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Definition of homework

Examples of homework in a sentence.

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

Word History

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Dictionary Entries Near homework

Cite this entry.

“Homework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homework. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

  • A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
  • A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
  • A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

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How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

  • If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
  • If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
  • If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
  • If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

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How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

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If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

  • A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
  • B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
  • C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

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This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

  • Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
  • Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
  • Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
  • Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

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Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

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Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

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What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Definition of homework noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

  • I always do my homework on the bus.
  • physics/geography/French, etc. homework
  • I still haven't done my geography homework.
  • How much homework do you get?
  • for homework I have to write up the notes for homework.
  • (especially North American English) I have to finish this homework assignment .
  • acquire/​get/​lack (an) education/​training/ (British English) (some) qualifications
  • receive/​provide somebody with training/​tuition
  • develop/​design/​plan a curriculum/ (especially British English) course/ (North American English) program/​syllabus
  • give/​go to/​attend a class/​lesson/​lecture/​seminar
  • hold/​run/​conduct a class/​seminar/​workshop
  • sign up for/​take a course/​classes/​lessons
  • go to/​start preschool/​kindergarten/​nursery school
  • be in (North American English) the first, second, etc. grade/ (British English) year 1, 2. etc. (at school)
  • study/​take/​drop history/​chemistry/​German, etc.
  • (British English) leave/​finish/​drop out of/ (North American English) quit school
  • (North American English) graduate high school/​college
  • be the victim/​target of bullying
  • (British English) play truant from/ (both British English, informal) bunk off/​skive off school (= not go to school when you should)
  • (both especially North American English) skip/​cut class/​school
  • (British English) cheat in/ (North American English) cheat on an exam/​a test
  • get/​be given a detention (for doing something)
  • be expelled from/​be suspended from school
  • do your homework/ (British English) revision/​a project on something
  • work on/​write/​do/​submit an essay/​a dissertation/​a thesis/​an assignment/ (North American English) a paper
  • finish/​complete your dissertation/​thesis/​studies/​coursework
  • hand in/ (North American English) turn in your homework/​essay/​assignment/​paper
  • study/​prepare/ (British English) revise/ (North American English) review/ (North American English, informal) cram for a test/​an exam
  • take/ (both British English) do/​sit a test/​an exam
  • (especially British English) mark/ (especially North American English) grade homework/​a test
  • (British English) do well in/ (North American English) do well on/ (especially North American English, informal) ace a test/​an exam
  • pass/​fail/ (especially North American English, informal) flunk a test/​an exam/​a class/​a course/​a subject
  • apply to/​get into/​go to/​start college/ (British English) university
  • leave/​graduate from law school/​college/ (British English) university (with a degree in computer science)
  • study for/​take/ (British English) do/​complete a law degree/​a degree in physics
  • (both North American English) major/​minor in biology/​philosophy
  • earn/​receive/​be awarded/​get/​have/​hold a master’s degree/​a bachelor’s degree/​a PhD in economics
  • Have you finished your homework?
  • Have you done your physics homework yet?
  • I was helping my sister with her maths homework.
  • The homework assignments are worth 10% of the final grade.
  • I have some homework to do on the Civil War.
  • I want you to hand in this homework on Friday.
  • The science teacher always gives a lot of homework.
  • They get a lot of homework in English.
  • They get masses of homework at secondary school.
  • We had to write out one of the exercises for homework.
  • for homework
  • homework  on

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definition to do your homework

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  • homework (noun)
  • Please do/finish your homework .
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  • The candidate did his homework [=studied the issues] before the debate.
a night during which someone works on something without sleeping
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Look up a word, learn it forever.

/ˌhoʊmˈwʌrk/.

Other forms: homeworks

Any assignment you're expected to complete after school and bring back to class the next day is called homework . Many students make up excuses for not having their homework done. The "My dog ate my homework " excuse doesn't work so well in the digital age.

High school students typically have a lot of homework most days, and often that's true for younger students as well. In college, an increasing amount of school work is done outside of class, as homework (even if you do it in the library, a cafe, or a dorm). Homework originally referred to any work done at home, including cooking and cleaning. The first example of the "school work" meaning dates from the late 1880s.

  • noun preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home) synonyms: prep , preparation see more see less type of: school assignment , schoolwork a school task performed by a student to satisfy the teacher

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Thesaurus for Do your homework

Related terms for do your homework - synonyms, antonyms and sentences with do your homework, similar meaning.

  • do the task
  • do the homework
  • finish your homework
  • be thoroughly informed
  • be thoroughly prepared
  • investigate
  • do one's homework
  • accomplish your home assignment
  • accomplish your home task
  • accomplish your homework
  • complete your homework
  • prepare thoroughly
  • check up on
  • be well prepared
  • complete your home assignment
  • do your home task

Opposite meaning

  • avoid doing your homework
  • be a bad student
  • be oblivious to
  • brush aside
  • turn a blind eye to
  • turn a deaf ear to
  • pay no attention to
  • pay no heed to
  • take no notice of
  • fritter away time

Common usage

  • centre of learning
  • educational establishment
  • academicians
  • establishment
  • familiarize
  • halls of ivy

Sentence Examples

Proper usage in context.

  • Are you going to do your homework this afternoon?
  • Do your homework before you watch TV
  • Do your homework or Sister Mary Joseph
  • Don't they make you do your homework at Columbia?
  • Go do your homework and then get ready for bed
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Illustration of person sitting on a chair of books and working on laptop

5 Ways to Make Homework More Meaningful

Use these insights from educators—and research—to create homework practices that work for everyone.

Homework tends to be a polarizing topic. While many teachers advocate for its complete elimination, others argue that it provides students with the extra practice they need to solidify their learning and teach them work habits—like managing time and meeting deadlines—that have lifelong benefits. 

We recently reached out to teachers in our audience to identify practices that can help educators plot a middle path. 

Elementary school teacher John Thomas told Edutopia on Facebook that he finds the best homework looks more like no-strings-attached encouragement for students to read or even play academically-adjacent games with their families. “I encourage reading every night,” Thomas says, but he doesn’t use logs or other means of getting students to track their completion. “Just encouragement and book bags with self selected books students take home for enjoyment.” 

Thomas said he also suggests to parents and students that they can play around with “math and science tools” such as “calculators, tape measures, protractors, rulers, money, tangrams, and building blocks.” Math-based games like Yahtzee or dominos, can also serve as enriching—and fun—practice of skills they’re learning.

At the middle and high school level, homework generally increases, and that can be demotivating for teachers, who feel obliged to review or even grade half-hearted submissions. It can also be demotivating for students, too. “Most [students] don’t complete it anyway,” said high school teacher Krystn Stretzinger Charlie on Facebook . “It ends up hurting them more than it helps.”    

So how do teachers decide when to—and when not to—assign homework and how do they ensure that the homework they assign feels meaningful, productive, and even motivating to students? 

1. Less is More

A 2017 study analyzed the homework assignments of more than 20,000 middle and high school students and found that teachers are often a bad judge of how long homework will take. 

According to researchers, students spend as much as 85 minutes or as little as 30 minutes on homework teachers imagined would take students one hour to complete. The researchers concluded that by assigning too much homework , teachers actually increased inequalities between students for “minimal gains in achievement.” Too much homework can overwhelm students who “have more gaps in their knowledge,” the researchers said, and creates situations where homework becomes so time-consuming and frustrating that it demotivates students and turns them off to classwork.

To counteract this, middle school math teacher Crystal Frommert says she focuses on quality over quantity. She cites the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics , which recommends only assigning “what’s necessary to augment instruction,” and adds that if teachers can “get sufficient information by assigning only five problems, then don’t assign fifty.” 

Instead of sending students home with worksheets and long problem sets from textbooks that often repeat the same concepts, Frommert recommends assigning part of a page, or even a few specific problems—and explaining to students why these handpicked problems will be helpful practice. When students know there’s thought behind the problems they’re asked to solve at home, “they pay more attention to the condensed assignment because it was tailored for them,” Frommert says. 

On Instagram , high school teacher Jacob Palmer said that every now and then he condenses homework down to just one problem that is particularly engaging and challenging: “The depth and exploration that can come from one single problem can be richer than 20 routine problems.” 

2. Add Choice to the Equation 

Former educator and coach Mike Anderson says teachers can differentiate homework assignments without placing unrealistic demands on their workload by offering students some discretion in the work they complete, and explicitly teaching them “how to choose appropriately challenging work for themselves.” 

Instead of assigning the same 20 problems or response questions on a given textbook page to all students, for example, Anderson suggests asking students to refer to the list of questions and choose and complete a designated number of them (three to five, for example) that give students “a little bit of a challenge but that [they] can still solve independently.” 

To teach students how to choose well, Anderson actually has students practice choosing homework questions in class before the end of the day, brainstorming in groups and sharing their thoughts about what a good homework question should accomplish. The other part, of course, involves offering students good choices: “Make sure that options for homework focus on the skills being practiced and are open-ended enough for all students to be successful,” he says. 

Once students have developed a better understanding of the purpose of challenging themselves to practice and grow as learners, Anderson also periodically asks students to come up with their own ideas for problems or other activities they can use to reinforce learning at home. A simple question, such as “What are some ideas for how you might practice this skill at home?” can be enough to get students sharing ideas, he said. 

Jill Kibler, a former high school science teacher, told Edutopia on Facebook that she implemented homework choice in her classroom by allowing students to decide how much of the work they’ve recently turned in they’d like to redo as homework: “Students had one grading cycle (about seven school days) to redo the work they wanted to improve,” she said. 

3. Break the Mold 

According to high school English teacher Kate Dusto, the work that students produce at home doesn’t have to come in the traditional formats of written responses to a problem. On Instagram , Dusto told Edutopia that homework can often be made more interesting—and engaging—by allowing students to show evidence of their learning in creative ways. 

“Offer choices for how they show their learning,” Dusto said. “Record audio or video? Type or use speech to text? Draw or handwrite and then upload a picture?,” the possibilities are endless. 

Former educator and author Jay McTighe notes that visual representations such as graphic organizers and concept maps are particularly useful for students attempting to organize new information and solidify their understanding of abstract concepts. For example, students might be asked to “draw a visual web of factors affecting plant growth” in biology class or map out the plot, characters, themes, and settings of a novel or play they’re reading to visualize relationships between different elements of the story and deepen their comprehension of it. 

Simple written responses to summarize new learning can also be made more interesting by varying the format, McTighe said. For example, ask students to compose a Tweet in 280 characters or less and answer a question like “What is the big idea that you have learned about _____?” or even record a short audio podcast or video podcast explaining “key concepts from one or more lessons.”

4. Make Homework Voluntary 

When Elementary school teacher Jacqueline Worthley Fiorentino stopped assigning mandatory homework to her second grade students and suggested voluntary activities instead, she found that something surprising happened: “They started doing more work at home.” 

Some of the simple, voluntary activities she presented students with included encouraging at-home reading (without mandating how much time they should spend reading); sending home weekly spelling words and math facts that will be covered in class, but that should also be mastered by the end of the week: “it will be up to each child to figure out the best way to learn to spell the words correctly or to master the math facts,” she said; and creating voluntary lesson extensions such as pointing students to outside resources—texts, videos or films, webpages, or even online or in-person exhibits—to “expand their knowledge on a topic covered in class.”

Anderson said that for older students, teachers can sometimes make whatever homework they assign a voluntary choice. “Do all students need to practice a skill? If not, you might keep homework invitational,” he said, adding that teachers can tell students: “If you think a little more practice tonight would help you solidify your learning, here are some examples you might try.”

On Facebook , Natisha Wilson, a K-12 gifted students coordinator for an Ohio school district, said that when students are working on a challenging question in class, she’ll give them the option to “take it home and figure it out” if they’re unable to complete it before the end of the period. Often students take her up on this, she said because many of them “can’t stand not knowing the answer.” 

5. Grade for Completion—or Don’t Grade at All  

Former teacher Rick Wormeli argues that work on homework assignments isn’t “evidence of final level of proficiency”; rather, it’s practice that provides teachers with “feedback and informs where we go next in instruction.” 

Grading homework for completion—or not grading at all, Wormeli says—can help students focus on the real task at hand of consolidating understanding and self-monitoring their learning. “When early attempts at mastery are not used against them, and accountability comes in the form of actually learning content, adolescents flourish.” 

High school science teacher John Scali agreed , confirming that grading for “completion and timeliness” rather than for “correctness” makes students “more likely to do the work, especially if it ties directly into what we are doing in class the next day” without worrying about being “100% correct.” On Instagram , middle school math teacher Traci Hawks noted that any assignments that are completed and show work—even if the answer is wrong—gets a 100 from her.

But Frommert said that even grading for completion can be time consuming for teachers, and fraught for students if they don’t have home environments that are supportive of homework, or if they have jobs or other after school activities. 

Instead of traditional grading, she suggests alternatives to holding students accountable for homework, such as student presentations, or even group discussions and debates as a way to check for understanding. For example, students can debate which method is best to solve a problem, or discuss their prospective solutions in small groups. “Communicating their mathematical thinking deepens their understanding,” Frommert says. 

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Definitions.net

  Vocabulary      

What does homework mean?

Definitions for homework ˈhoʊmˌwɜrk home·work, this dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word homework ., princeton's wordnet rate this definition: 3.8 / 4 votes.

homework, prep, preparation noun

preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home)

GCIDE Rate this definition: 1.0 / 1 vote

  • homework noun

Paid work done at home, especially piecework.

Wiktionary Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

Work that is done at home, especially school exercises set by a teacher.

You must do your homework before you can watch television.

Preliminary or preparatory work, such as research.

The speaker had certainly done his homework before delivering the lecture.

Wikipedia Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

Homework is a set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed outside the classroom. Common homework assignments may include required reading, a writing or typing project, mathematical exercises to be completed, information to be reviewed before a test, or other skills to be practiced. The effects of homework are debated. Generally speaking, homework does not improve academic performance among young children. Homework may improve academic skills among older students, especially lower-achieving students. However, homework also creates stress for students and parents, and reduces the amount of time that students can spend in other activities.

ChatGPT Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

Homework refers to tasks or assignments given to students by their teachers that are expected to be completed outside of regular school hours. These assignments are usually related to the topics being taught in class and serve to reinforce learning, practice new skills, and prepare students for upcoming lessons or assessments. Homework can take various forms such as reading, writing, problem-solving, researching, or completing exercises. It is designed to encourage independent study, time management, and responsibility in students.

Wikidata Rate this definition: 4.8 / 4 votes

Homework, or homework assignment, refers to tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed outside of class. Common homework assignments may include a quantity or period of reading to be performed, writing or typing to be completed, problems to be solved, a school project to be built, or other skills to be practiced.

Matched Categories

  • School Assignment

British National Corpus

Written Corpus Frequency

Rank popularity for the word 'homework' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2123

How to pronounce homework?

Alex US English David US English Mark US English Daniel British Libby British Mia British Karen Australian Hayley Australian Natasha Australian Veena Indian Priya Indian Neerja Indian Zira US English Oliver British Wendy British Fred US English Tessa South African

How to say homework in sign language?

Chaldean Numerology

The numerical value of homework in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

Pythagorean Numerology

The numerical value of homework in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of homework in a Sentence

Jessica Lahey :

In order to be invested in our own learning or anything we're doing, we need to feel like we have some control over the details of it. We need to have some autonomy and control over the details of it. We need to feel competent, and if parents are fixing homework for us, the kid never really gets to feel competent because the parent's the one fixing it and they really need to feel invested and connected to the material.

Joao Carlos Brega :

The process in Argentina is already ahead of Brazil. It's hopeful but they still need to deliver. They're doing their homework with support from Congress, the population and a serious government.

Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu :

When you go home, you do your homework and ... find that what you have created is a kind of monster from a legal point of view because it is open to many interpretations.

Christy Taylor :

He didnt understand the magnitude, he hung up and went upstairs to do his homework .

Patrick Van Eecke :

It's a gradual and not a revolutionary kind of thing ... However for many companies it was a huge wakeup call because they never did their homework . They never took the data protection directive seriously.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

  • ^  Princeton's WordNet http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=homework
  • ^  GCIDE https://gcide.gnu.org.ua/?q=homework
  • ^  Wiktionary https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Homework
  • ^  Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homework
  • ^  ChatGPT https://chat.openai.com
  • ^  Wikidata https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=homework

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definition to do your homework

Learn How Medigap Works

Generally, you must have Original Medicare — Part A and Part B — to buy a Medigap policy. A Medigap policy only covers one person, so if you and your spouse both want Medigap coverage, you each have to buy your own policy.

If you have a Medigap policy and get care, Medicare will pay its share of the Medicare-approved amount for covered health care costs. In most Medigap policies, you agree to have the Medigap insurance company get your Part B claim information directly from Medicare.  Then, your Medigap policy will pay your doctor whatever amount you owe under your policy and you’re responsible for any costs that are left. Some Medigap insurance companies also provide this service for Part A claims.

If your Medigap insurance company doesn't get your claims information directly from Medicare, ask your doctors if they "participate" in Medicare. This means that they "accept assignment" for all Medicare patients. If your doctor participates, your Medigap insurance company is required to pay your doctor directly, if you ask them to.

Once you buy a policy, you'll keep it as long as you pay your Medigap premiums. All standardized Medigap policies are automatically renewed every year, even if you have health problems. Your Medigap insurance company can only drop you if:

  • You stop paying your premiums
  • You weren't truthful on the Medigap policy application
  • The insurance company goes bankrupt or goes out of business

Medigap & other Medicare coverage

Medigap & medicare advantage plans.

A Medigap policy is different from a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C). A Medicare Advantage Plan is another way to get your Medicare coverage besides Original Medicare. A Medigap policy is a supplement to Original Medicare coverage. When you’re getting started with Medicare, you can either buy Medigap or enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan, but you can’t have both.

  • If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can’t buy a Medigap policy. It's illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy unless you're switching back to Original Medicare. If you want to switch to Original Medicare and buy a Medigap policy, contact your Medicare Advantage Plan to see if you're able to disenroll.
  • If you have a Medigap policy and join a Medicare Advantage Plan for the first time, you may want to drop your Medigap policy because you’ll be paying for coverage you can’t use. If after you join a Medicare Advantage Plan for the first time and you’re not happy with your plan, you’ll have a single 12-month period (your trial right period) to get your Medigap policy back if the same insurance company still sells it once you return to Original Medicare. After that period, you might have to wait to drop your Medicare Advantage Plan, and you might not be able to buy a Medigap policy, or it may cost more.

Medigap & prescription drug coverage

Medigap plans sold after 2005 don’t include prescription drug coverage. So, if you enroll in Medigap for the first time, it won’t include drug coverage. If you want prescription drug coverage, you can join a separate Medicare drug plan (Part D). What if I have a Medigap policy that already has prescription drug coverage?

Tip:  If you join a Medigap policy and a Medicare drug plan offered by the same company, you may need to make 2 separate premium payments for your coverage. Contact your insurance company for more details.

Next steps: Get Medigap costs

  • IT applications, infrastructure and operations

software license

  • Ben Lutkevich, Site Editor
  • Rachel Lebeaux

What is a software license?

A software license is a document that provides legally binding guidelines for the use and distribution of software .

Software licenses typically provide end users with the right to one or more copies of the software without violating copyrights . The license also defines the responsibilities of the parties entering into the license agreement and may impose restrictions on how the software can be used.

Software licensing terms and conditions usually include fair use of the software, the limitations of liability, warranties and disclaimers. They also specify protections if the software or its use infringes on the intellectual property rights of others.

Software licenses typically are proprietary , free or Open Source. The distinguishing feature is the terms under which users may redistribute or copy the software for future development or use.

How do software licenses work?

A software license is a document that states the rights of the developer and user of a piece of software. It defines how the software can be used and how it will be paid for. The following are some examples of specifications a license might include:

  • how many times the software can be downloaded;
  • what the software will cost; and
  • what level of access users will have to the source code .

Licenses typically are expressed as an end-user license agreement or an enterprise license agreement . The license is a contract between the user or user organization and the developer. It defines the terms of the license. A user must agree to the terms of the license when acquiring the software.

Software also comes with a license key or product key. The key is used to identify and verify the specific version of the software. It is also used to activate the software on a specific computer or device.

Why software licenses are important

A software license establishes the rights of all parties involved with the software: the author, the provider and the end users. It defines the relationship between the software company and users and explains how they are protected.

How license agreements protect developers

  • They protect developers' intellectual property and trade secrets based on copyright laws.
  • They limit what other parties can do with the covered software code .
  • They limit the liability of the vendor.

How license agreements protect users

  • They define what users can do with software code they did not write.
  • They establish how users stay in compliance with software licenses , protect themselves from infringement claims and limit their legal liability .
  • They help users maintain a positive relationship with software developers and vendors.
  • They prevent overspending on licenses by establishing clear parameters of how many licenses an organization needs.

What are the different types of software licenses?

There are two general types of software licenses that differ based on how they are viewed under copyright law.

  • Free and open source software (FOSS) licenses are often referred to as open source. FOSS source code is available to the customer along with the software product. The customer is usually allowed to use the source code to change the software.
  • Proprietary licenses are often referred to as closed source. They provide customers with operational code. Users cannot freely alter this software. These licenses also usually restrict reverse engineering the software's code to obtain the source code.

4 types of open source contributor license agreements

A more detailed list includes five types of software licenses. It makes finer distinctions among various types of open source licenses and proprietary licenses. This list includes the following:

  • Public domain. This software is freely available. Anyone can use and change it or incorporate code from this software into an application. However, businesses should use caution as altered code may not meet enterprise quality and security standards. Companies should be wary of ambiguous licenses that appear to be public domain but do not explicitly say so.
  • Lesser general public license. Developers can link to open source libraries within their software and use any licensing type for the code.
  • Permissive. This type of license will establish some requirements for distribution or modification of the software. It also has requirements for preserving license notices, copyrights or trademarks. There are several variations of permissive licenses, including Apache, BSD (Berkeley Source Distribution) and MIT licenses.
  • Copyleft. Licensed code may be distributed or modified as part of a software application or project if all code involved is distributed under the same license. New products containing old code with a copyleft license must comply with the restrictions laid out in the old code's license.
  • Proprietary. This is the most restrictive license type. Proprietary software licenses make it illegal to copy, modify or distribute the software. These licenses provide the software owners with the most protection from unauthorized use of the software.

chart showing common software license types

How much does a software license cost?

The cost of a software license depends on the type of license, the type of software and the pricing model. There may be a one-time fee that gives the user ownership rights to the software program. This approach is considered the traditional way of owning software -- buying the license up front and gaining the rights to use the software indefinitely. This type of purchase agreement is known as a perpetual license .

Alternatively, the user may pay an initial fee followed by a subscription plan where payment is made at regular intervals .

License costs are often based on the number of users and devices that use the software. They may also depend on the software deployment method. Costs can increase with add-ons, upgrades, maintenance fees and other fees. Depending on these factors, software license costs can vary from free or nearly so, to many thousands of dollars.

Tracking software licenses and costs can be particularly difficult across virtualized servers , mobile devices and the cloud operations.

What does a software license agreement include?

End-user license agreements typically include basic information about the parties entering the agreement, such as full names of the parties involved, contact information and address of the parties. It also likely includes information on the following:

  • when the conditions of the agreement go into effect (i.e., the moment the user accepts the terms and conditions);
  • charges owed per user;
  • the duration of the agreement;
  • terms of cancellation and terms for recovery of charges if cancelled during the period covered by the original agreement;
  • distribution permissions and limitations;
  • user rights for copying the software and making modifications;
  • software performance guarantees;
  • the number of eligible users;
  • maintenance , upgrades and support that is included;
  • how many devices will be allowed to use the software;
  • disclaimer of warranties;
  • transferability of the license to another business or person;
  • exclusivity or non-exclusivity of the software to any one customer; and
  • governing law and which entity will have jurisdiction over legal disputes about the license.

Software licensing and the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored some of the more serious challenges involved in managing software licenses. Many companies were not prepared for the sudden increase in demand for software licenses when their workforces went remote. They needed additional licenses for web conferencing, messaging and communications software. They also needed quick access to more security software licenses.

For many companies, this unexpected demand and expense meant they had to get creative in their approach to software licensing . Buying everyone a license for every application was not always the best answer. Instead, some organizations opted to buy licenses according to an employee's function. They also looked at shared license models, setting up portals where employees can request licenses as needed.

Continue Reading About software license

  • Software license management tools can help with SAP indirect usage
  • How to negotiate with Oracle for a better cloud deal
  • Coronavirus raises the software audit stakes
  • Build a comprehensive outline for your data center budget
  • Discern these open source license terms to avoid legal snags

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By Natasha Singer

definition to do your homework

I sat in on a ChatGPT workshop this month for teachers at Walla Walla High School, about 270 miles southeast of Seattle. As a reporter who covers education technology, I have closely followed how generative artificial intelligence has upended education .

Now that the first full school year of the A.I. chatbot era is beginning, I wanted to ask administrators and educators how their thinking had evolved since last spring. Walla Walla, a district that serves some 5,500 students, seemed like a timely location to begin the conversation. After blocking student access to ChatGPT in February, Walla Walla administrators told me they unblocked it last month and are now embracing A.I. tools.

So I jumped at the chance to learn more about how teachers there are planning to use chatbots with their students this academic year. You can read more in my story today about how school districts across the country are repealing their ChatGPT bans.

My colleague Kevin Roose has some great suggestions in his column today on how schools can survive, “and maybe even thrive,” with A.I. tools this fall. Step one, Kevin says: “Assume all students are going to use the technology.”

We recently asked educators, professors, and high school and college students to tell us about their experiences using A.I. chatbots for teaching and learning. We got a massive response — more than 350 submissions. Here are some highlights:

Teaching with A.I.

I love A.I. chatbots! I use them to make variations on quiz questions. I have them check my instructions for clarity. I have them brainstorm activity and assignment ideas. I’ve tried using them to evaluate student essays, but it isn’t great at that.

— Katy Pearce, associate professor, University of Washington

Before they even use ChatGPT, I help students discern what is worth knowing, figuring out how to look it up, and what information or research is worth “outsourcing” to A.I. I also teach students how to think critically about the data collected from the chatbot — what might be missing, what can be improved and how they can expand the “conversation” to get richer feedback.

— Nicole Haddad, Southern Methodist University

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Diccionario Inglés‑Español

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an animal that produces eggs and uses the heat of the sun to keep its blood warm

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  23. How teachers and students feel about A.I.

    Step one, Kevin says: "Assume all students are going to use the technology.". We recently asked educators, professors, and high school and college students to tell us about their experiences ...

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    Machine learning definition. Machine learning is a subfield of artificial intelligence (AI) that uses algorithms trained on data sets to create self-learning models that are capable of predicting outcomes and classifying information without human intervention. Machine learning is used today for a wide range of commercial purposes, including ...

  25. Diccionario Cambridge: Traducir del inglés al español

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