how to do good assignment

For any assignment always check with your lecturer if they require a specific structure. If your lecturer has given you specific instructions about how to organise your assignment, make sure you follow them. Academic assignments usually follow an established organisational structure that has, at a minimum, an .

When you have completed your research you should be in a position to prepare an outline plan for the assignment. The outline plan is a more structured and detailed plan than the initial plan you created at the brainstorming stage. It should give you a step-by-step overview of the assignment.

Download a copy  or click on the image above.

This template is designed to assist you with the collection and organisation of information into your notes and to plan the structure of your work before you start writing your first draft. The Assignment Planning - Guidelines has four stages:

Communications from the Library:  Please note all communications from the library, concerning renewal of books, overdue books and reservations will be sent to your NCI student email account.

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Tips for Writing an Assignment and Teaching It to Students

Uw-madison's writing across the curriculum program.

Here are some suggestions to keep in mind as you write your assignment handouts, as well as suggestions for other activities that prepare students to write.

Good writing assignments encourage students’ engagement with course material, promote critical thinking, and help students learn characteristic ways of asking questions, analyzing data, and making arguments in your discipline. No matter what type of writing you assign, how you present the assignments to your students can affect their success.

• Continually share your pedagogical goals for the course and for writing assignments with students.
• Sequence writing assignments to build on developing writing skills by progressing from easier to more difficult kinds of writing and thinking (e.g., move from summaries to arguments, from narrow questions to more complex problems).
• The writing task (what you want them to do)
• The student writer’s role
• Format (length, resources to be used, manuscript details, etc.)
• Expectations for process (draft dates, peer review workshops, revision dates)
• Criteria for evaluation
• Discuss how to read and interpret writing assignments.
• Ask students how they plan to approach the assignment to clarify any misinterpretations they may have and to help them get started on the right track.
• Allow time for student questions.
• Model successful sample papers.
• Do a “norming” session by asking students to evaluate a variety of sample essays (or parts of essays) and explain why the good papers were successful.
• Try writing the assignment yourself and share your efforts with your students.
• Provide students with multiple opportunities for feedback and revision with proposal and draft due dates.
• Have students work in peer review groups together, presenting their work and asking each other questions.
• Hold brief individual conferences in your office to talk about plans or drafts.
• Have students give class presentations on their work.
• Respond to writers, not papers.
• Resist the urge to comment on everything, which will overwhelm students.
• Use written or oral feedback to set a few specific goals for student improvement.
• Respond to early drafts; evaluate final drafts.
• Ask students to hand in early drafts and your comments with their final drafts so you can respond directly to their revisions (and spend less time responding to final versions).
• Have students turn in self-evaluating cover sheets or cover letters with their papers to encourage self-reflection and to guide your feedback.
• Consider giving global or models feedback to short assignment

Communication Across the Disciplines

10 tips for writing assignments.

• Clarify the task. Don't let questions about the task encourage procrastination.
• Do the research early. Collecting and absorbing the material will help you meditate on what you will write, even if you don't get to work on the writing immediately.
• Leave a strong paper trail. Frequently, the lack of good note taking doesn't register until you are in the throes of the final preparation of your project, when deadlines loom, and materials are difficult to recover. This is because one often reads and discards materials as not being relevant during the research process, only to discover later, during the writing process, that they are.
• Brainstorm, make notes, jot down ideas as they occur, and begin by writing the stuff you do know. Most writing will be complex and you can't do all of the stages--brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading--in one fell swoop. Breaking the process into smaller steps makes it more manageable, and lets you make progress even when you don't have large chunks of time to devote to writing.
• Get feedback. It's difficult to anticipate the gaps, confusion, and potential misinterpretations that complex writing can generate. You need to have at least one outside reader to help you.
• Allow time for revising and editing. Once the ideas are drafted, you'll usually find that you need to go back and re-read, re-search, re-organize, and re-think what you have said.
• Make the organization apparent. Use paragraphs, subheadings, and spatial divisions (layout) to indicate clearly changes in subject matter, focus, and depth. Sometimes this is a good time to prepare an outline, to make sure that your organization makes sense.
• Write the introduction last. A good introduction must point forward to what the writing contains. It is a promise to the reader, and should be accurate. The best introductions will be prepared after you know what you will say and how you will say it.
• Check for accuracy. Research-based writing is often complex and it is easy to overlook a mistake made while drafting. Check your sources, read carefully through your quotations, citations, and documentation.
• Proofread carefully. This is often a step left out in the crunch to finish by a deadline, and yet, it is often little mistakes (typos, errors of punctuation and grammar) which communicate to your reader a sense of carelessness or inability to write.
• Forgive yourself for what is not perfect. We never stop learning how to write. No draft is ever perfect, but the deadline requires that you do your best and then send it out into the world of the reader.

Created by Susan Wyche

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9 Awesome Assignment Writing Tips to Get Better Marks!

There are some things that are common among every student in the universe: they do not like getting up early, they hate it when their best friend is absent, and they absolutely despise writing assignments.

Well, we can’t solve the first two problems (because it’s between you, your parents and your best friend) – we can definitely solve the third one – writing assignments.

We know that the word ‘assignment’ usually sends shivers down your spine. You have got a blank page, a ticking clock, and probably your best buddy – procrastination. Those are enough things to send you into panic mode.

So what if we tell you that writing those dreadful assignments can be a really fun and easy process? All you need is some assignment writing tips up your sleeve, and we’re going to give you just that.

Yes, in this blog, we’ll be sharing 9 tips that will completely transform your assignment writing process (and get you an A Grade.) Ready? Let’s go!

List of 9 Tips That Will Help You Write Awesome Assignments

1. understand what exactly you need to do.

Yes, we can use the “just swing it” method while doing a lot of things in life. But, it’s not very wise to practice it while writing assignments. (Unless you want to face the wrath of your teacher.)

Basically, even if there is even one tiny thing that you don’t get about the assignment, clarify it with your teacher or classmates BEFORE starting the assignment.

Otherwise, you’d end up working on something that wasn’t even supposed to be done, and all your effort and time would go down the drain, along with a good grade.

Moral of the story: If you want to ace the assignment, you’ve to be very, very clear about what you need to work on. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – because it’s always worth it.

2. Plan Your Time Well

Sometimes, we all wish there were more than 24 hours in a day. That way, we’d have so much more time to do assignments and meet the deadlines, right?

Well, you can still write great assignments on time. All you need to do is plan your time well. As soon as you get your assignment, create a solid schedule and follow it religiously until the deadline.

For example, you can set a deadline yourself for each sub-topic in the assignment, OR you can create a time-table and allot a few hours of the day to writing that assignment.

If you want to know more about how you can manage your time well and beat the procrastination monster, you can check out our comprehensive list of time management strategies.

3. Always Start With Research

First things first, gather as much knowledge as you can about the topic of your assignment. Read all the pre-existing material. In fact, take a deep dive into it.

After that, note down all the important points that you came across. Once that’s done, start working on your assignment using the knowledge you gained.

This way, you will be able to hand in a much more solid assignment because 1) the assignment would be more detailed and comprehensive, and 2) You do better when you know better.

Read more:   How To Make Class Notes Worth Reading?

4. Prepare a Structure Beforehand

Even though all those inspirational quotes ask us to ‘go with the flow’, it’s not the right thing to do while writing assignments. Assignment writing isn’t a piece of cake, so it’s better to be prepared.

Before writing the content of your assignment, first lay down the structure you’re going to follow. This will make your assignment writing process a lot smoother.

For example, if you need to write about what buyer persona is, you should first divide your assignment into different subtopics like the definition, importance, steps to create one, and so on.

5. Write a Classy Introduction

Your introduction is going to set the tone for the rest of your assignment, so you need to make it awesome. Write an intro that makes the reader feel like you know what you’re talking about.

Also, don’t keep the introduction too long. Cut to the chase and get to the meat of your assignment quickly. Remember, your introduction needs to hook the readers and grab their attention in a matter of seconds!

At the end of the intro, write a little about everything that you’ve included in the assignment. You can include a little background information about the topic to establish the context.

6. Don’t Use Slang Words

This isn’t a chat room. This isn’t an extra paper you’re scribbling on to pass time. This is an assignment – a professional thing that needs to be written professionally.

Even though you might have the habit of using slang words while talking or texting, you absolutely can’t use them while writing your assignment. As simple as that.

For example, you can’t write, “LOL girl, that was hilarious” to describe a funny anecdote or “Damn, that was dope” to describe an incredible thing that happened. 🙂

7. Proofread, Proofread & Proofread

Don’t just hand over the assignment to your teacher the minute your write the last word. Proofread it at least three times. Read it out loud. Check for spellings, punctuations, and other grammatical mistakes.

No matter how great your assignment is and how hard you worked on it, if the teacher comes across tons of mistakes in the assignment, it won’t be able to leave a good impression.

So, if you don’t want your effort to go down the drain, have some patience and proofread your assignment until you’re sure that there are no more mistakes.

Read more:   Study Guide: What is it & How to Create an Amazing One?

8. Cite Your References

When you’ll write your assignment, it’s natural that you’ll refer to books and other materials related to the topic. After all, as we said, research is the key to writing great assignments.

So, if you’re using a few lines, phrases, or stats from SOMEONE else’s work in YOUR assignment, don’t forget to cite the reference. Here’s why you need to do it:

First, if you cite the source of the information, your work won’t seem copied and it won’t be termed as ‘plagiarised’. Secondly, it’d give the impression that you researched thoroughly before writing the assignment!

9. Use Bit.ai

Last but definitely not least on our list of assignment writing tips is: use Bit.ai . This nifty platform simplifies and automates your entire documentation process.

See, you’ve spent hours working on the assignment. You did all the research, you compiled all the information, and you wrote the assignment really well.

But, between all this, you might overlook the presentation aspect of your assignment, which matters as much as the content of your assignment.

We totally understand. The deadline is lingering upon you, so you don’t have the time to care about the format of your assignment. But that doesn’t change the fact that a clumsy-looking assignment never works.

Luckily, Bit solves that problem for you by automating the design aspect of your documents for you. 😎 With over 90+ fully responsive and gorgeous templates , Bit has made the process of writing assignments super smooth.

With just one click, you can change the look of your entire assignment. You can even change the layout of the theme and update the color of your assignment too. How great is that?

Before you go!

Our team at  bit.ai  has created a few awesome education templates to make your processes more efficient. Make sure to check them out before you go, y ou might need them!

• Class Notes Template
• Lesson Plan Template
• Letter of Recommendation Template
• Recommended Reading Template
• Research Paper Template
• Thesis Template
• Checklist Template
• To-Do List Template
• White Paper Template
• eBook Template

Start Writing Efficient Assignments Today!

If you made it this far, we’re sure you’re going to ace your next assignment. Just follow all the tips we’ve given, use Bit.ai, and you’d end up with an assignment you could be proud of.

Remember, assignment writing doesn’t have to be a dreadful task. Just do thorough research on the topic first, prepare a structure beforehand, and you’ll be on your way to writing a great assignment.

If you’ve got any other assignment writing tips that worked for you, let us know by tweeting us @bit_docs. We’d be more than happy to include it on our list. Good luck!

Further reads: 

11 Grammarly Alternatives and Competitors You Must Know!

8 Different Types of Writing Styles (And How to Improve Your Own)

Top 9 Writing Checkers Every Writer Should Use!

9 Best Paraphrasing Tools In 2022 (Free & Paid)

Collaborative Teaching: What is it & How to Do it the Right Way?

12 Best Student Tools for Better Learning in 2022

Student Collaboration: What, Why, and Tools!

Lesson plan: What is it & How to Create an Effective One? (Free template)

Learning Objectives: What are they & How to Write them?

Thesis Statement: Definition, Importance, Steps & Tips!

9 Powerful Mind Mapping Software & Tools for Business!

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About Bit.ai

Bit.ai is the essential next-gen workplace and document collaboration platform. that helps teams share knowledge by connecting any type of digital content. With this intuitive, cloud-based solution, anyone can work visually and collaborate in real-time while creating internal notes, team projects, knowledge bases, client-facing content, and more.

The smartest online Google Docs and Word alternative, Bit.ai is used in over 100 countries by professionals everywhere, from IT teams creating internal documentation and knowledge bases, to sales and marketing teams sharing client materials and client portals.

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What Makes a Good Writing Assignment?

Getting Started

Why include writing in my courses?

What is writing to learn?

WTL Activities

What is writing to engage?

What is writing in the disciplines?

WID Assignments

Useful Knowledge

What should I know about rhetorical situations?

Do I have to be an expert in grammar to assign writing?

What should I know about genre and design?

What should I know about second-language writing?

What teaching resources are available?

What should I know about WAC and graduate education?

Assigning Writing

What makes a good writing assignment?

How can I avoid getting lousy student writing?

What benefits might reflective writing have for my students?

Using Peer Review

Why consider collaborative writing assignments?

Do writing and peer review take up too much class time?

How can I get the most out of peer review?

Responding to Writing

How can I handle responding to student writing?

Sample Grading Sheets

How can writing centers support writing in my courses?

What writing resources are available for my students?

Using Technology

How can computer technologies support writing in my classes?

Designing and Assessing WAC Programs

What is a WAC program?

What designs are typical for WAC programs?

How can WAC programs be assessed?

More on WAC

Where can I learn more about WAC?

Surprisingly, teachers have been known to assign writing tasks without articulating to themselves what the task is supposed to do for students. Good writing assignments always start with a clear goal that the teacher can express, usually on the assignment sheet so that students understand the goal as well.

Good writing assignments also often take shape by thinking backwards. In effect, teachers ask themselves, "What do I want to read at the end of this assignment?" By working from what they anticipate the final product to look like, teachers can give students detailed guidelines about both the writing task and the final written product.

Five Principles

As you think about making up writing assignments, use these five principles:

• Tie the writing task to specific pedagogical goals, particularly those articulated in the overall course goals.
• Note rhetorical aspects of the task, i.e., audience, purpose, writing situation.
• Break down the task into manageable steps.
• Make all elements of the task clear.
• Include grading criteria on the assignment sheet.

Principle 1. Writing Should Meet Teaching Goals

Asking questions like these about your assignment will help guarantee that writing tasks tie directly to your teaching goals in the class:

• What specific course objectives will the writing assignment meet?
• Will informal or formal writing better meet teaching goals?
• Will students be writing to learn course material or writing conventions in the discipline or both?
• Does the assignment make sense?

Work Backward from Goals

Although it might seem awkward at first, working backwards from what you hope the final drafts will look like often produces the best assignment sheets. We recommend jotting down several points that will help you with this step in writing your assignments:

• Why should students write in your class? State your goals for the final product as clearly and concretely as possible.
• Determine what writing products will meet these goals and fit your teaching style/preferences.
• Note specific skills that will contribute to the final product.
• Sequence activities (reading, researching, writing) to build toward the final product.

Beyond the Basics

Writing tasks fill many different roles for students, so defining good writing assignments begins with the specific instructional context. For that reason, the first key to writing a good assignment is tying the task to the specific course goals. After taking your class and its goals into account, though, several other principles can improve the writing tasks you assign and the writing you get from students.

Principle 2. Consider the Rhetorical Situation

Perhaps most important, as noted in the five principles section, is to consider the rhetorical situation. By this, writing experts mean that you should think carefully about the audience you want students to write to as well as the particular genre or format for the final document and the larger context for the document.

Setting up your writing assignment so that the target reader is someone other than you, the teacher, might result in the most improvement in student writing. Students, after all, have had extensive experience writing to teachers, and students know that teachers are a "captive" audience. Your job mandates that you read carefully and respond to their texts. Chinn & Hilgers (2000) explain this role for the teachers as often limited to "corrector." However, instructors can move beyond the corrector role into a "collaborator" role by varying writing tasks, encouraging peer collaboration, and emphasizing professional contexts for writing. So for students, the teacher is not necessarily a reader or audience that will motivate the best possible work on a writing task. Indeed, Hilgers et al . (1999) report that their interview research with 33 upper-division students yielded an intriguing statistic: "56% of the interviewees also described one or more nonteacher audiences" (328) for their academic tasks. In many instances, the assignment called for a hypothetical audience other than the teacher, but even when the assignment didn't prompt students to write for readers other than the teacher, students directed their work toward "an individual they believed has specific content knowledge such as a CEO, coworker, or technician" (328).

Although some experts (Freedman et al ., 1994) argue that setting up a fictitious scenario with a specified audience does not motivate students any more highly than simply writing for the teacher, other practitioners across the disciplines have seen improvement in student writing when they use cases with embedded audiences for students' documents. (See, for instance, Brumberger, 2004; Cass & Fernandez, 2008; Stevens, 2005; Sulewski, 2003.)

A further extension of this move toward providing rich writing contexts beyond the teacher involves writing tasks that actually target real readers. Many senior design projects and management projects in engineering and natural resources involve pairing students with actual clients so that students must take into account the particular needs of their readers. Across many disciplines, teachers are investigating alternative methods to connect undergraduate writers with real audiences, including client-based partnerships (Kiefer & Leff, 2008; Kreth, 2005; Planken & Kreps, 2006;) and service-learning opportunities (Addams et al ., 2010; Bourelle, 2012), among other options.

But even if your particular class doesn't allow you to pair students with actual clients or other readers, consider ways in which you can create a meaningful context with readers beyond the teacher in the classroom (see, for example, Ward, 2009). Chamely-Wiik et al . (2012), for instance, describe in detail how, drawing on materials from The Council of Writing Program Administrators and The Foundation for Critical Thinking, they developed a case study writing context for first-year general chemistry students. As they explain,

Our initial case-study assignment, used for the first two years of the course, required students to explore the scientific principles involved in the Bhopal disaster where thousands of people died in an industrial chemical accident.... The second assignment, used in the third year, required students to formulate and defend an argument whether research in the field of cold fusion should continue to be supported. (504)

Students write with a local audience of classmates and a larger institutional context of the university community in mind. Students responded positively on affective surveys, a typical reaction to carefully designed writing tasks. More significantly, "students in this chemistry course outperformed the majority of students across all undergraduate levels at the university" (506). (For other examples of science students writing to lay audiences, see Martin, 2010; McDermott& Kuhn, 2011; Moni et al ., 2007; Sivey & Lee, 2008).

In addition to audience concerns, students also benefit from understanding how and why a particular format or genre helps them communicate with a target audience (especially when we think of genres as those recurring rhetorical reactions to typical communicative situations). From YouTube videos in organic chemistry (Franz, 2012) to position papers in public relations (Powell, 2012) to posters in physiology (Mulnix, 2003), teachers are helping students to write in genres that immediately connect them with the real readers of their future professional settings. (See also Blakeslee, 2001; Guilford, 2001; Jebb, 2005; LeBigot & Rouet, 2007; Mizrahi, 2003; Motavalli et al ., 2007; Schwartz et al ., 2004; Wald et al ., 2009.)

Why does this attention to audience and genre seem to matter so much to student writing? In recent years, several studies (Adam, 2000; Beaufort, 2004; Belfiore et al ., 2004; Freedman & Adam, 2000; Spinuzzi, 2010) have explored the reasons why writers attentive to specific contexts are more successful. In particular, workplace literacy and socio-cognitive apprenticeship theory (among related theoretical perspectives) both emphasize the role that knowledgeable mentors within a workplace play as they initiate newcomers to the communicative context. (See especially Beaufort, 2000, and Ding, 2008, for social apprenticeship studies and Paretti, 2008, on situated learning and activity theory.) As Dias et al . (1999) explain, writing is not a fixed set of skills that we learn once and then simply plug into as we need to communicate. Rather,

Written discourse... is regularized but not fixed; fluid, flexible, and dynamic; emerging and evolving in exigency and action; reflecting and incorporating social needs, demands, and structures, and responsive to social interpretations and reinterpretations of necessarily shifting, complex experiences. (23)

And, as a result of the fluidity of discourse in varied workplace settings, writers themselves should be prepared for major development of their communication skills when they enter new workplaces. MacKinnon's qualitative study (2000) of new analysts and economists at the Bank of Canada showed that

Overall, the writing-related changes were considerable, consequential, and a shock for some participants: "It's like going to China," said one. For most of the ten participants, the complex totality of the writing-related changes they experienced added up to a "sea change": a major shift in their understanding of what writing is an does in an organization, a revised understanding of the roles they saw for themselves as writing workers and as working writers, and often major changes in various aspects of the macro writing process. (50)

When students have opportunities as undergraduates or graduate/professional students to anticipate these major shifts, then the transitions to workplaces of all sorts become easier. For the most part, moreover, students recognize that apprenticeship learning in academic settings provides both more structured scaffolding of writing tasks and lower-stakes learning. They thus embrace the learning opportunities when offered to them in academic classes.

Principle 3. Break Down the Task into Manageable Steps

The fifth principle noted in the general section on "what makes a good writing assignment?" is to break down the task into manageable steps. Many teachers approach this element of good assignment design by thinking carefully about assignment sequence. One particularly thorough explanation of this process appears in Leydens & Santi (2006). This writing specialist and geoscientist take up the details of designing assignments with an eye to course goals. They also consider the importance of not overwhelming teachers and students (the Less is More approach) as they explain their specific process of questioning their assignments (pp. 493-497). (See also Lord, 2009, and Greasley & Cassidy, 2010.)

Scaffolded assignments, such as the agricultural economics assignment noted in the Additional Resources section, help students reach a larger goal by asking them to collect resources in stages. A final stage requires that students transform each of the earlier stages in a final document. Sequenced assignments, on the other hand, each stand independently, but each task builds on particular skills and challenges to enable students to meet a larger set of goals. Herrington (1997) describes a scaffolded assignment (71-72) with a preliminary plan for a major project followed by an annotated bibliography, early draft (with cover note focused on successes and challenges thus far) and final draft (with cover note). Mulnix & Mulnix (2010) also describe a similar argumentative assignment that uses sequenced tasks to repeat and reinforce critical thinking skills. See also Sin et al . (2007) for a sequence in accounting, Howell (2007) in materials science, Fencl (2010) on a sequence in physics, Zlatic et al . (2000) on pharmaceutical education, and Harding (2005) on freshman mechanical engineering. Coe (2011), on the other hand, describes a series of scaffolded writing tasks to help students build argument skills in philosophy, Alaimo et al . (2009) explain their project for sophomore organic chemistry students, and Lillig (2008) looks at upper-division chemistry.

Principles 4 and 5. Make the Assignment Clear to Students

A well-designed assignment will make the elements of the task clear to students. This includes identifying relevant intermediate assignments and activities, such as topic proposals or literature reviews for longer assignments, as well as providing information about relevant writing, research, and collaboration processes. In general, it is also advisable to list grading criteria on the assignment sheet. Making the assignment clear to students will help them better understand the scope and challenge of the assignment. It also is likely to produce better learning and performance.

Resource: Sample Assignment from an Advanced Undergraduate Agricultural Economics Seminar

Good analytical writing is a rigorous and difficult task. It involves a process of editing and rewriting, and it is common to do a half dozen or more drafts. Because of the difficulty of analytical writing and the need for drafting, we will be completing the assignment in four stages. A draft of each of the sections described below is due when we finish the class unit related to that topic (see due dates on syllabus). I will read the drafts of each section and provide comments; these drafts will not be graded but failure to pass in a complete version of a section will result in a deduction in your final assignment grade. Because of the time both you and I are investing in the project, it will constitute one-half of your semester grade.

Content, Concepts and Substance

Papers will focus on the peoples and policies related to population, food, and the environment of your chosen country. As well as exploring each of these subsets, papers need to highlight the interrelations among them. These interrelations should form part of your revision focus for the final draft. Important concepts relevant to the papers will be covered in class; therefore, your research should be focused on the collection of information on your chosen country or region to substantiate your themes. Specifically, the paper needs to address the following questions.

1. Population

Developing countries have undergone large changes in population. Explain the dynamic nature of this continuing change in your country or region and the forces underlying the changes. Better papers will go beyond description and analyze the situation at hand. That is, go behind the numbers to explain what is happening in your country with respect to the underlying population dynamics: structure of growth, population momentum, rural/urban migration, age structure of population, unanticipated populations shocks, etc. DUE: WEEK 4.

What is the nature of food consumption in your country or region? Is the average daily consumption below recommended levels? Is food consumption increasing with economic growth? What is the income elasticity of demand? Use Engel's law to discuss this behavior. Is production able to stay abreast with demand given these trends? What is the nature of agricultural production: traditional agriculture or green revolution technology? Is the trend in food production towards self-sufficiency? If not, can comparative advantage explain this? Does the country import or export food? Is the politico-economic regime supportive of a progressive agricultural sector? DUE: WEEK 8.

3. Environment

This is the third issue to be covered in class. It is crucial to show in your paper the environmental impact of agricultural production techniques as well as any direct impacts from population changes. This is especially true in countries that have evolved from traditional agriculture to green revolution techniques in the wake of population pressures. While there are private benefits to increased production, the use of petroleum-based inputs leads to environmental and human health related social costs which are exacerbated by poorly defined property rights. Use the concepts of technological externalities, assimilative capacity, property rights, etc., to explain the nature of this situation in your country or region. What other environmental problems are evident? Discuss the problems and methods for economically measuring environmental degradation. DUE: WEEK 12.

4. Final Draft

The final draft of the project should consider the economic situation of agriculture in your specified country or region from the three perspectives outlined above. Key to such an analysis are the interrelationships of the three perspectives. How does each factor contribute to an overall analysis of the successes and problems in agricultural policy and production of your chosen country or region? The paper may conclude with recommendations, but, at the very least, it should provide a clear summary statement about the challenges facing your country or region. DUE: WEEK15.

Adam, C. (2000). "What do we learn from the readers? Factors in determining successful transitions between academic and workplace writing." In P. Dias and A. Paré (Eds.), Transitions: Writing in Academic and Workplace Settings ; pp. 167-182. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Addams, L.H., Woodbury, D., Allred, T., & Addams, J. (2010). Developing Student Communication Skills while Assisting Nonprofit Organizations. Business Communication Quarterly, 73 (3), 282-290.

Alaimo, P.J., Bean, J.C., Langenhan, J.M., & Nichols, L. (2009). Eliminating Lab Reports: A Rhetorical Approach for Teaching the Scientific Paper in Sophomore Organic Chemistry. The WAC Journal, 20 , 17-32.

Beaufort, A. (2004). Developmental gains of a history major: A case for building a theory of disciplinary writing expertise. Research in the Teaching of English, 39 (2), 136-185.

Beaufort, A. (2000). Learning the trade: A social apprenticeship model for gaining writing expertise. Written Communication, 17 (2), 185-224.

Belfiore, M.E., Defoe, T.A., Folinsbee, S., Hunter, J., & Jackson, N.S. (2004). Reading Work: Literacies in the New Workplace. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Blakeslee, A.M. (2001). Bridging the workplace and the academy: Teaching professional genres through classroom-workplace collaborations. Technical Communication Quarterly, 10 (2), 169-192.

Bourelle, T. (2012). Bridging the Gap between the Technical Communication Classroom and the Internship: Teaching Social Consciousness and Real-World Writing. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 42 (2), 183-197.

Brumberger, E.R. (2004). The "Corporate Correspondence Project": Fostering Audience Awareness and Extended Collaboration. Business Communication Quarterly, 67 (3), 349-58.

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Related Web Sites

WAC@NIU ( http://www.engl.niu.edu/wac/ ) has two useful items in their archives under "Ccomputer-intensive assignments" in the first Key Web Sites section of links:

• "checklist, a series of questions to help plan writing assignments"

(If the questions under rhetorical situation confuse you, call our Writing Center for a quick explanation.)

• "setting up a writing assignment"

Writing@CSU includes a much more detailed explanation of how and why to design writing assignments at http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/fys/assignmentwriting.cfm .

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Most Effective Tips for Writing an Impressive Assignment

When in college, you have to accomplish all of your assignments as part of your education. One of the most common assignments is written essays that will contribute to your grade at the end of your course. 

But you might feel apprehensive when you receive such an assignment, especially if it's your first time. You might not feel like you have the necessary skills to write a good essay. But there are certain tips you can use to write a good assignment and lay your apprehensions to rest.

Research and plan

When you take on a course, you will receive a reading list. Familiarize yourself with it right away because your professors will choose texts from this list that will specifically help you with your tasks and assignments. Reading what's on your list will provide you with valuable insight into the topics you have to write about. It will make life easier for you when you need to write an assignment.

After researching, you should make a schedule for writing your assignments. Stick to your schedule. Also, double-check your deadline so you won't have to feel overwhelmed when you realize that your deadline is right around the corner. Break down your time and tasks into  more manageable chunks  so that you will always be on top of your work. Make a schedule that consists of mini-deadlines. Knowing that you have completed a task will keep you motivated.

Understand your assignment and take notes

Before starting your assignment, make sure that you understand it because writing an essay that contains irrelevant information or isn't coherent will prove disastrous. You should always know what you're doing and what you need to convey. If needed, rereading the instructions will help you understand what's expected of you. Moreover, you also need to determine how long the essay should be and how you will proceed with it.

Note-taking is another important aspect of writing. Before you start, you must collect various materials and resources relevant to your topic. You should also create an outline that will guide you. Go through various research materials, then take down notes on the most crucial information that you can include in your work. The writing process will become more manageable when you have all of the information you need.

Assignment writing by professionals

As a student in college, you have the option to ask for help when you need to complete an assignment and you have no time to do it. Since written tasks are an unavoidable aspect of college education, the best thing you can do is to seek assistance when you need it. The writers at AssignmentBro  helped with my assignment writing  in college. Thanks to their professional writers, I still had plenty of time to study and tackle my other responsibilities.

Use various resources

Aside from the deadlines and instructions that your professor will provide, they might also recommend some resources to you. Sadly, this is something that many students tend to overlook. For instance, for you to understand how your professor will grade your assignment, you will need to examine their rubric. This is a chart that provides information on what you must do. You will also learn about the objectives of the assignments or the learning outcomes.

Other resources you might receive include reading lists, lecture recordings, discussion boards, and sample assignments. Usually, you will find all of these resources in an online platform known as a Learning Management System (LMS). Research has shown that students who use LMS tend to get higher grades. If you still have any questions, you can ask your professor either online or offline.

Determine the objective and structure of your assignment

The next thing you need to do is to define the objectives of your written work and its structure. This is where you will determine the pattern of a well-written assignment. You want to make your work look impressive in the eyes of your reader. One way to accomplish this is to include more theoretical content and details in your essay. 

Make sure all of your paragraphs flow smoothly

It's not enough for the essay writing project assigned to you to provide enough information. It's also important to remain coherent. You must link each paragraph to each other. 

This will keep your reader  connected with the content . To achieve this, you need to go back to your plan for your assignment, then search for significant concepts that will help you connect the paragraphs smoothly. Here's an easy tip to do this - include phrases or words that will attract the eyes of your readers while supporting the context of your written assignment.

University life is full of challenges. One of which is the writing of assignments that will require higher communication, critical thinking, and information gathering skills that you may have practiced in high school. Instead of feeling daunted because of your assignments, use the tips you learned to make things easier for you.

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How to do a good assignment? 10 Assignment Writing Rules

In the realm of academia, assignments are the bedrock upon which students hone their skills, demonstrate their understanding, and showcase their capabilities. But what truly defines how to do a good assignment?  How can one craft work that not only meets but exceeds expectations? In this guide, we’ll delve into the art of assignment writing, uncovering strategies, techniques, and tips to help you master your academic tasks with finesse and confidence.

What is a good assignment?

Before delving into the intricacies of assignment mastery, let’s establish what constitutes a good assignment. A good assignment is one that not only fulfills the requirements laid out by the instructor but also showcases critical thinking, analytical prowess, and mastery of the subject matter. It’s a piece of work that is well-researched, well-structured, and well-written, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the topic at hand.

Importance of Writing a Good Assignment

The significance of writing a good assignment cannot be overstated. Beyond simply earning a passing grade, a well-crafted assignment is a testament to your knowledge, skills, and dedication to academic excellence. It’s a reflection of your ability to articulate ideas, formulate arguments, and present information clearly and compellingly. Moreover, mastering the art of assignment writing sets the stage for success not only in academia but also in various professional endeavors where effective communication is paramount.

How to do a good assignment?

Writing is a skill that can be honed and perfected over time. Invest in your writing skills by reading widely, practicing regularly, and seeking opportunities for feedback and growth. Remember, mastery comes through dedication and persistence. In addition to mastering the fundamentals of assignment writing, it’s essential to address common pitfalls and challenges that may arise:

How to Do a Good Assignment? 10 Strategies to Improve Your Assignment

Now that we understand how to do a good assignment and the importance of writing a good assignment, let’s explore some tried and tested strategies to enhance your assignment-writing prowess:

1. Analyzing Assignment Objectives and Requirements

Before embarking on any assignment, it’s crucial to analyze the objectives and requirements outlined by your instructor carefully. Take note of key themes, concepts, and deliverables, ensuring a clear understanding of what is expected of you. This initial step in writing a good bio lays the foundation for a focused and coherent approach to your work. With a solid understanding of the assignment parameters in place, it’s time to delve into effective strategies to elevate your work:

2. Research: Gathering Information and Sources

Quality research forms the backbone of any well-written assignment. Dive deep into reputable sources, including academic journals, books, and credible websites, to gather relevant information and evidence to support your arguments. Take care to critically evaluate the credibility and relevance of each source, ensuring a robust foundation for your work.

3. Pre-writing Techniques: Planning and Organizing Ideas

Before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), invest time in pre-writing activities such as brainstorming, outlining, and organizing your ideas. Consider the overarching structure of your assignment, breaking down complex concepts into manageable sections. A well-thought-out plan will streamline the get better at writing process and prevent common pitfalls such as disjointed arguments or lack of coherence.

4. Crafting a Clear Thesis Statement

A clear and concise thesis statement is at the heart of every successful assignment. This statement serves as the central argument or main point of your work, guiding the reader through your analysis and interpretation of the topic. Ensure your thesis is specific, debatable, and supported by evidence, setting the stage for a compelling and focused discussion.

5. Structuring Your Assignment: Introduction, Body, Conclusion

The quest on how to do a good assignment. Effective structure is essential for conveying your ideas coherently and logically for writing good assignments. Begin with a strong introduction that sets the context for your discussion, provides background information, and states your thesis. The body of your assignment should present your arguments, supported by evidence and analysis, organized into paragraphs with clear topic sentences. Finally, conclude your assignment by summarizing key points, reiterating your thesis, and offering insights or recommendations for further study.

6. Clear Topic Sentences and Paragraph Structure

Within the body of your assignment, each paragraph should focus on a single main idea, supported by relevant evidence and analysis. Begin each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main point, followed by supporting details and examples. Pay attention to transitions between paragraphs, ensuring a seamless flow of ideas and coherence throughout your work.

7. Taking Detailed Notes

Effective note-taking is a cornerstone of successful good assignment writing . Whether in lectures, seminars, or independent research, cultivate the habit of taking detailed and organized notes. Capture key points, relevant quotes, and supporting evidence that will inform and enrich your writing process.

8. Editing and Proofreading

Never underestimate the power of thorough editing and proofreading. Once you’ve completed a draft of your assignment, take the time to review it with a critical eye, checking for errors in grammar, punctuation, and style. Consider enlisting the help of a peer or professional editor for an additional layer of scrutiny.

9. Addressing FAQs in Assignments

Anticipating and addressing frequently asked questions (FAQs) can enhance the clarity and comprehensiveness of your assignments. Take the time to consider potential points of confusion or contention, providing thorough explanations and evidence to support your arguments.

10. Avoiding Common Mistakes in Writing Assignments

Common mistakes such as vague thesis statements, lack of evidence, and poor organization can detract from the overall quality of your work. Stay vigilant and attentive to these pitfalls, employing the strategies outlined in this guide to avoid them.

How to Do a Good Assignment? Assignment Writing Tips

As the demands of academic life intensify, it’s essential to optimize your productivity and efficiency to meet deadlines and produce high-quality work here are some tips to write a good assignment:

1. Break tasks into smaller chunks

Overwhelming can impede progress. Break down assignments into smaller, manageable tasks to maintain momentum and motivation.

2. Use technology wisely

Leverage digital tools such as task management apps, citation generators, and writing software to streamline your workflow and enhance productivity.

3. Establish a conducive workspace

Create a dedicated study environment free from distractions, equipped with the necessary resources and materials to support your writing endeavors.

In conclusion, how to do a good assignment. Assignment writing is a  journey that requires dedication, discipline, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By employing the strategies, techniques, and tips outlined in this guide, you can embark on the path toward assignment excellence with confidence and clarity.

Throughout this journey, remember the importance of understanding assignment objectives, conducting thorough research, and crafting clear and compelling arguments. Embrace pre-writing techniques to organize your ideas effectively and develop a strong thesis statement that serves as the linchpin of your work.

Furthermore, prioritize effective structure and paragraph organization to ensure coherence and readability. Take advantage of feedback from peers and instructors to refine your writing skills and address areas for improvement. And always remember the significance of editing and proofreading to polish your work to perfection.

As you navigate the challenges of academic writing, don’t hesitate to explore resources such as reputable best writing services online and productivity hacks to optimize your workflow and enhance your efficiency.

In the end, the journey toward assignment excellence is not just about earning a grade—it’s about cultivating a deeper understanding of your subject matter, refining your critical thinking skills, and expressing your ideas with clarity and precision. By embracing this journey with enthusiasm and determination, you can unlock your full potential as a writer and scholar.

So, as you embark on your next assignment, remember to approach it with diligence, creativity, and a growth mindset. With each project, strive for improvement, challenge yourself to push beyond your comfort zone, and celebrate your successes along the way.

With these principles as your guide, there’s no limit to what you can achieve in your academic endeavors. So go forth, craft top-notch assignments, and ace your academic tasks with confidence and conviction. Your journey to assignment mastery starts now.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

1. how to do a good assignment .

To make a perfect assignment, start by thoroughly understanding the assignment requirements. Conduct extensive research using credible sources, organize your ideas effectively, and craft a clear thesis statement. Structure your assignment with a compelling introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and a concise conclusion. Finally, revise and edit your work meticulously to ensure clarity, coherence, and accuracy.

2. What makes an assignment successful?

An assignment is successful when it effectively fulfills its objectives, demonstrates critical thinking and analysis, and communicates ideas clearly and persuasively. Additionally, successful assignments are well-researched, well-organized, and free from errors in grammar, punctuation, and style. They also adhere closely to the guidelines provided by the instructor and showcase originality and creativity in addressing the topic.

3. How do I make my assignment look good?

To make your assignment look good, pay attention to formatting and presentation. Use a clean, readable font and consistent formatting throughout your document. Incorporate headings, subheadings, and bullet points to enhance readability. Include relevant visuals such as graphs, charts, or images to supplement your text. Additionally, proofread your assignment carefully to ensure proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

4. How long is an assignment of benefits good for?

An assignment of benefits is typically valid for the duration specified in the agreement between the parties involved, which can vary depending on the terms negotiated and the specific circumstances of the arrangement.

5. What is not a basic requirement for a writing assignment?

One thing that is not a basic requirement for a writing assignment is including excessive or irrelevant information. 

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How Do I Create Meaningful and Effective Assignments?

Prepared by allison boye, ph.d. teaching, learning, and professional development center.

Assessment is a necessary part of the teaching and learning process, helping us measure whether our students have really learned what we want them to learn. While exams and quizzes are certainly favorite and useful methods of assessment, out of class assignments (written or otherwise) can offer similar insights into our students' learning.  And just as creating a reliable test takes thoughtfulness and skill, so does creating meaningful and effective assignments. Undoubtedly, many instructors have been on the receiving end of disappointing student work, left wondering what went wrong… and often, those problems can be remedied in the future by some simple fine-tuning of the original assignment.  This paper will take a look at some important elements to consider when developing assignments, and offer some easy approaches to creating a valuable assessment experience for all involved.

First Things First…

Before assigning any major tasks to students, it is imperative that you first define a few things for yourself as the instructor:

• Your goals for the assignment . Why are you assigning this project, and what do you hope your students will gain from completing it? What knowledge, skills, and abilities do you aim to measure with this assignment?  Creating assignments is a major part of overall course design, and every project you assign should clearly align with your goals for the course in general.  For instance, if you want your students to demonstrate critical thinking, perhaps asking them to simply summarize an article is not the best match for that goal; a more appropriate option might be to ask for an analysis of a controversial issue in the discipline. Ultimately, the connection between the assignment and its purpose should be clear to both you and your students to ensure that it is fulfilling the desired goals and doesn't seem like “busy work.” For some ideas about what kinds of assignments match certain learning goals, take a look at this page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons.
• Have they experienced “socialization” in the culture of your discipline (Flaxman, 2005)? Are they familiar with any conventions you might want them to know? In other words, do they know the “language” of your discipline, generally accepted style guidelines, or research protocols?
• Do they know how to conduct research?  Do they know the proper style format, documentation style, acceptable resources, etc.? Do they know how to use the library (Fitzpatrick, 1989) or evaluate resources?
• What kinds of writing or work have they previously engaged in?  For instance, have they completed long, formal writing assignments or research projects before? Have they ever engaged in analysis, reflection, or argumentation? Have they completed group assignments before?  Do they know how to write a literature review or scientific report?

In his book Engaging Ideas (1996), John Bean provides a great list of questions to help instructors focus on their main teaching goals when creating an assignment (p.78):

1. What are the main units/modules in my course?

2. What are my main learning objectives for each module and for the course?

3. What thinking skills am I trying to develop within each unit and throughout the course?

4. What are the most difficult aspects of my course for students?

5. If I could change my students' study habits, what would I most like to change?

6. What difference do I want my course to make in my students' lives?

What your students need to know

Once you have determined your own goals for the assignment and the levels of your students, you can begin creating your assignment.  However, when introducing your assignment to your students, there are several things you will need to clearly outline for them in order to ensure the most successful assignments possible.

• First, you will need to articulate the purpose of the assignment . Even though you know why the assignment is important and what it is meant to accomplish, you cannot assume that your students will intuit that purpose. Your students will appreciate an understanding of how the assignment fits into the larger goals of the course and what they will learn from the process (Hass & Osborn, 2007). Being transparent with your students and explaining why you are asking them to complete a given assignment can ultimately help motivate them to complete the assignment more thoughtfully.
• If you are asking your students to complete a writing assignment, you should define for them the “rhetorical or cognitive mode/s” you want them to employ in their writing (Flaxman, 2005). In other words, use precise verbs that communicate whether you are asking them to analyze, argue, describe, inform, etc.  (Verbs like “explore” or “comment on” can be too vague and cause confusion.) Provide them with a specific task to complete, such as a problem to solve, a question to answer, or an argument to support.  For those who want assignments to lead to top-down, thesis-driven writing, John Bean (1996) suggests presenting a proposition that students must defend or refute, or a problem that demands a thesis answer.
• It is also a good idea to define the audience you want your students to address with their assignment, if possible – especially with writing assignments.  Otherwise, students will address only the instructor, often assuming little requires explanation or development (Hedengren, 2004; MIT, 1999). Further, asking students to address the instructor, who typically knows more about the topic than the student, places the student in an unnatural rhetorical position.  Instead, you might consider asking your students to prepare their assignments for alternative audiences such as other students who missed last week's classes, a group that opposes their position, or people reading a popular magazine or newspaper.  In fact, a study by Bean (1996) indicated the students often appreciate and enjoy assignments that vary elements such as audience or rhetorical context, so don't be afraid to get creative!
• Obviously, you will also need to articulate clearly the logistics or “business aspects” of the assignment . In other words, be explicit with your students about required elements such as the format, length, documentation style, writing style (formal or informal?), and deadlines.  One caveat, however: do not allow the logistics of the paper take precedence over the content in your assignment description; if you spend all of your time describing these things, students might suspect that is all you care about in their execution of the assignment.
• Finally, you should clarify your evaluation criteria for the assignment. What elements of content are most important? Will you grade holistically or weight features separately? How much weight will be given to individual elements, etc?  Another precaution to take when defining requirements for your students is to take care that your instructions and rubric also do not overshadow the content; prescribing too rigidly each element of an assignment can limit students' freedom to explore and discover. According to Beth Finch Hedengren, “A good assignment provides the purpose and guidelines… without dictating exactly what to say” (2004, p. 27).  If you decide to utilize a grading rubric, be sure to provide that to the students along with the assignment description, prior to their completion of the assignment.

A great way to get students engaged with an assignment and build buy-in is to encourage their collaboration on its design and/or on the grading criteria (Hudd, 2003). In his article “Conducting Writing Assignments,” Richard Leahy (2002) offers a few ideas for building in said collaboration:

• Ask the students to develop the grading scale themselves from scratch, starting with choosing the categories.

• Set the grading categories yourself, but ask the students to help write the descriptions.

• Draft the complete grading scale yourself, then give it to your students for review and suggestions.

A Few Do's and Don'ts…

Determining your goals for the assignment and its essential logistics is a good start to creating an effective assignment. However, there are a few more simple factors to consider in your final design. First, here are a few things you should do :

• Do provide detail in your assignment description . Research has shown that students frequently prefer some guiding constraints when completing assignments (Bean, 1996), and that more detail (within reason) can lead to more successful student responses.  One idea is to provide students with physical assignment handouts , in addition to or instead of a simple description in a syllabus.  This can meet the needs of concrete learners and give them something tangible to refer to.  Likewise, it is often beneficial to make explicit for students the process or steps necessary to complete an assignment, given that students – especially younger ones – might need guidance in planning and time management (MIT, 1999).
• Do use open-ended questions.  The most effective and challenging assignments focus on questions that lead students to thinking and explaining, rather than simple yes or no answers, whether explicitly part of the assignment description or in the  brainstorming heuristics (Gardner, 2005).
• Do direct students to appropriate available resources . Giving students pointers about other venues for assistance can help them get started on the right track independently. These kinds of suggestions might include information about campus resources such as the University Writing Center or discipline-specific librarians, suggesting specific journals or books, or even sections of their textbook, or providing them with lists of research ideas or links to acceptable websites.
• Do consider providing models – both successful and unsuccessful models (Miller, 2007). These models could be provided by past students, or models you have created yourself.  You could even ask students to evaluate the models themselves using the determined evaluation criteria, helping them to visualize the final product, think critically about how to complete the assignment, and ideally, recognize success in their own work.
• Do consider including a way for students to make the assignment their own. In their study, Hass and Osborn (2007) confirmed the importance of personal engagement for students when completing an assignment.  Indeed, students will be more engaged in an assignment if it is personally meaningful, practical, or purposeful beyond the classroom.  You might think of ways to encourage students to tap into their own experiences or curiosities, to solve or explore a real problem, or connect to the larger community.  Offering variety in assignment selection can also help students feel more individualized, creative, and in control.
• If your assignment is substantial or long, do consider sequencing it. Far too often, assignments are given as one-shot final products that receive grades at the end of the semester, eternally abandoned by the student.  By sequencing a large assignment, or essentially breaking it down into a systematic approach consisting of interconnected smaller elements (such as a project proposal, an annotated bibliography, or a rough draft, or a series of mini-assignments related to the longer assignment), you can encourage thoughtfulness, complexity, and thoroughness in your students, as well as emphasize process over final product.

Next are a few elements to avoid in your assignments:

• Do not ask too many questions in your assignment.  In an effort to challenge students, instructors often err in the other direction, asking more questions than students can reasonably address in a single assignment without losing focus. Offering an overly specific “checklist” prompt often leads to externally organized papers, in which inexperienced students “slavishly follow the checklist instead of integrating their ideas into more organically-discovered structure” (Flaxman, 2005).
• Do not expect or suggest that there is an “ideal” response to the assignment. A common error for instructors is to dictate content of an assignment too rigidly, or to imply that there is a single correct response or a specific conclusion to reach, either explicitly or implicitly (Flaxman, 2005). Undoubtedly, students do not appreciate feeling as if they must read an instructor's mind to complete an assignment successfully, or that their own ideas have nowhere to go, and can lose motivation as a result. Similarly, avoid assignments that simply ask for regurgitation (Miller, 2007). Again, the best assignments invite students to engage in critical thinking, not just reproduce lectures or readings.
• Do not provide vague or confusing commands . Do students know what you mean when they are asked to “examine” or “discuss” a topic? Return to what you determined about your students' experiences and levels to help you decide what directions will make the most sense to them and what will require more explanation or guidance, and avoid verbiage that might confound them.
• Do not impose impossible time restraints or require the use of insufficient resources for completion of the assignment.  For instance, if you are asking all of your students to use the same resource, ensure that there are enough copies available for all students to access – or at least put one copy on reserve in the library. Likewise, make sure that you are providing your students with ample time to locate resources and effectively complete the assignment (Fitzpatrick, 1989).

The assignments we give to students don't simply have to be research papers or reports. There are many options for effective yet creative ways to assess your students' learning! Here are just a few:

Journals, Posters, Portfolios, Letters, Brochures, Management plans, Editorials, Instruction Manuals, Imitations of a text, Case studies, Debates, News release, Dialogues, Videos, Collages, Plays, Power Point presentations

Ultimately, the success of student responses to an assignment often rests on the instructor's deliberate design of the assignment. By being purposeful and thoughtful from the beginning, you can ensure that your assignments will not only serve as effective assessment methods, but also engage and delight your students. If you would like further help in constructing or revising an assignment, the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center is glad to offer individual consultations. In addition, look into some of the resources provided below.

Online Resources

“Creating Effective Assignments” http://www.unh.edu/teaching-excellence/resources/Assignments.htm This site, from the University of New Hampshire's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning,  provides a brief overview of effective assignment design, with a focus on determining and communicating goals and expectations.

Gardner, T.  (2005, June 12). Ten Tips for Designing Writing Assignments. Traci's Lists of Ten. http://www.tengrrl.com/tens/034.shtml This is a brief yet useful list of tips for assignment design, prepared by a writing teacher and curriculum developer for the National Council of Teachers of English .  The website will also link you to several other lists of “ten tips” related to literacy pedagogy.

“How to Create Effective Assignments for College Students.”  http:// tilt.colostate.edu/retreat/2011/zimmerman.pdf     This PDF is a simplified bulleted list, prepared by Dr. Toni Zimmerman from Colorado State University, offering some helpful ideas for coming up with creative assignments.

“Learner-Centered Assessment” http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_resources/tips/learner_centered_assessment.html From the Centre for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo, this is a short list of suggestions for the process of designing an assessment with your students' interests in mind. “Matching Learning Goals to Assignment Types.” http://teachingcommons.depaul.edu/How_to/design_assignments/assignments_learning_goals.html This is a great page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons, providing a chart that helps instructors match assignments with learning goals.

Additional References Bean, J.C. (1996). Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fitzpatrick, R. (1989). Research and writing assignments that reduce fear lead to better papers and more confident students. Writing Across the Curriculum , 3.2, pp. 15 – 24.

Flaxman, R. (2005). Creating meaningful writing assignments. The Teaching Exchange .  Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008 from http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Sheridan_Center/pubs/teachingExchange/jan2005/01_flaxman.pdf

Hass, M. & Osborn, J. (2007, August 13). An emic view of student writing and the writing process. Across the Disciplines, 4. 

Hedengren, B.F. (2004). A TA's guide to teaching writing in all disciplines . Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Hudd, S. S. (2003, April). Syllabus under construction: Involving students in the creation of class assignments.  Teaching Sociology , 31, pp. 195 – 202.

Leahy, R. (2002). Conducting writing assignments. College Teaching , 50.2, pp. 50 – 54.

Miller, H. (2007). Designing effective writing assignments.  Teaching with writing .  University of Minnesota Center for Writing. Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008, from http://writing.umn.edu/tww/assignments/designing.html

MIT Online Writing and Communication Center (1999). Creating Writing Assignments. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://web.mit.edu/writing/Faculty/createeffective.html .

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Welcome to GoodWritingHelp.com!

• How to Write an Assignment

How to Write a Good Assignment

Homework and assignments make the educational process a solid and complicated flow of questions that have to be solved. Good Writing Help is more then just a summarize of good assignment writing tips, we tell students how to prepare themselves for writing and how to manage their time for the most productive work. In this article students of all levels (high-school, college and university) can find an interesting tips for every academic assignment: how to write a good assignment . Whatever academic paper you do – use our instructions as additional supporting information for creating a good writing.

Step one: Assignment

First of all do not start writing just after you were assigned a paper. If you want to do a good assignment – do not hurry at all. If this kind of assignment is new for you or even if you have a previous experience – start with learning more about a certain academic paper. It goes without saying that every writing has it’s own specific and numerous nuances that students should know well in order to create something worthy. The easiest way to start – is to search for additional information on your paper in the web. Find the purpose and main requirements that are pretty the same for every institution.

Step two: Topic research

When you have learned enough about your paper you can go the step two that is a research related to the topic. Start a research using a literature and Internet, do not forget to note the names of the books as far as every assignment should has a bibliography. If you are assigned to write a paper that requires from student to read the only one book (book review or book report), concentrate on noting the details. Usually, good performed research work helps a lot in writing the last part of paper.

Step three: Drafts

Write your draft. Do not afraid of making mistakes – you can always correct them. Read your draft and ask yourself what sounds the worst? Take that part away and completely rewrite it. Continue doing the same way until your draft will look good. Also organize everything in topics and sub-topics – that will help you to understand the structure of your paper and how to make an outline better.

Step four: Double-check

Ask your friends or relatives to read your draft and tell you their honest opinion. They can give you a good advice or find a few grammar mistakes. Doing this way you can reach really good results because your paper is checked twice before submitting.

Step five: Did you answer the question?

Every type of academic paper has it’s own questions to be answered during writing an assignment. When you have everything written well – just check if you have an answer in your writing. The person that read a paper should have a clear understanding of the subject. Questions that need to be answered you can easily find in our writing tips and guidelines articles. Good Writing Help hopes you do your study well and wish you a good writing!

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Assignments usually ask you to demonstrate that you have immersed yourself in the course material and that you've done some thinking on your own; questions not treated at length in class often serve as assignments. Fortunately, if you've put the time into getting to know the material, then you've almost certainly begun thinking independently. In responding to assignments, keep in mind the following advice.

• Beware of straying.  Especially in the draft stage, "discussion" and "analysis" can lead you from one intrinsically interesting problem to another, then another, and then ... You may wind up following a garden of forking paths and lose your way. To prevent this, stop periodically while drafting your essay and reread the assignment. Its purposes are likely to become clearer.
• Consider the assignment in relation to previous and upcoming assignments.  Ask yourself what is new about the task you're setting out to do. Instructors often design assignments to build in complexity. Knowing where an assignment falls in this progression can help you concentrate on the specific, fresh challenges at hand.

Understanding some key words commonly used in assignments also may simplify your task. Toward this end, let's take a look at two seemingly impenetrable instructions: "discuss" and "analyze."

1. Discuss the role of gender in bringing about the French Revolution.

• "Discuss" is easy to misunderstand because the word calls to mind the oral/spoken dimension of communication. "Discuss" suggests conversation, which often is casual and undirected. In the context of an assignment, however, discussion entails fulfilling a defined and organized task: to construct an argument that considers and responds to an ample range of materials. To "discuss," in assignment language, means to make a broad argument about a set of arguments you have studied. In the case above, you can do this by
• pointing to consistencies and inconsistencies in the evidence of gendered causes of the Revolution;
• raising the implications of these consistencies and/or inconsistencies (perhaps they suggest a limited role for gender as catalyst);
• evaluating different claims about the role of gender; and
• asking what is gained and what is lost by focusing on gendered symbols, icons and events.

A weak discussion essay in response to the question above might simply list a few aspects of the Revolution—the image of Liberty, the executions of the King and Marie Antoinette, the cry "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite!" —and make separate comments about how each, being "gendered," is therefore a powerful political force. Such an essay would offer no original thesis, but instead restate the question asked in the assignment (i.e., "The role of gender was very important in the French Revolution" or "Gender did not play a large role in the French Revolution").

In a strong discussion essay, the thesis would go beyond a basic restatement of the assignment question. You might test the similarities and differences of the revolutionary aspects being discussed. You might draw on fresh or unexpected evidence, perhaps using as a source an intriguing reading that was only briefly touched upon in lecture.

2. Analyze two of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, including one not discussed in class, as literary works and in terms of sources/analogues.

The words "analyze" and "analysis" may seem to denote highly advanced, even arcane skills, possessed in virtual monopoly by mathematicians and scientists. Happily, the terms refer to mental activity we all perform regularly; the terms just need decoding. "Analyze" means two things in this specific assignment prompt.

• First, you need to divide the two tales into parts, elements, or features. You might start with a basic approach: looking at the beginning, middle, and end. These structural features of literary works—and of historical events and many other subjects of academic study—may seem simple or even simplistic, but they can yield surprising insights when examined closely.
• Alternatively, you might begin at a more complex level of analysis. For example, you might search for and distinguish between kinds of humor in the two tales and their sources in Boccaccio or the Roman de la Rose: banter, wordplay, bawdy jokes, pranks, burlesque, satire, etc.

Second, you need to consider the two tales critically to arrive at some reward for having observed how the tales are made and where they came from (their sources/analogues). In the course of your essay, you might work your way to investigating Chaucer's broader attitude toward his sources, which alternates between playful variation and strict adherence. Your complex analysis of kinds of humor might reveal differing conceptions of masculine and feminine between Chaucer and his literary sources, or some other important cultural distinction.

Analysis involves both a set of observations about the composition or workings of your subject and a critical approach that keeps you from noticing just anything—from excessive listing or summarizing—and instead leads you to construct an interpretation, using textual evidence to support your ideas.

Some Final Advice

If, having read the assignment carefully, you're still confused by it, don't hesitate to ask for clarification from your instructor. He or she may be able to elucidate the question or to furnish some sample responses to the assignment. Knowing the expectations of an assignment can help when you're feeling puzzled. Conversely, knowing the boundaries can head off trouble if you're contemplating an unorthodox approach. In either case, before you go to your instructor, it's a good idea to list, underline or circle the specific places in the assignment where the language makes you feel uncertain.

William C. Rice, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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CrowdStrike announces Microsoft outage workaround. How to deal with the Blue Screen of Death.

Editor's note: Check out our oft-updated live blog for all new developments about the Microsoft/CrowdStrike outage

Windows computers around the world are being hit by the dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) thanks to an outage caused by services provided by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The issue has impacted everyone from banks to airlines, with flights grounded, grocery carts abandoned, and productivity even lower than usual for a Friday.

Fortunately, CrowdStrike has since announced at 2:30 a.m. ET that it has identified the update causing the issue and rolled it back. The company also offered a workaround for anyone having problems :

"Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment

"Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory

"Locate the file matching 'C-0000029*.sys', and delete it.

"Boot the host normally."

Of course, having to do this for every single computer in multiple companies across the globe is still likely to take some time.

"CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts," CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on X. "Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed."

• Microsoft outage updates: Crowdstrike issue still wreaking havoc despite fix

While there may be a workaround for individuals with a BSOD, it might take a while before the ripple effects subside globally. Countless services, such as airlines , banks , healthcare providers, and more are still struggling to get up-and-running. All indications are the outages won't completely stop for some time . Kurtz himself admitted as much in an interview with TODAY.

"It could be some time for some systems that just automatically won’t recover," he said.

Amanda Yeo is an Assistant Editor at Mashable, covering entertainment, culture, tech, science, and social good. Based in Australia, she writes about everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets.

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JD Vance's Marine Corps Service Would Set Him Apart from Most Vice Presidents

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday selected Ohio Sen. JD Vance -- a Marine veteran, author and once-critic of the former president -- as his running mate for the 2024 election.

Vance, 39, is the first post-9/11 veteran to find a spot on a major party ticket and, if elected, would likely be the first Marine veteran to serve as the second-in-command, a Military.com analysis of vice presidential biographies found. He is the first veteran on a major party ticket since John McCain in 2008.

Of the 49 vice presidents in U.S. history , less than half had some sort of military experience. Examples included service in militias, the National Guard , the U.S. Navy and Army . Military.com could not find any evidence that any vice president served in the Marine Corps .

Read Next: Lawyers for Pvt. Travis King, Soldier Who Ran into North Korea, Are in Plea Negotiations Ahead of Hearing

In a statement Monday, the CEO of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Allison Jaslow, supported the former president's decision in selecting Vance.

"The post-9/11 generation of veterans is ascendant in America today," Jaslow said. "We applaud former President Trump for choosing a post-9/11 veteran to join him in his candidacy to be commander in chief again, and notably, someone who served in the enlisted ranks and is representative of the average veteran."

The ascension by veterans of recent conflicts is part of a larger historical trend when it comes to the top offices of the country, Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, the executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library, told Military.com on Tuesday.

"With the presidency, we often talk about how, after each major conflict, there's often a generation of presidents or presidential candidates that have served in that conflict," she said. She cited examples such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president and commander of allied forces during World War II.

According to Military.com's analysis and Chervinsky, this proved mostly true for the vice presidency, in which nearly two dozen officials elected to that office had some sort of military experience, spread over many American conflicts. Examples range from Richard Nixon's Navy service during World War II to Aaron Burr's service in the Continental Army at the outbreak of the American Revolution.

"I saw that with the vice presidents with World War II, the War of 1812 and the Vietnam War, but interestingly, not as much with the Civil War, which I thought was an interesting sort of aberration," Chervinsky said.

Vance, having served in Iraq, would represent another notch in that historical trend, joined by other Global War on Terror veterans elected to public office such as Reps. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, and Jason Crow, D-Colo.

Chervinsky said that her confidence was "pretty high" that Vance would indeed be the first Marine VP if elected. Definitively answering that question is difficult, however. Vice presidents don't often rise to household names when viewed in the lens of history, and in many cases their military service is not remembered as publicly as others.

Saint Louis University professor Joel K. Goldstein, one of the foremost scholars of the vice presidency, told Military.com he could not confirm whether Vance would be the first Marine if elected to the position, partly because the topic is so niche and partly because he had never researched it.

Both Chervinsky and Goldstein said that military experience has long been a boon for political candidates, in part because it demonstrates public service and certain skills expected of service, and represents a small but significant portion of the U.S. population. In some cases, it can draw increased scrutiny into candidates' backgrounds.

Historically, vice presidents are not chosen based on "their capacity to be a good leader, but rather because they offer some other type of characteristic," Chervinsky said. "For a long time, it was some sort of geographic balance to the president ... or a way to bring in an important state or an important constituency to try and boost the ticket's electoral prospects."

In an opinion column for The Washington Post, conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt argued that Trump's pick of Vance was an appeal to veterans. A Military Times poll during the 2020 presidential race showed that older veterans supported Trump, while younger veterans backed President Joe Biden.

Trump didn't serve in the military and avoided the Vietnam War with deferments, according to The Associated Press, as did Biden . "So in a sense, Vance's service is a balance against President Trump's record," Goldstein said.

Vance enlisted in the Corps as a combat correspondent, or 4341 military occupational specialty, according to his service record, which was provided to Military.com by the service on Monday. He served for four years, from 2003 to 2007.

During that time, he deployed to Iraq for six months. The last enlisted vice president was Al Gore, who similarly deployed to Vietnam for six months as an Army correspondent. Vance earned the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and some conventional honors awarded during the Global War on Terror.

In his 2016 book "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis," which recounted his childhood in working-class Ohio, Vance said that his "final two years in the Marines flew by and were largely uneventful," though he recalled two instances during his service that changed him.

One was meeting with local Iraqis during his deployment , which he said helped change his perspective on gratitude. The other was more of a "constant," he wrote -- about the mindset he learned while in the Corps where he reflected on climbing obstacles, buying cars as a young enlisted Marine without locking in to a 21% loan interest rate, and his role as a combat correspondent.

"The Marine Corps demanded that I think strategically about these decisions, and then it taught me how to do so," he wrote. "When I joined the Marine Corps, I did so in part because I wasn't ready for adulthood. I didn't know how to balance a checkbook, much less how to complete the financial aid forms for college. Now I knew exactly what I wanted out of my life and how to get there."

Vance went on to attend Ohio State University and Yale Law School before working as a venture capitalist. His book "Hillbilly Elegy" was a national bestseller, though some Appalachians criticized it as stereotyping. At that time, Vance considered himself a "Never-Trump," referring to the former president as "reprehensible," " cultural heroin " and privately questioning whether he was "America's Hitler."

Vance, now considered a populist conservative, was elected into the Senate to represent Ohio in 2022 with no prior political experience and has since become one of Trump's closest allies. Trump selected Vance as his running mate just two days after a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania fired multiple shots at the former president on Saturday, shaking the country with a targeted act of political violence.

Since his election to the Senate, Vance has opposed foreign aid to Ukraine as it continues fighting against Russia's invasion, which began the same year he was elected into office. In April, he used the Iraq War as a historical example against intervention.

"I believed the propaganda of the George W. Bush administration that we needed to invade Iraq, that it was a war for freedom and democracy, that those who were appeasing Saddam Hussein were inviting a broader regional conflict," he said on the Senate floor. "I served my country honorably, and I saw when I went to Iraq that I had been lied to, that the promises of the foreign policy establishment of this country were a complete joke."

Related: Trump Picks Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, a Once-Fierce Critic Turned Loyal Ally, as His GOP Running Mate

Drew F. Lawrence

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Was Thomas Crooks a Good Shot? He Didn’t Need to Be.

In the military, i used a gun similar to that of trump’s shooter. i’m not surprised his shot came so close..

Unless you have been completely offline and utterly avoiding human interaction, you know that on Saturday, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate Donald Trump while he spoke at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attempt failed, and the round fired from Crooks’ AR-pattern rifle—similar to an AR-15—clipped Trump’s ear. Although Trump survived, a bystander was tragically killed, and two more were injured .

Crooks had no military training and was reportedly barred from his high school rifle team—he had such bad aim he was considered “dangerous” and a potential risk for accidentally harming his teammates.

Given Crooks’ age; his reputation as a poor shooter; recollections of him as a quiet, nonviolent, nerdy young man; and the security apparatus dedicated to protecting the Republican front-runner, many are wondering how he managed to come so close to killing the former president. Clipping Trump’s ear does not seem like terrible aim. It seems like very  good  aim. The bullet was an inch away from dramatically altering American political life.

So how was Crooks able to come so close to changing the course of history? We’ll never know for sure, but a major factor is the weapon itself. AR-pattern rifles are popular, for good reason. They’re incredibly well designed. They are stable, simple, easy to operate, and extremely forgiving for inexperienced shooters. This is in part why it’s so dangerous that guns like these are readily available. Just about anybody willing to hurt people with an extremely powerful weapon can do so with an AR-pattern rifle, without much expertise at all.

During my time as an intelligence officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency supporting Direct Action teams, I was issued an M4 (a very similar weapon) and had to qualify on it, demonstrating the necessary skill to be allowed to carry it. I was no expert. I wasn’t expected to engage in combat operations with my “long gun,” as we called it. I carried it so if the DA operators I was supporting were killed or if I were separated from them, I could hold position until a Quick Reaction Force could extract me. I was older and more mature than Crooks, but if his attempt to join a rifle team is any indication, I very possibly shot my gun  less  often than he did.

I was an excellent shot with my long gun. Most AR-pattern weapons are customized for a particular shooter in a process called zeroing. Zeroing adjusts either the weapon’s scope or its iron sights to the shooter’s individual style. The process ensures that windage (the left-to-right adjustment of the rear sight) and elevation (the up-and-down adjustment of the front sight) are dialed in so that the gun hits as dead center as possible . Zeroing is usually accomplished with a target that simulates a long shot. Although we don’t know the exact weapon Crooks used or whether he used a scope, we do have clues that he was an enthusiastic shooter: In addition to his having tried out for his school’s rifle team, he was on Saturday wearing a T-shirt advertising the gun-enthusiast YouTube channel Demolition Ranch . It’s not a stretch to consider that he might have been firing a weapon zeroed in to compensate for whatever weaknesses he may have had as a shooter.

My experience shooting my M4 was that it was incredibly stable, aptly counteracting the recoil that throws shots off. The rifle’s extendable stock’s point—that is, the end of the butt nestled “high and tight” into the divot, or pocket, of the shoulder—provided a sturdy point of pressure. I could pull the weapon in against my body, firmly stabilizing it. I accomplished this by looping my finger around the magazine well and pulling tightly. (My instructors, however, advised against this because accidentally pulling on the magazine can unseat it, causing the gun’s ammunition to misfeed into the gun if I fired, and jamming.) The result was a profoundly still-firing platform that allowed a high level of accuracy, despite my lack of experience, especially when I was prone and still on a flat surface—much as Crooks was, on a roof, on Saturday.

My biggest weakness was my tendency to “slap the trigger.” Good shots require a slow, smooth pressing of the trigger to the rear, allowing the shot to break naturally, so that it almost surprises the shooter when it goes off. But inexperienced or nervous shooters can jerk the trigger, hauling it back too quickly. The natural curve of the finger and the movement of the hand will then cause the weapon’s barrel to shift even slightly. And the tiniest budge of the barrel when the shot breaks can result in an exaggerated movement of the bullet at the point of impact. For example, someone nervous about attempting to assassinate one of the most powerful people in the world might cause the shot to break wide laterally, clipping the ear instead of hitting the center of the head, where they were aiming.

The AR-pattern rifle’s simplicity, stability, and versatility empowered me, a trained but infrequent shooter, to be solidly and reliably accurate under good conditions, even from more than 100 or 200 yards away. I see no reason why it wouldn’t provide the same advantages to a young enthusiast who shot often enough to try out for a rifle team.

That distance is also an important factor in why Crooks, despite not being a particularly expert marksman, was able to come so close. When I was in Iraq, there were massive, sloping concrete aircraft hangars on my base. I remember seeing some Americans use them for exercise, running up the steep slope and down the other side. But I also remember the first sergeant cautioning me against doing so. Most folks think Iraq is a desert, and while al-Anbar province certainly is, the river valleys where most people live are anything but, and I was curious to see, from that high vantage point, the long, waving grasses with shepherds tending their flocks. When I asked the first sergeant why he thought that wasn’t a good idea, he shrugged. “It’s only a few hundred yards or so to the perimeter,” he said. “Someone can make that shot.”

Indeed, they could (assuming he’d reckoned the distance right), depending on the weapon and their skill in employing it. Depending on barrel length, AR-pattern weapons can be  accurate for hundreds of yards , well beyond the 150 or so yards between Crooks and his target. Despite my aforementioned lack of experience in combat arms, I was routinely able to make good shots at 200 yards.

I know this. Every gun blogger on the internet knows this. The Secret Service absolutely knows this. In fact, the president has directed an independent review of the incident, specifically asking the head of the Secret Service to review security measures for the Republican National Convention, which began Monday. Reporting indicates that Crooks was considered to be outside the security perimeter of Saturday’s Trump rally. Why that perimeter was made tight enough to easily accommodate a shot of that length is mystifying, and later investigation may yield answers.

But I am less surprised that Crooks came as close to changing the course of history than many who are publicly scratching their heads in the press. He was taking a relatively easy shot from a stable platform at a good distance. More important, he was using one of the most accurate and easiest-to-use long guns I’ve ever fired. My M4 turned a nerdy intelligence officer into a competent marksman, good enough to be trusted with it in the company of the direct-action operators I supported in Iraq. It gives anyone who can access it the same leg up. It surely bestowed those advantages on Thomas Matthew Crooks.

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How this ‘loophole’ could lead to a revolt against biden at the dnc.

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Democratic National Convention delegates are openly discussing what would happen at the August convention if President Biden either refuses to step aside or drops out of the race — pointing to a “good-conscience loophole” that lets them vote for a new candidate of their choosing.

DNC delegate Elaine Kamarck briefed other delegates Friday morning in a Zoom call that the apparent “loophole” allows for such a rebellion by letting convention-goers bolt if they no longer have a “good conscience” about their pledged choice determined by primaries and caucuses.

Kamarck, who has been on the DNC’s Rules Committee for decades, informed the 50 delegates on the call that “there’s no such thing as Joe Biden releasing his delegates. And Joe Biden gets this.”

“I don’t know why the rest of the press doesn’t get it,” she said.

“Joe Biden said in his NATO press conference, ‘The delegates can do whatever the hell they want to do.’ And that is basically true.”

The DNC’s rules state: “Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.”

Kamarack said the rules previously mandated delegates to vote who they were pledged to, but that changed after the 1980 convention fight between Ted Kennedy and then-President Jimmy Carter. Unlike Republican delegates, Kamarck explained, Democrats could revolt at any time.

Biden won nearly all the pledged delegates available in the primary since he ran largely unopposed.

Kamarck also pointed to the part of the rule that states delegates “reflect the sentiments of those who elected them,” saying they could technically decide that Biden is no longer representative of the people’s choice.

“See, we’ve never had a situation quite like this where the primaries were over. Very clear-cut winner. And yet something was discovered unclosed, whatever you want to call it, after the end of the primaries that caused people to severely doubt whether or not their nominee should proceed,” Kamarck said.

Kamarck led the delegate call Friday on behalf of the new group Delegates Are Democracy, which launched last week to inform delegates of their voting options for the Aug. 19-22 convention in Chicago.

The group says it was not formed to push Biden out, but to inform delegates of the convention rules given the rising Democratic pressure.

A revolt on the convention floor could amount to a political earthquake toppling the commander in chief — and momentum in the runup, including among other party leaders, could dictate the outcome.

What happens in the end may remain in doubt until the actual roll call, due to the difficulty of surveying all 4,521 delegates ahead of time.

Biden thus far has insisted he will remain in the race.

One anonymous delegate on the call asked how they should proceed if there is an open convention.

Kamarck said it would be “tough” to decide especially in a state that doesn’t have good polling, but suggested making phone calls.

“I would start with the people who voted for you to become a delegate, see what they think and see how they think you should proceed. You probably won’t have polling. That’s very good. You may have to rely on sort of national polling,” she said.

A prominent Democratic source said that it’s well known to certain party operatives that delegates aren’t truly compelled to vote for Biden, 81, even though he swept this year’s state nominating contests.

“It’s not a loophole! That’s the process. You can vote for whoever you want,” the source told The Post.

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“I think it’s almost inevitable he drops out,” that source added.

But if Biden does not, the Democratic insider noted, delegates can break with the president in clean conscience because of his remarks last week that they can “do whatever they want.”

Biden defiantly blustered at that event, “It’s not going to happen.” 

“Biden has already said you’re free to vote for whoever you want. He’s said that publicly,” the source said. “Second, they can anyway.”

The scale of a possible revolt is unclear, with the source saying he could imagine “very few” actually joining in if Biden forges ahead — particularly if former House Speaker Nancy Pelsoi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and former President Barack Obama set aside their private misgivings following Biden’s disastrous June 27 debate performance.

But even an unsuccessful revolt could hurt Biden going into the Nov. 5 election against former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee.

“If it’s 10 or 100 or 200, people in the media will say, ‘Oh my God, it’s a massive defection,'” he added.

Some Democrats fear that Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden’s most likely replacement , could fare even worse due to the fact that her approval ratings have trailed her boss’ through much of their administration.

“We are so f–ked,” a senior congressional Democratic source told The Post.

“Apparently the border czar who lets 10 million illegals in is going to win this election for us. Absolutely ridiculous, she should join Biden as he exits stage left.”

But if the party passes over Harris, the first female vice president and the first of African and South Asian heritage, it would create fresh chaos.

“I don’t think he drops out without a clear plan,” said a source close to the White House. “We won’t have a brokered convention.”

This source said “she has been a loyal VP” and Biden likely would back Harris, 59.

Another source close to Biden said, “Remember, he himself was passed over by Obama and it stung. I don’t think he’d do that to Harris.”

But that source, when asked if Biden’s blessing of Harris would head off a convention floor fight, said: “I think so,” then added, “But God, who knows at this point.”

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Photo Appears to Capture Path of Bullet Used in Assassination Attempt

Michael Harrigan, a retired F.B.I. special agent, said the image captured by Doug Mills, a New York Times photographer, seems to show a bullet streaking past former President Donald J. Trump.

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By John Ismay

Reporting from Washington

• Published July 14, 2024 Updated July 15, 2024

Follow the latest news on the Trump assassination attempt .

In documenting the Pennsylvania campaign rally on Saturday afternoon that turned into an attempt on a former president’s life, Doug Mills, a veteran New York Times photographer, appeared to capture the image of a bullet streaking past former President Donald J. Trump’s head.

That is the assessment of Michael Harrigan, a retired F.B.I. special agent who spent 22 years in the bureau.

“It absolutely could be showing the displacement of air due to a projectile,” Mr. Harrigan said in an interview on Saturday night after reviewing the high-resolution images that Mr. Mills filed from the rally. “The angle seems a bit low to have passed through his ear, but not impossible if the gunman fired multiple rounds.”

Simple ballistic math showed that capturing a bullet as Mr. Mills likely did in a photo was possible, Mr. Harrigan said.

Mr. Mills was using a Sony digital camera capable of capturing images at up to 30 frames per second. He took these photos with a shutter speed of 1/8,000th of a second — extremely fast by industry standards.

The other factor is the speed of the bullet from the firearm. On Saturday law enforcement authorities recovered an AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle at the scene from a deceased white man they believe was the gunman.

“If the gunman was firing an AR-15-style rifle, the .223-caliber or 5.56-millimeter bullets they use travel at roughly 3,200 feet per second when they leave the weapon’s muzzle,’’ Mr. Harrigan said. “And with a 1/8,000th of a second shutter speed, this would allow the bullet to travel approximately four-tenths of a foot while the shutter is open.”

“Most cameras used to capture images of bullets in flight are using extremely high speed specialty cameras not normally utilized for regular photography, so catching a bullet on a side trajectory as seen in that photo would be a one in a million shot and nearly impossible to catch even if one knew the bullet was coming,” he said.

In Mr. Harrigan’s last assignment, he led the bureau’s firearms training unit and currently works as a consultant in the firearms industry.

“Given the circumstances, if that’s not showing the bullet’s path through the air, I don’t know what else it would be,” he said.

John Ismay is a reporter covering the Pentagon for The Times. He served as an explosive ordnance disposal officer in the U.S. Navy. More about John Ismay

Ex-Secret Service special agents explain why countersniper who saved Trump's life may have lost crucial seconds

• Trump's life was saved by a Secret Service countersniper assigned to Saturday's detail.
• But the shooter still managed to kill one rallygoer and injure two others before he was taken out.
• Experts said heat, staffing, and a focus on a nearby tree line may have cost crucial seconds.

The Secret Service countersniper who narrowly saved the life of former President Donald Trump may have lost crucial seconds because of factors including the extreme heat, a lack of antisniper backup, and a likely focus on a nearby tree line, a former special agent told Business Insider.

"This countersniper made an amazingly quick decision and clearly saved Trump's life," Bill Pickle, the former special agent in charge of Al Gore's vice-presidential Secret Service detail, said.

"Our guys are the best shots in the world. That's what they do," Pickle said.

"And within a second of the moment this kid opened fire, the CS guy shot him," he said, using Secret Service shorthand to refer to the countersniper deployed at Saturday night's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

"But someone will blame that CS and the spotter and say, 'If only he had been two seconds faster in spotting the shooter,'" the former special agent said.

"The real question may be: If there were more antisniper eyes on that building, could this have all been avoided?" he added.

How did the countersniper team not see the shooting suspect sooner?

Pickle said one area of focus for investigators would be how the shooter managed to get on top of the building without authorities taking notice.

"The other question is: Why wasn't this roof secured, and were there agents or law enforcement in there checking IDs?" he added.

"How did this kid figure out a way to get out on the rooftop and slither across that rooftop?" Pickle said. "He low-crawled across the roof on his hands and knees, and he pushed the weapon ahead of him just like in the military."

But even if they see a shooting suspect quicker, countersnipers may not always have the ability to act immediately when they spot a threat, Anthony Cangelosi, a former special agent who directed the Secret Service's technical-security advances for presidential candidates, said.

"You either have to make a decision: 'Do I take a shot? Or do I not take a shot?'" Cangelosi told BI.

"What if you find out, 'Oh, I just killed a 20-year-old kid who loves the protectee, and he couldn't get in the venue, and he just wanted to get up on that roof?' No one wants to be in that position," Cangelosi said.

Cangelosi said the Secret Service team at the event should have a "site plan" that would include a layout of the area and the surrounding buildings.

The would-be assassin fired at least three rounds from a rooftop 150 yards from where Trump was speaking. He killed one rallygoer and critically injured two others before being shot dead by a yet-to-be-identified Secret Service countersniper who was positioned on another rooftop.

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One bullet grazed Trump's right ear , bloodying his face.

"This kid, at 150 yards, made a great shot," Pickle said Sunday of the would-be assassin, his voice grim. "I don't know the specifics of whether he used optics, meaning a scope on his rifle," he told BI.

"But even with optics, it takes somebody with training to aim at somebody's head from 150 yards away and you actually hit the edge of the head," he said.

"That's not a lucky shot," he added. "That's a guy who actually shot before."

The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks , 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The FBI said it was still investigating a motive.

But for now, it's clear that at least three things may have factored into the several-second delay between when Crooks was seen crawling onto the roof and when the CS team saw and shot him, Pickle said.

The decision on how many antisnipers to deploy may prove the most critical factor, he said.

"Someone made a decision that that number of countersnipers was sufficient," he said. "And obviously, in hindsight, they were wrong because there was a kid who was able to get up there on that rooftop and pull the trigger three times at least."

How many CS teams were deployed?

Staffing decisions would have been made at the Secret Service's headquarters in Washington, DC, based on whatever agency personnel on the ground recommended after a several-day investigation of the site, Pickle said.

"An advance team actually does a lengthy survey, where they look at everything and then recommend what they need," he said.

"But if they're stretched for resources, headquarters can say we can only get you one team out there. And that's not unusual — if you don't have it, you don't have it," Pickle said.

"It always boils down to resources," he said. "And if it's not a resource problem, and the money was there, then it's still an allocation-of-resources problem," he said — meaning someone underestimated the forces needed to keep Trump safe.

Regardless of how many snipers were present, the Secret Service typically has "360-degree coverage" of an event where a sitting or former president is speaking, Cangelosi said.

Another factor is the weather.

"The CS guys would probably say: 'We were up there for four hours in 100-degree heat, and if we had another team up here or drone support, this wouldn't have happened,'" Pickle said.

The team may also have been focusing on a nearby tree line, seeing it as the primary risk.

"You're looking at everything that would hide a potential assassin," Pickle said.

"The first assumption is that if I'm a bad guy, I'm going to hide. Human nature is such that I'm going to be scanning the rooftops to make sure they're empty, but then I'm going to be focusing on that tree line because you think the bad guy is going to be hidden," Pickle said.

"You don't think the bad guy is going to be out in the open," he said.

Interagency squabbles and intense public scrutiny are forthcoming

Once the would-be assassin opened fire, "everything that happened up there was textbook and the way it should have happened," Pickle said. The CS team returned fire, long-gun-toting counterassault agents in black jumpsuits and helmets rushed the stage, and business-suited agents at the rally platform hurried Trump offstage.

"But why wasn't he identified seconds sooner?" Pickle asked of the shooter.

"Was it caused by exhaustion from being on a 100-degree roof for four hours? Was the CS team watching the heavy foliage there, which arguably was the best place to hide?" he said.

"An open roof is not the best place to hide. If he climbed out onto an open rooftop, he was prepared to die," he added.

"The worst nightmare for the Secret Service has always been a lone gunman who hasn't been announcing his views publicly and is ready to die," he said.

Pickle said Saturday's attack would be dissected for years to come and "will be in the training syllabus forever."

"It's going to be a circular firing squad," Pickle said of the interagency finger-pointing and conspiracy theories that will play out as the attempted assassination is scrutinized by the FBI, Congress, and the press and public.

Cangelosi told BI that "a lot of people talk and things just travel" within the agency after an event of this magnitude.

"We all want answers, and we want them as quickly as possible, but it's going to take some time," Cangelosi said. "You know the Secret Service; they're professionals. Mistakes are made. They're going to remedy them."

Watch: How the Secret Service protected Trump after 'screwing up'

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