class activities. Good educational practice argues that you plan for this reality as you design your course, not two days before (or after) your first exam. You want as few surprises as possible once the course begins.

Put your policies in your syllabus. Have a section in your syllabus on exams and other graded work. Specify your policies and procedures if students know in advance they will be absent, or how to notify you if, for whatever reason, they were absent, and any effect, if any, absences will have on their grade.

Keep your policy clear and simple. Before finalizing your syllabus, ask a few students to read your make-up policy to determine if it can be easily understood. If your explanation of what students are to do in the case of missing an exam, and how their grade is affected, is not easily understood, revise it. In developing your policy, do you want students to:

• Notify you if they know they will miss, preferably at least 24 hours in advance, and give you the reason? Talking with you before or after class offers the best opportunity to provide feedback if the reason is questionable, to work out alternatives, and so forth. E-mail also can be useful.
• Notify you as soon as possible after missing an exam or required assignment and give the reason? Again, in person or e-mail work best.
• Present a letter from an authority (e.g., physician) documenting the reason? Keep in mind any student can “forge” such documentation or manipulate it in other ways, e.g., “Fred came to see me complaining of a severe headache.”
• Have their grades lowered if their absence is not “acceptable” (e.g., overslept versus seriously ill)? How will you decide what is acceptable? Our experience suggests that “legitimate” reasons for absence include, but are not limited to: illness of the student or a close relative, accident, court appearance, military duty, broken auto, hazardous weather, and university activities (e.g., athletics, forensics).

Policies should reflect the nature of the exam or graded assignment. If you are teaching an introductory course and each module largely stands alone, it may be appropriate for students to make up a missed exam late in the semester. But if you want students to demonstrate knowledge or competency on an exam or assignment because future course material builds on that which comes earlier, you want to give the students much less time to make up the missed work.

Common policies. A common procedure is for the teacher, teaching assistant, or departmental secretary to distribute and proctor make-up exams during prearranged times (Perlman&McCann, in press). You might also consider allowing students to take make-up exams during exam periods in other courses you are teaching.

Make your policies easy to implement. To maintain your sanity and keep your stress level manageable, you must be able to easily implement your policies. For example, even if you, a secretary, or a graduate student distribute and proctor make-up exams, problems can arise. For example:

• The secretary is ill or on vacation, or you are ill or have a conference to attend. You never want to change the time make-ups are available to students once these are listed in the course syllabus. Have backups available who know where make-up exams are stored, can access them, and can administer and proctor them.
• Too many students for the make-up space. Investigate room sizes and number of rooms available. You may need more than one room if some students have readers because of learning disabilities.
• Students often forget there is a common make-up the last week of the semester. Remind them often and announce this policy on class days when students are taking an exam, as this may be the only time some students who have missed a previous exam come to class.

Encourage appropriate, responsible, mature behaviors. Take the high road and let students know how they “should” behave. For example, one colleague includes this statement in the syllabus:

I expect students to make every effort to take required exams and make course presentations as scheduled. If you know in advance you will miss such a requirement, please notify me. If you are ill or other circumstances cause you to miss a required graded activity, notify me as soon as possible.

One of our colleagues states in her syllabus for a psychology of aging class, “It is very bad form to invent illnesses suffered by grandparents!” By giving students exemplars on how to behave appropriately, you can then thank them for their courtesy and maturity if they follow through, positively reinforcing such behaviors.

God lives in the details. Always err on the side of being “concrete.” If a make-up exam is at the university testing center, tell students where the testing center is. If you or a secretary hold make-up exams in an office, you may want to draw a map on how to get there. It is not uncommon for students to fail to find the office at the time of the exam, and wander around a large university building.

Students Who Miss Exams You have a variety of alternatives available on how to treat students who miss a scheduled exam. Select those that fit your course and the requirements of learning students must demonstrate.

Requiring make-up exams. If you collect all copies of your multiple choice or short answer exams, you may be able to use the same exam for make-ups. Our experience is that it is extremely rare that students deliberately miss an exam to have more time to study, whereas asking peers about specific exam questions more commonly occurs. Your experiences may be different. However, if you put exams on file at the university testing center, and students can take them weeks apart, you may want different forms. If you have concerns, you will need to prepare an equivalent, alternative form of the regular exam, as is often the case for essay tests.

Using procedures other than a make-up exam. Some faculty have students outline all text chapters required for an exam, use daily quiz scores to substitute for a missed exam, use the average of students’ exams to substitute for the one missed, score relevant questions on the comprehensive final to substitute for the missed test, or use a weighted score from the entire comprehensive final substituted for missed exam. Some teachers just drop one test grade without penalty (Buchanan&Rogers, 1990; Sleigh&Ritzer, 2001). Consider whether students will learn what you want from various alternatives and whether this work is equal to what students must demonstrate on exams before adopting such procedures. If your course contains numerous graded assignments of equal difficulty, and if it is equitable for students to choose to ignore a course module by not studying or taking the exam, you should consider this process.

Other teachers build extra credit into the course. They allow all students opportunities to raise their grades, offering a safety net of sorts for those who need to “make-up” a missed exam by doing “additional” assignments such as outlining unassigned chapters in the text.

Scheduling make-ups. Pick one or two times a week that are convenient for you, a department secretary, or teaching assistant, and schedule your make-ups then. Some faculty use a common time midway through the semester and at the end of the semester as an alternative.

Students Who Miss Other In-Class Assignments Allowing students to demonstrate learning on non-exam graded assignments can be tricky. Such assignments often measure different kinds of learning than exams: the ability to work in groups, critical thinking as demonstrated in a poster, or an oral presentation graded in part on professional use of language. But you do have some alternatives.

Keeping the required assignment the same. If the assignment is a large one and due near the end of the semester, consider using an “incomplete” grade for students who miss it. Alternatively, students can present their oral work or poster in another course you are teaching if the content is relevant and time allows it. The oral required assignment also can be delivered just to the teacher or videotaped or turned in on audiotape.

Alternative assignments. As with missed exams, you can weigh other assignments disproportionately to substitute for in-class graded work — by doubling a similar assignment if you have more than one during the semester, for example. The dilemma, of course, is not allowing students easy avenues to avoid a required module or assignment without penalty. For example, oral assignments can be turned in as written work, although this may negate some of the reasons for the assignment.

When we asked colleagues about alternatives for missed in-class graded assignments (as compared with exams), almost everyone cautioned against listing them in the course syllabus. They felt that students could then weigh the make-up assignment versus the original and choose the one that gave them the greatest chance of doing well, and also the least amount of anxiety (in-class presentations often make students nervous). They recommended simply telling students that arrangements would be made for those missing in-class required graded work on a case-by-case basis.

Students Who Miss the “Make-Up” On occasion, students will miss a scheduled make-up. Say something about this event in your syllabus, emphasizing the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor. We recommend that instructors reserve the right to lower a student’s grade by “x” number of points, or “x” letter grades. If you place exams at a university testing center, you may not find out the work has not been made up until the course is over, leaving you little choice but to give the student an “F” on that exam or assignment.

When the Whole Class Misses a Required Exam or Assignment On rare, but very memorable, occasions the entire class may miss an exam or assignment. For example, both authors have had the fire alarm go off during an exam. After a bomb threat cleared the building during his exam, the campus police actually contacted one author to identify whether a person caught on camera at a service station was a student calling in the bomb scare. (It was not.) The other author experienced the bomb squad closing a classroom building during finals week due to the discovery of old, potentially explosive, laboratory chemicals. Of course, the blizzard of the century or a flood might occur the night before your exam. What is a teacher to do?

The exam or graded assignment must be delayed. Prepare beforehand. Always build a make-up policy into your syllabus for the last exam or student presentation in a course. Talk with your department chair or dean about college or university policy. State that if weather or other circumstances force a make-up, it will occur at a certain time and place. This forethought is especially important if you teach at a northern institution where bad winter weather is not unusual. For exams and assignments during the semester, the policy that works best is to reschedule them (again, stating this in your syllabus) for the next regular class period. Call attention to this policy early in the semester, and post it on your course Web site. The last thing you want to do is call or e-mail everyone in the class to tell them an exam has been cancelled.

An exam or graded assignment is interrupted. Graded assignments such as oral presentations are easily handled. If time allows, continue after the interruption; if not, continue the next class period or during your designated “make-up” time.

If something interrupts an exam, ask students to leave their exams and answers on their desks or hand them in to you, take all personal materials, and leave immediately. A teacher can easily collect everything left in most classes in a few moments. Leave materials on desks if the class is large, or be the first person back to the room after the interruption. Fire alarms, bomb scares, and the like usually cause a lot of hubbub. Only if you have a lengthy two- or three-hour class, with time to allow students to collect themselves and refocus, and no concern about their comparing answers to questions during the delay, should the exam be continued that same day or evening.

If the interruption occurs late in the class period, you might tell students to turn in their work as they leave. You can then determine how you want to grade exams or the assignment, using pro-rated points or percentages, and assign grades accordingly.

If the interruption is earlier in the hour, the exam will have to be delayed, usually until the next class period. With a multiple-choice exam, we advise giving students the full (next) class period to finish their exams. If you are concerned about students comparing questions they have already answered, you will have to quickly develop an alternate exam.

A teacher’s decisions are more complicated if the exam is short answer or essay. Students may have skimmed all essay or short answer questions before an interruption. Will they prepare for those questions before the next class period? What if some students only read the first essay question but do not know the others they must answer? Preparing an alternate exam may be feasible, but students need to know you will do so, so they do not concentrate their studying on specific topics you will not ask about.

We know that such class interruptions are rare, but they can wreak havoc with students and teachers, be stressful, and raise issues of fairness that echo throughout the rest of the course. We advise teachers to talk with colleagues, and we have found a department brown bag on the topic fascinating. Your colleagues may have some creative and sound advice.

Summary A teacher needs to plan ahead. Take some time to think about what it means for you and students who miss required in-class work. A little preparation can save a lot of time and hassle later in the semester. Students deserve and will appreciate policies that are equitable and manageable.

Author’s Note: The authors are interested how teachers deal with missed or interrupted graded in-class work (and their horror stories). Contact us with your ideas and experiences at [email protected] .

References and Recommended Reading

• Buchanan, R. W., & Rogers, M. (1990). Innovative assessment in large classes. College Teaching, 38 , 69-74.
• Carper, S. W. (1995). Make-up exams: What’s a professor to do? Journal of Chemical Education, 72 , 883.
• Davis, B. G. (1993). Tools for teaching . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Keith-Spiegel, P., Whitley, B.G. E. Jr., Balogh, D. W., Perkins, D. V., & Wittig, A. F. (2002). The ethics of teaching: A casebook (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
• McKeachie, W. J. (2001). Teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (11th ed.) Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• Nilson, L. B. (2003). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors (2nd ed). Bolton, MA: Anker.
• Perlman, B., & McCann, L. I. (in press). Teacher evaluations of make-up exam procedures. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 3 (2).
• Sleigh, M. J., & Ritzer, D. R. (2001). Encouraging student attendance. APS Observer, 14 (9), pp. 19-20, 32.

Do you know of any research related to taking points off an exam for students who take a make-up for whatever reason? It is mentioned in this article but I’m interested in evidence to back up that it is fair and/or punitive in a college setting with adult learners. Thank you. Gerri Russell, MS, RN

I teach introductory nutrition and other biology classes. If a student can prove that they missed an exam or assignment for a verifiable reason, even if they let me know ahead of time (usually technology related reasons), I let them make it up without taking points off. If they can’t prove it I take off points as follows: 10% off per day late during the first week after the assignment is due. Half credit earned after that. Even if they know there are always students who just miss things for no apparent good reason. I feel like this is fair because it gives them the responsibility for making it up, and I’d rather people become familiar with the material, rather than just not do it at all.

I think that the mid semester tests must be abolished from all colleges/universities in order to let them prepare for the final exams without any pressure of getting grades,this will not give rise to any decompetition then,so I personally feel that my suggestion will be very useful I want everyone to obey that

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About the Author

BARON PERLMAN is editor of "Teaching Tips." A professor in the department of psychology, distinguished teacher, and University and Rosebush Professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in the department of psychology, he has taught psychology for 29 years. He continues to work to master the art and craft of teaching. LEE I. MCCANN is co-editor of "Teaching Tips." A professor in the department of psychology and a University and Rosebush Professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, he has taught psychology for 38 years. He has presented numerous workshops on teaching and psychology curricula, his current research interests.

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Why it’s hard for students to “just turn in” missing assignments, and how to get them unstuck

Mar 29, 2023 | Blog

With the end of the semester on the horizon, many students may feel overwhelmed by low grades or feeling behind in some of their classes.

As a parent, it can be stressful to see that your student has overdue work, or get notifications from their teacher that they’re missing assignments. 

It’s even more frustrating when you’ve told them over and over again how important it is to “just turn it in”…but the work is still showing up as missing.

The reality is that no matter how simple it might seem to an outside observer, doing missing work is almost never as easy as “just getting it done.” If they haven’t done the work yet, there’s a good chance that something is getting in their way. 

If you can figure out what the problem is before jumping in to help them (or make them) do the work, you’ll dramatically increase your chances of success.

In our experience, there are usually 3 main reasons students resist submitting their missing work…even when it seems like “just turning it in” would be SO much easier!

Reason 1: They think it won’t make a difference

Once the due date for an assignment has passed, students often de-prioritize it and move on to focus on upcoming assignments instead. It’s tempting for students to justify this by thinking “there are lots of other assignments, missing one or two won’t matter.”

But what they often don’t realize is that because of the way most grading scales are weighted, even one or two zeros can have an enormous impact on their grade. Showing students the difference it makes to turn in just a few assignments can increase their motivation to get the work done. 

Here’s an example of the difference it can make to turn in just a few missing assignments before the end of the semester:

Overall grade with 3 missing assignments: 78.3%

Overall grade when assignments are turned in: 90.1%

It’s hard for students to calculate these averages in their head, so it can be really powerful for them to run the numbers and see firsthand exactly how much they have to gain from making up their missing assignments.

When we do calculations like this with our students, they are almost always surprised by how much this makeup work could improve their grades, and feel much more motivated to submit the assignments when they can see for themselves the difference it will make.

Reason 2: They think it’s too late

Another reason students often resist doing makeup work is that they think it’s too late to get credit for it. 

Even if they’ve done the math and know that submitting the work would make a difference in their grade, they still won’t want to turn it in if they think the teacher won’t accept it.

Especially for introverted or anxious students, it can be very intimidating to have conversations with their teachers. They might think they’ll get in trouble for asking to submit their work late, or worry that the teacher will say “no.”

The good news is that many teachers are flexible with their late work policies and allow students to turn in overdue assignments even when it is past the “official” deadline to submit them.

So if students can find the courage to ask for help, there is a good chance that their teachers will respond positively and allow them an opportunity to make up the work.

For students who are struggling to reach out to teachers, we often find it is helpful to roleplay these conversations in coaching sessions if they’re not sure what to say, or work with them to email their teachers if they’re not sure what to say.

Reason 3: They feel overwhelmed

Students who are behind on their work often have challenges keeping track of due dates, managing time, breaking down complex assignments, prioritizing work, staying focused, or following through with plans….which is why they fell behind in the first place. 

These challenges can become even more daunting when they are behind in their classes, and trying to complete makeup assignments on top of their normal workload.

This can feel so stressful that a lot of students avoid or put off doing makeup work even when they   know   how much it would improve their grade.

For these students to get their work submitted, it’s essential to help them find ways to…

• Break down the assignments so they have a realistic plan for getting the work done that they’re confident they can actually follow through with
• Lower the stress they feel while they are doing the work so they will be less tempted to avoid it
• Visualize the progress they are making so they can see that their efforts are making a difference

Providing support

When students have a lot of makeup work to complete, having some additional support to help them work through it can be invaluable. 

For some students, this may mean finding a tutor to help them with the content they didn’t understand when their teacher was first presenting the material. 

For other students, having a family member or friend nearby as a source of moral support to keep them company while they are working (and a motivating reward to look forward to as soon as the work is completed) can be enormously helpful.

Other students may benefit from working with an academic coach to help them get unstuck and started on their missing work. Sometimes, having someone else who is not a family member step in to help can reduce stress and conflict at home and make it easier for students to take the steps they need to get back on track in their classes. If you think this type of support would be helpful for your student, please feel free to reach out and we’ll be happy to help! 

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Minimalist Studying

Skipping Class Or Showing Up – When To Do What

I’m red-beard the pirate and i’ve helped thousands of students get killer grades with my book (and i’m even talking about the procrastinators too.), for $4.99 you can have top-off-the-class grades or it’s free. want to know more.

Skipping class is almost always a mistake.

I’ll admit it. Showing up to class isn’t always helpful in a traditional sense. Some teachers can be boring. Learning from them can be impossible. It can even feel like a waste to try. It can feel more productive to just study but it’s not.

When you skip class, you’re missing out on a ton of advantages that you might not fully be appreciating:

• Teachers will like you more
• You will get more options after making mistakes
• You won’t need to manage attendance.
• You won’t miss test hints.
• You will still learn some stuff (even when you think you won’t.)

Do you really have to spend the time to go to class? Unfortunately…

Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice much of your free time studying when you know the right strategies. Be sure to read Time Or Grades? Do You Really Have To Pick Just One? in the members only area. You can join today for free.

The details are important…

Teachers Will Like You More

Teachers hate students that don’t show up to class. (Naturally, this applies less for classes that teachers can’t track attendance.)

In most classes, attendance is mandatory. They do that for a reason. They can’t teach students that don’t show up for class.

It doesn’t matter if you can still pass the tests while skipping class, teachers will still treat you like a student that doesn’t care. When your tests are being graded, your teacher is going to read your good answers and rate them worse. You’re throwing away points by not showing up.

This isn’t an easy factor to measure but it’s huge in high school. In college, it evens out a little based on less attendance taking but it’s still big.

You Get More Options After Making Mistakes

There are times when you’re going to screw up.

That’s okay. It happens.

It’s a whole lot easier to have the higher ground when that happens.

When you don’t show up to class… If you want extra credit, the teacher is going to be a lot slower to offer it. If you want an extension on a paper, you won’t be as likely to get it.

This is partially due to the likability factor. If your teacher doesn’t like you then you’ll struggle.

It goes farther than that though.

Teachers are more likely to give you leeway if they know you have a higher ground position. If you complain about the teacher while skipping any classes, odds are, you’re wasting your time. You can say, “this is a terrible teacher” and the teacher will be free to say, “this student barely shows up to class.” That’s an impossible to win case.

Overall, showing up gives you more options.

You Won’t Have To Manage Attendance

Showing up to all classes solves a huge problem.

How do you decide which classes to show up to and which you don’t?

You can think of a really basic strategy like:

• Show up for tests
• Show up for lectures on stuff you need help with
• Show up for the minimum classes to still pass
• Show up whenever you’re not sick

But any strategy like this comes with a ton of potential challenges:

• How do you know when stuff is rescheduled?
• You’re a terrible judge of where you’re struggling (until after the test.)
• What happens when you skip the max number of classes and unintentionally are forced to miss one?
• But what if you get really sick and need to take long periods of time off?
• Any pop quizzes?

The reality is that picking and choosing which classes to go to is hard. You need to have a student on the inside of the class to give you careful notes on everything. You have to keep notes on your own decisions you’ve made. You need to manage your future choices. Showing up is dramatically easier.

It’s just not worth it to skip.

You Won’t Miss Test Hints

The most important part of any lecture is the teacher emphasis.

When a teacher emphasizes a point, you know it’s going to be on the test. You need to get that information. Showing up for class is the most reliable method you have.

Sure… this can be managed borrowing a quality set of notes but this comes with it’s own challenges:

• Who will do it?
• How can you trust they’ll notice the important things?
• What do they want from you for it?
• You will still be less exposed to the information.

Showing up to class should be your bare minimum strategy to success in class. Skip homework if you must. Skip assignments. Don’t study for tests once in awhile. Showing up for class is a head start for everything that you decide to do. It helps with priorities in every area.

You Will Still Learn Stuff (Even When You Think You Won’t)

Some stuff will stick with exposure.

Sure… listening to a boring lecture is usually a bad way to learn. There are some strategies that you can use to improve your ability to learn. Little things like focus can make a huge difference. If you can find a way to maintain focus, despite not wanting to be there, you’ll remember a reasonable amount.

Most information won’t stick.

The reality is: you don’t need it to.

Lectures are terrible for memorization but they’re useful for finding the links between information you can remember later. It will get you familiar enough to connect the information you lock in your brain.

You don’t need much for familiarity. You just need to focus. You don’t need to remember it immediately. Getting the first exposure from class will get you an important chunk for your learning.

When Is Skipping Acceptable

As a general rule, never skip your classes.

Life gets a whole lot easier that way.

It saves you a ton of potential challenges. You no longer have to ask yourself when you should show up and when you shouldn’t. It will just kind of happen.

There are times when it’s not horrible:

• When it’s an accident

Yes… you’ll oversleep once in awhile. Forgetting your alarm isn’t the end of the world.

Sometimes you’ll be so sick that you won’t even realize it’s class time.

Maybe you’re just caught up doing something fun and miss class.

As long as it wasn’t an intentional decision (or a repeated problem) it’s completely acceptable. Showing up to every class ensures the occasional mistake isn’t something worth stressing about. It’s just a lesson.

• BIG Problems!

Imagine telling your teacher the reason you didn’t show up for class.

If the teacher would be sympathetic then it’s not so bad to skip class. (Ideally, send the teacher an email explaining the problem BEFORE you skip class. If you don’t send it before, don’t send it unless they ask.)

These reasons can include family problems, serious illnesses, or major accidents. So… if you’re coming into the next class with a cast then it won’t hurt to skip.

• Huge Classes, No Attendance Taken, And Serious Evidence It’s Pointless

Have a teacher that shows you movies all class?

Have a teacher that lectures about their own personal life and barely scratches the material (and tells you to read chapters 1-17 for next week?)

Have a class that is so big you wouldn’t have time to count all the students in an hour long class?

Does the teacher not take attendance?

Maybe skipping is acceptable.

It’s often easier not to try and manage this decision but okay… this is a reasonable time to skip. Overall it’s just a poor risk/reward ratio for most people.

Give up on asking yourself when it’s right to skip classes. It gets easier that way.

What do you think of skipping classes? When do you do it? Have you ever done it and regretted it later? Tell your story in the comments below.

A B&C Students Guide To Mercilessly Crushing A Students At Their Own Game (While Laughing Your Way Towards The Ivy-League)

Are you smart but getting meh grades?

The smartest students are often the ones the school system leaves behind. It’s easy to motivate a half-wit (or even almost-wit – like a horse with a carrot dangled in it’s face to get it running. Giddy-up horsey!

You would never fall for that, right? Then this is for you.

It’s easy to procrastinate when you’re getting a raw deal. That’s the smart thing to do.

Academics is a game – and its prizes are good. Really good! There is more to the story than that though. What do you have to do to get that prize? And that matters even more than the prize. Study 18 hours a day for straight-A’s and a high-paying job someday in the distant future? Ughhh… Not me. That’s for sure.

I scored near the top of my college Engineering class while studying less than 15 minutes a morning. And seriously, I don’t sound like a super genius, do I?

Hint: I had barely scraped a 1.0 GPA in high school and I wasn’t skipping and having fun with friends either – I was… dare I say… trying my best.

Big Tip: trying doesn’t matter unless you’re experimenting or already using an effective strategy. Trying without an effective strategies is a waste that can plop your grades in the stinker. First step – STOP TRYING with ineffective strategies.

You got that?

Look… I’m a bit crazy. I get it. I’ve read hundreds of books on grades, learning, and memory. I spent sleepless nights studying obscure academic journals. I swear, I even read the book “How To Read A Book” and didn’t have to drink alcohol to do it!

WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF!?

You wanna’ know why?

Don’t tell anyone but… I care. I was emotionally crippled by the school system. I had heartless, lazy, and downright mean teachers (and a couple good ones that couldn’t help.) It took years for me to untangle their mess…

And I went to college and beat them at their own wretched game. Top scores. Easy studying. Time to make friends and impress the ladies. (You know… the important stuff!)

But I know… I wasn’t alone and I know there are others facing similar and worse challenges than I did. And I may be out of the warzone now but I can’t in good conscience leave you behind without my arsenal.

That’s why a decade ago I founded Smart Student Secrets and got link backs from LifeHack, HuffPo, and good college professors with names I can’t pronounce from all over the world that see these strategies crushing every day. But forget about them… the emails I get from grateful students… that’s the stuff a good life is made of.

My newest book is, in my opinion, the best book ever written for students that want to absolutely crush the academic game.

It gets you to focus your energy on the most important aspects of grades – giving you leverage on the system.

It shows you the big painful studying, you’re not benefiting from – that you thankfully get to stop today and forever.

It takes the latest in academic research on memory and puts into your hands, the exact memorization strategies that a Purdue Professor proved can let someone memorize 2.35 things for every one they’re memorizing now.

And this isn’t about “working harder” – and it’s not about “working smarter” either. (I cringe every time I read that phrase.)

It’s about working only when it matters most and creating the habit of motivated and effective learning.

I guarantee this… You can skyrocket your grades with my book while studying less than you ever had to study before. If I’m wrong, send me an email and I’ll refund you – no questions asked.

Please give me the chance to change your life for the better – it’s on me to prove it. What you’re going to do is: click on the link here or below, click “Buy Now”, fill in the boxes, and you’ll get your copy of the book through an instant download.

Get How To Study Happier Here

Warnin g: Inflation is eating my butt right now. My accountant is saying the prices need to go up to keep up with server costs ASAP or this whole site is in danger. I’m writing this one last message as a last ditch effort to get this book to anyone that wants it. If you want it, do it now while the guarantee and price are still available. You will have it for when you’re ready to start.

Last chance! Don’t miss it at the lowest price and best guarantee I can do.

When Delaying Is Worse Than Being Wrong

Starting From Scratch

The Worst Time To Study

• Why I Love Standardized Tests – And How To Beat Them

Q/A – What Are The Right Grades To Get?

• ← Why I Love Standardized Tests – And How To Beat Them
• Surviving Student Burnout →

16 thoughts on “ Skipping Class Or Showing Up – When To Do What ”

Fire on Fire ❤🐺🔥

I was suggested this web site by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my problem. You are amazing! Thanks!

Good information. Lucky me I recently found your site by chance (stumbleupon). I’ve saved as a favorite for later!

This website certainly has all the information I wanted concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask.

I actually realized that I don’t skip classes. Now I have been two years in my college, and I don’t have any absent days (except for these days that I got sick). I just didn’t skip any classes intentionally. So I think not skipping your classes is easy for me or at least worth it.

Thanks for finally talking about >Skipping Class Or Showing Up – When To Do What – Smart Student Secrets <Loved it!

Located this blog post engaged, added to jumptags

Sure.. in theory-likely doomed to fail in practice, oh well..

I believe other website owners should take this site as an model, very clean and fantastic user friendly pattern.

I always was interested in this topic and still am, thankyou for putting up.

I never noticed how much I struggle with this until I read this article. It’s amazing I’ve never noticed all the bad habits I have when it comes to going to class.

I’m always telling myself the same old excuses. I always blame circumstance. I think, “I’m sick” or “I’m too tired,” or “I’m having a bad day.” Then the teachers mention my attendance and I’m amazed that they don’t think I show up to class enough. I always assumed they were overreacting. I assumed everyone else thought about class in this same way. It seems silly in hindsight.

Everyone has challenges that keep them from going to class. They just choose to go anyway. It’s not a debate. It’s a decision.

Thanks for taking the time to share your story.

It can be tough to make realizations like that. It’s even tougher to share it with other people.

I’ve had similar challenges in my life. That’s one of the reasons I wrote this article. I’m glad I’m not the only one. 🙂

I just wanted to give you a heads up. We’re contacting your email to send you a $5.00 giftcard for Amazon as a thank you for your comment.

We really love great comments from our readers and we’d love to reward some of the best. 🙂

I hope you enjoy the gift card.

I have a simple rule when it comes to showing up for class.

If I don’t feel like going into class then…. I go into class.

If I feel like going into class then I schedule a doctors appointment because I know something must be seriously wrong.

haha Thanks for the comment!

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Home > Blog > Tips for Online Students > Tips for Students > Skipping Class: Benefits And Consequences

Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

Skipping Class: Benefits And Consequences

Updated: June 19, 2024

Published: July 2, 2020

At one point or another in your college career, everyone wonders if maybe they can skip a class or two. It’s a common question: should I skip class? And the answer whether skipping class is a good idea or not very much depends on the class you want to skip, your reason for skipping, and what you will do with that extra time. Read on to find out if you really could skip that class or not.

Should I Skip Class? How To Know

There may be times when skipping class is okay, and there are other times when you should avoid skipping. Here’s a few ways to know if you should skip class:

Read The Syllabus

Before you think about skipping class, read the syllabus! It will hold important information about participation points, graded attendance, and absence procedures. You should also double-check the class schedule to confirm that there are no exams, mandatory presentations, or assignments due on the day you need to skip.

Get to Know The Professor

Find out how your professor reacts to others who skip class. Do they talk to the students afterwards? Do they act like it’s no big deal? Do they mention the absence during class? Try to find out if the professor takes attendance or not as well.

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4 times you may want to skip class.

There are a few times when skipping class may be warranted — here are some of those times:

1. You Need A Mental Health Day

If you need a mental health day, you should take it. Sick days are not just about physical well being, but mental and emotional as well. But make sure you put that mental health day to good use — meditate, talk to a loved one, go for a walk, do some creative expression — whatever helps you feel better. Make the day all about you.

2. You Need To Work

If you are struggling to make ends meet, it may be worthwhile to take an extra shift during class time. Try not to make it a habit, however. To avoid this happening often, make sure your work schedules and class schedules are not in conflict with one another each semester, and that you have plenty of time to work outside of class time.

3. It’s A Waste Of Time

If you have gone through the class enough times to know that your instructor’s teaching strategy simply isn’t working for you, and you have found more effective ways to learn the material, it may make sense to spend that class time doing something else. Before you make the choice to skip class for the rest of the semester, however, double check the syllabus to see if class attendance counts for your grade. If that’s the case, then it isn’t a waste to attend class.

4. You Need To Finish An Assignment

If participation counts for zero points, and an upcoming assignment or exam is worth 20% of your grade, it may be in your favor to spend the class time finishing the assignment, practicing for your presentation, or studying for an exam.

3 Times NOT To Skip Class

There are three times when skipping class is non-negotiable. Don’t skip in the following circumstances:

1. The Day Before The Exam

Don’t skip class the day just before a big exam. Oftentimes, this is a day for review, and you may receive additional help or information about what might be on the test. Even if it’s not written in the syllabus as a review day, it may become one anyways.

2. When Participation Counts

When attendance and participation count for part of your grade , don’t make it a habit to skip class. Those docked points will add up over the semester.

3. On Test Day

This one might seem obvious, but unfortunately it can happen. To avoid this, double check the class syllabus often, check in with classmates and professors often, and write down all exam dates in your personal calendar. The same goes for presentations and large project or essay due dates.

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6 downsides to skipping class.

Skipping class may not always be the best choice, especially if it becomes a habit.

1. You’re Wasting Your Own Money

Tuition is usually paid by number of credits, so you are literally paying per credit for the classes you are taking in college. Let’s say, for example, you sign up for the average of 15 hours of class per week. According to the average cost of tuition , this can mean you are paying $51.02 per class at a public college, and $69.40 per class at a private one. So, essentially, each class you skip is money down the drain. And tuition can run much higher than those figures.

2. Your Grade May Suffer

If participation points are measured in attendance, comments during lectures, or other in-person actions, skipping class means losing out on those points. Even if attendance and participation are not part of the class grade, repeated absences may factor in when professors are grading your projects and assignments.

3. It May Start A Bad Habit

Once you skip class once, you will likely be tempted to skip again. This can lead to a pattern of skipping class that you never meant to get into. It’s best not to give yourself the chance to get into this habit at all by attending lectures each time.

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4. playing catch up sucks.

When you miss a class, you need to find out what you missed, what happened in class, catch up on any revised due dates, study the material, and more. You may spend more time playing catch up than you would have spent in class!

5. Skipping Class Leads To Anxiety

If you skip a class, you may start to worry about what you missed. You also may need to start scrambling to catch up, reach out to classmates to find out what happened, and worry about what your instructor thinks about you. If you lean on the anxious side, it may be better to just attend the class and skip the worrying.

6. Sends The Wrong Message

Professors are passionate about the subject that they are teaching, and show up to share that knowledge with students. Moreover, they put a lot of effort into the classes that they teach. So just deciding not to show up sends a message of disrespect to the instructor.

Alternatively, students who regularly attend lectures show the professor their commitment to their education and can make an excellent impression, leading to potential professional and academic opportunities.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the choice to skip class really depends on something called opportunity cost. If the opportunity to do something useful or beneficial means skipping class, then it may be worth the cost of skipping that class. However, the vast majority of the time, class is the most worthwhile or beneficial use of your time for that hour. It is important to get the most out of your education, and the most out of your financial investment — and that means going to class.

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Skipping Class, Hating College — What to Know, How to Help

Amy baldwin, ed.d..

“There are times when I go into a depression for a week and cannot do anything. Then, I feel better and will catch up on my work.”

This is what one student told me when I asked her about her inconsistent grades and attendance in my class. It is no exaggeration to say that I have these conversations at least twice a week throughout the entire semester now.

And those are just the students who will agree to meet with me and show up to the appointment . I praised this student for meeting with me and being honest about what is going on, and I encouraged her to get help even though she thought she was managing fine.

This is the time to share that I am not a mental health counselor or therapist, and I do not offer advice to students other than that they should consider meeting with a professional.

Our Students Are Struggling

Educators have been telling anyone who will listen that our students are struggling (and we are, too!) and that the issue, which predates the pandemic, has only gotten worse over the past two years.

There are days when I lament that I am not able to just teach but must also spend countless hours checking on the well-being of my students. Let me be clear: I have always reached out to students who were stumbling and offered support and resources, but now it seems as if this is most of what I do. Fortunately, many of my students accept the opportunity to talk through their troubles.

What I want parents to know is that there are signs that my students have told me can mean something more is going on. While the list I am about to share are common behaviors that all college students experience at some time, when these behaviors are coupled together and are persistent, they can interfere with learning and success.

4 Signs That Something's Wrong

1. missing classes and habitual tardiness..

On the surface a missed class or a late arrival doesn’t seem like a big deal. Who hasn’t overslept once or had difficulty finding a parking spot? I don’t really notice when it happens infrequently.

What does alert me that there is something else going is when the student consistently arrives 20 minutes late to a 50-minute class or misses once a week for several weeks. This is when I usually request a check-in to see what is going on.

2. Late or missing assignments.

Because I teach first-year students, we spend time working on organizational and time management skills . They know within a few weeks of my course how to submit assignments and follow the calendar. When they repeatedly wait until the last minute or forget that they have an assignment due each week, I know there may be more to the behavior.

3. Low or no motivation to do the work.

This is harder to discern without asking students why they are not submitting assignments or why their work doesn’t meet the standards. A lack of motivation can signal a variety of issues: fear of failure, perfectionist tendencies, unease with asking for help, and uncertainty about why they are in college.

Therefore, I try to get students to dig a little deeper on what is influencing the lack of moti v ation . In some cases, they indicate high anxiety, bouts of depression, and attention deficit disorder (ADD) as the reasons. And most who come to these conclusions have not yet sought help.

4. Excessive use of technology.

Many of my students have reported that they have difficulty putting their phones down when they need to study or complete work. Some have conquered the issue by designating certain times of the day to check social media or answer texts.

However, I see more and more students who cannot stop using technology during class, even when asked to put their phones away. My students are allowed to use their phones or laptops when we are doing something specifically related to technology, but I also can see that some are on SnapChat or are doing other work than listening or participating in class. And it doesn’t seem to matter if I talk to them after class to encourage them to put away the distractions or make a blanket statement during class to that effect.

When I have a one-on-one conversation with them and we talk about their excessive use, they usually admit to having anxiety and that checking their phones makes them feel better. We discuss other, more appropriate ways to ease their anxiety that would help them also pay attention.

Parents, We Need Your Help

I share this list because I have found that students rarely fail a course or a semester because they are not academically prepared. Instead, it is more likely they are not able to make themselves do the work.

In a few cases, instruction on how to manage tasks and time are all that are needed to get students on track. However, for many, the issue is deeper. The recognition — that they are not motivated or are in need of mental health support — is essential to finding the best solutions for them.

Here is some comforting news: It is most likely that a professor, advisor, or counselor has reached out to students who are exhibiting such behaviors. But we need your help. Providing a safe place to talk through their issues and encouraging them to take ownership of their health help us in higher education do our jobs better. When students see that they have a team surrounding them who want them to feel better and do better, they often have the courage to take the next positive step.

Even though some days I am exhausted and demotivated myself, I won’t stop asking students to talk so I can help them figure out the best strategies for getting back on track or getting the help they need. All it takes is that one student who found a better way to manage that makes me feel as though all this hard work has paid off.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, reasons students skip class – how does this affect college admissions.

Not to rat anyone out, but I've noticed a pretty high amount of class skipping at my school. I'm curious about the reasons behind this, but I'm also wondering how colleges view absences. If someone has a record of skipping class, does that become a part of their application? Do colleges check attendance records, or is it more about the grades and activities?

The reasons students skip classes can vary widely, from personal or family issues, to lack of engagement with the school material, to social conflicts, to simply wanting a break. Absenteeism can indeed impact college admissions, but not necessarily because colleges will see a detailed attendance record. Typically, colleges do not have direct access to a student's attendance records when reviewing applications. They focus more on the academic transcript and extracurricular involvement.

However, habitual skipping can lead to declines in academic performance and less involvement in school activities, both of which are critical components of a strong college application. In addition to some teachers directly factoring attendance into their grades, skipping class means you'll know the material less well, and thus likely perform worse on assignments, and poor grades for any reason certainly raise red flags for admissions committees, as they suggest a lack of commitment or discipline.

Additionally, teachers are often asked to provide recommendations, and a student’s engagement and participation (or lack thereof) is typically highlighted in these letters. It’s best for students to attend class regularly, not only for their own learning, but also to maintain a strong academic record and showcase their commitment for colleges.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Suggestions

Should you skip class or finish that essay instead.

You wake up in the morning and immediately check your phone. The time reads 8 a.m. You just realized you slept through your 5 a.m., 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. alarms. You were supposed to wake up a couple of hours earlier in order to write the final pages of a paper you left unfinished. The assignment is due at 12:30 p.m., so luckily you still have a couple of hours left to finish it. However, one other problem remains: You have a class from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Most college students have experienced this scenario, but it’s far from the only reason students skip class. Some other popular reasons include: not waking up in time, being too sleepy, going to an event that conflicts with the class time and, sometimes, being fully awake, conscious and ready with nothing else to do but just not feeling like going.

To prioritize, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “to list or rate in order of priority and a priority is “something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives.” According to MindTools.com, time management is “the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities.” Time management and prioritization go hand-in-hand. You need to know what you are giving priority to in a day in order to allot your limited amount of time to each task properly. So, if you are struggling with one area, you’re likely struggling with the other as well.

Students often think “I’ll do it just this once,” which makes students more convinced about their decision to skip class. But honestly, this rarely happens only once; a single skipped class will lead to another. This fallacy along with the mindset that skipping is necessary may bloom forth a bad habit. As you grow, you will naturally undertake more responsibilities, such as pursuing a career and/or having a family, in which skipping is no longer an option because of how dire the consequences are.

By now you should have identified if this is a problem of yours. If you have, you’re in luck! Now you can fix it while keeping the future in mind. The first step is to make your courses the top priority. After all, that is why you are in college: to attend classes and acquire the skills and knowledge you will use in your desired career field. Anything within your control that prevents you from being in class should be secondary.

Secondly, prioritize your sleep. Sleep often gets neglected by college students, but is the most important thing students need in order to function well throughout the day. Getting enough sleep is a determining factor of class attendance.

Professors often allot a number of days students can be absent without excuses or penalty. Save these for the dire situations you may have to (or want to) miss class. Everyone needs a break once in a while. Just make sure that when you do take advantage of these days, you plan in advance. Double check that it is not a test day, you have contact with reliable classmates who can provide you with notes and you have already created a positive rapport with your professor throughout the semester.

In some instances, a person may be doing all those things right, yet still find themselves in the same predicament. What then could be the problem? In this case, the person may have too many things on their plate and will have to adjust accordingly. For example, some people register for too many classes in their zeal to graduate quickly or “on time.” It is important to remember that the pursuit of higher education is not a race and there isn’t a set time for someone to graduate. Some may have to consider taking four classes instead of six, even if it does mean staying in school for an extra semester. It is better to take your time and finish well than to rush the process and end up with many regrets.

Stephanie Yamoah, Towson University

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How to Ace Your College Assignments

College can be tough. You’re juggling classes, homework, a social life, and maybe a job on the side. It’s no wonder that sometimes your college assignments don’t get the attention they deserve. But did you know that there are tricks to acing your college assignments? Here are some tips and strategies that will help you get better grades in school!

For many students, college is a big learning curve. It’s a time in your life that involves a lot of change and getting used to many new things. When it comes to college assignments, many students find that things work differently from when they were in high school. The format and types of assessments are different, the criteria for passing can feel unfamiliar, and of course, the level of learning is a step up from high school too.

But getting good grades has a direct impact on your success at college, so it’s important to do as well as you can. So what can you do to get to grips with college assignments so you ace them? Here are some tips.

Read The Instructions

Start by reading the assignment instructions carefully. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to make sure you understand what the task is and what your lecturer or professor is looking for. If you’re unsure about anything, ask for clarification from your instructor. They are there to help you, so you should never feel unsure about going to ask for clarification, or for a little extra direction. You could even ask them what they’re looking for in order to give good grades. For example, is it more about research, or a good writing style? Any tips you can glean from the people marking your assignments will help.

Use Past Papers And Study Materials

When you have a better understanding of what’s required, it can be helpful to use past papers and college study materials to give yourself an idea of the sort of thing that might be expected. Study materials can also give you an idea of the level of detail required and the standard expected by your college. If you’re not sure where to find these things, ask your instructor or librarian for help. Getting hold of some of these past materials will help to give you a framework for your learning, understand the types of assignments your college sets, and what success looks like to them.

Create A Plan And Work Schedule

Once you have a good understanding of the task at hand and what’s expected of you, it’s time to create a plan. This should be a detailed document that outlines everything you need to do in order to complete the assignment to a high standard. Your plan should include a timeline and deadlines for each task, as well as what resources you’ll need and any other information that will help you to complete the assignment.

Work In Short Bursts

One of the best pieces of advice for college students is to work in short bursts . This means setting a timer for a certain amount of time and working on the task at hand for that amount of time, before taking a break. This method is often recommended for students because it’s a more effective way of working than trying to power through for hours on end. It’s also a lot easier to stay focused when you’re working in short bursts. When you take a break, make sure you get up and move around, have a snack, or do something to take your mind off of your work so you can come back refreshed and ready to focus again.

Take Regular Breaks

It’s important to take regular breaks when you’re working on an assignment. This will help to keep you from getting too bogged down in the task and will allow you to come back to it with fresh eyes. When you’re taking a break, make sure you get up and move around, have a snack, or do something to take your mind off of your work so you can come back refreshed and ready to focus again.

Set A Deadline For Yourself

As well as any deadlines set by your instructor, it can be helpful to set a deadline for yourself. This should be a date or time by which you will have completed the assignment. Having a personal deadline will help to keep you on track and motivated to get the work done.

Don’t Leave It To The Last Minute

One of the worst things you can do is leave your college assignment to the last minute. This will only lead to stress and will likely result in a rushed and poorly done piece of work. If you start the assignment early, you’ll have more time to do it properly and you’ll be less likely to make mistakes. It will also give you time to deal with any unexpected circumstances, such as some additional research you decide you need to do, or dealing with a cold that leaves you feeling under the weather for a few days.

Start With The Easy Stuff

When you’re starting an assignment, it can be helpful to start with the easy stuff. This will help to get you into the flow of working on the task and will give you a sense of accomplishment. Once you’ve completed the easy stuff, you can move on to the more challenging tasks. This will help you to stay focused and motivated, and will make the whole process less daunting.

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How to write the best college assignments.

By Lois Weldon

When it comes to writing assignments, it is difficult to find a conceptualized guide with clear and simple tips that are easy to follow. That’s exactly what this guide will provide: few simple tips on how to write great assignments, right when you need them. Some of these points will probably be familiar to you, but there is no harm in being reminded of the most important things before you start writing the assignments, which are usually determining on your credits.

The most important aspects: Outline and Introduction

Preparation is the key to success, especially when it comes to academic assignments. It is recommended to always write an outline before you start writing the actual assignment. The outline should include the main points of discussion, which will keep you focused throughout the work and will make your key points clearly defined. Outlining the assignment will save you a lot of time because it will organize your thoughts and make your literature searches much easier. The outline will also help you to create different sections and divide up the word count between them, which will make the assignment more organized.

The introduction is the next important part you should focus on. This is the part that defines the quality of your assignment in the eyes of the reader. The introduction must include a brief background on the main points of discussion, the purpose of developing such work and clear indications on how the assignment is being organized. Keep this part brief, within one or two paragraphs.

This is an example of including the above mentioned points into the introduction of an assignment that elaborates the topic of obesity reaching proportions:

Background : The twenty first century is characterized by many public health challenges, among which obesity takes a major part. The increasing prevalence of obesity is creating an alarming situation in both developed and developing regions of the world.

Structure and aim : This assignment will elaborate and discuss the specific pattern of obesity epidemic development, as well as its epidemiology. Debt, trade and globalization will also be analyzed as factors that led to escalation of the problem. Moreover, the assignment will discuss the governmental interventions that make efforts to address this issue.

Practical tips on assignment writing

Here are some practical tips that will keep your work focused and effective:

–         Critical thinking – Academic writing has to be characterized by critical thinking, not only to provide the work with the needed level, but also because it takes part in the final mark.

–         Continuity of ideas – When you get to the middle of assignment, things can get confusing. You have to make sure that the ideas are flowing continuously within and between paragraphs, so the reader will be enabled to follow the argument easily. Dividing the work in different paragraphs is very important for this purpose.

–         Usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ – According to the academic writing standards, the assignments should be written in an impersonal language, which means that the usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ should be avoided. The only acceptable way of building your arguments is by using opinions and evidence from authoritative sources.

–         Referencing – this part of the assignment is extremely important and it takes a big part in the final mark. Make sure to use either Vancouver or Harvard referencing systems, and use the same system in the bibliography and while citing work of other sources within the text.  

–         Usage of examples – A clear understanding on your assignment’s topic should be provided by comparing different sources and identifying their strengths and weaknesses in an objective manner. This is the part where you should show how the knowledge can be applied into practice.

–         Numbering and bullets – Instead of using numbering and bullets, the academic writing style prefers the usage of paragraphs.

–         Including figures and tables – The figures and tables are an effective way of conveying information to the reader in a clear manner, without disturbing the word count. Each figure and table should have clear headings and you should make sure to mention their sources in the bibliography.

–         Word count – the word count of your assignment mustn’t be far above or far below the required word count. The outline will provide you with help in this aspect, so make sure to plan the work in order to keep it within the boundaries.

The importance of an effective conclusion

The conclusion of your assignment is your ultimate chance to provide powerful arguments that will impress the reader. The conclusion in academic writing is usually expressed through three main parts:

–         Stating the context and aim of the assignment

–         Summarizing the main points briefly

–         Providing final comments with consideration of the future (discussing clear examples of things that can be done in order to improve the situation concerning your topic of discussion).

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Lois Weldon is writer at  Uk.bestdissertation.com . Lives happily at London with her husband and lovely daughter. Adores writing tips for students. Passionate about Star Wars and yoga.

7 comments on “How To Write The Best College Assignments”

Extremely useful tip for students wanting to score well on their assignments. I concur with the writer that writing an outline before ACTUALLY starting to write assignments is extremely important. I have observed students who start off quite well but they tend to lose focus in between which causes them to lose marks. So an outline helps them to maintain the theme focused.

Hello Great information…. write assignments

Well elabrated

Thanks for the information. This site has amazing articles. Looking forward to continuing on this site.

This article is certainly going to help student . Well written.

Really good, thanks

Practical tips on assignment writing, the’re fantastic. Thank you!

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