how to write assignment model

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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:

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• Assignment writing

Follow this step-by-step guide to assignment writing to help you to manage your time and produce a better assignment.

This is a general guide. It's primarily for research essays, but can be used for all assignments. The specific requirements for your course may be different. Make sure you read through any assignment requirements carefully and ask your lecturer or tutor if you're unsure how to meet them.

• Analysing the topic
• Researching and note-taking
• Planning your assignment
• Writing your assignment
• Editing your assignment

1. Analysing the topic

Before you start researching or writing, take some time to analyse the assignment topic to make sure you know what you need to do.

Understand what you need to do

Read through the topic a few times to make sure you understand it. Think about the:

• learning objectives listed in the course profile – understand what you should be able to do after completing the course and its assessment tasks
• criteria you'll be marked on – find out what you need to do to achieve the grade you want
• questions you need to answer – try to explain the topic in your own words.

Identify keywords

Identify keywords in the topic that will help guide your research, including any:

• task words – what you have to do (usually verbs)
• topic words – ideas, concepts or issues you need to discuss (often nouns)
• limiting words – restrict the focus of the topic (e.g. to a place, population or time period).

If you're writing your own topic, include task words, topic words and limiting words to help you to focus on exactly what you have to do.

Example keyword identification - text version

Topic: Evaluate the usefulness of a task analysis approach to assignment writing, especially with regard to the writing skill development of second language learners in the early stages of university study in the Australian university context.   Task words: Evaluate Topic words: task analysis approach, assignment writing, writing skill development Limiting words : second language learners (population), early stages of university (time period), Australian university (place)  

Brainstorm your ideas

Brainstorm information about the topic that you:

• already know
• will need to research to write the assignment.

When you brainstorm:

• use 'Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?' questions to get you thinking
• write down all your ideas – don't censor yourself or worry about the order
• try making a concept map to capture your ideas – start with the topic in the centre and record your ideas branching out from it.
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• Research paper

How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide

A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research.

Research papers are similar to academic essays , but they are usually longer and more detailed assignments, designed to assess not only your writing skills but also your skills in scholarly research. Writing a research paper requires you to demonstrate a strong knowledge of your topic, engage with a variety of sources, and make an original contribution to the debate.

This step-by-step guide takes you through the entire writing process, from understanding your assignment to proofreading your final draft.

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Table of contents

Understand the assignment, choose a research paper topic, conduct preliminary research, develop a thesis statement, create a research paper outline, write a first draft of the research paper, write the introduction, write a compelling body of text, write the conclusion, the second draft, the revision process, research paper checklist, free lecture slides.

Completing a research paper successfully means accomplishing the specific tasks set out for you. Before you start, make sure you thoroughly understanding the assignment task sheet:

• Read it carefully, looking for anything confusing you might need to clarify with your professor.
• Identify the assignment goal, deadline, length specifications, formatting, and submission method.
• Make a bulleted list of the key points, then go back and cross completed items off as you’re writing.

Carefully consider your timeframe and word limit: be realistic, and plan enough time to research, write, and edit.

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There are many ways to generate an idea for a research paper, from brainstorming with pen and paper to talking it through with a fellow student or professor.

You can try free writing, which involves taking a broad topic and writing continuously for two or three minutes to identify absolutely anything relevant that could be interesting.

You can also gain inspiration from other research. The discussion or recommendations sections of research papers often include ideas for other specific topics that require further examination.

Once you have a broad subject area, narrow it down to choose a topic that interests you, m eets the criteria of your assignment, and i s possible to research. Aim for ideas that are both original and specific:

• A paper following the chronology of World War II would not be original or specific enough.
• A paper on the experience of Danish citizens living close to the German border during World War II would be specific and could be original enough.

Note any discussions that seem important to the topic, and try to find an issue that you can focus your paper around. Use a variety of sources , including journals, books, and reliable websites, to ensure you do not miss anything glaring.

Do not only verify the ideas you have in mind, but look for sources that contradict your point of view.

• Is there anything people seem to overlook in the sources you research?
• Are there any heated debates you can address?
• Do you have a unique take on your topic?
• Have there been some recent developments that build on the extant research?

In this stage, you might find it helpful to formulate some research questions to help guide you. To write research questions, try to finish the following sentence: “I want to know how/what/why…”

A thesis statement is a statement of your central argument — it establishes the purpose and position of your paper. If you started with a research question, the thesis statement should answer it. It should also show what evidence and reasoning you’ll use to support that answer.

The thesis statement should be concise, contentious, and coherent. That means it should briefly summarize your argument in a sentence or two, make a claim that requires further evidence or analysis, and make a coherent point that relates to every part of the paper.

You will probably revise and refine the thesis statement as you do more research, but it can serve as a guide throughout the writing process. Every paragraph should aim to support and develop this central claim.

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A research paper outline is essentially a list of the key topics, arguments, and evidence you want to include, divided into sections with headings so that you know roughly what the paper will look like before you start writing.

A structure outline can help make the writing process much more efficient, so it’s worth dedicating some time to create one.

Your first draft won’t be perfect — you can polish later on. Your priorities at this stage are as follows:

• Maintaining forward momentum — write now, perfect later.
• Paying attention to clear organization and logical ordering of paragraphs and sentences, which will help when you come to the second draft.
• Expressing your ideas as clearly as possible, so you know what you were trying to say when you come back to the text.

You do not need to start by writing the introduction. Begin where it feels most natural for you — some prefer to finish the most difficult sections first, while others choose to start with the easiest part. If you created an outline, use it as a map while you work.

Do not delete large sections of text. If you begin to dislike something you have written or find it doesn’t quite fit, move it to a different document, but don’t lose it completely — you never know if it might come in useful later.

Paragraph structure

Paragraphs are the basic building blocks of research papers. Each one should focus on a single claim or idea that helps to establish the overall argument or purpose of the paper.

Example paragraph

George Orwell’s 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language” has had an enduring impact on thought about the relationship between politics and language. This impact is particularly obvious in light of the various critical review articles that have recently referenced the essay. For example, consider Mark Falcoff’s 2009 article in The National Review Online, “The Perversion of Language; or, Orwell Revisited,” in which he analyzes several common words (“activist,” “civil-rights leader,” “diversity,” and more). Falcoff’s close analysis of the ambiguity built into political language intentionally mirrors Orwell’s own point-by-point analysis of the political language of his day. Even 63 years after its publication, Orwell’s essay is emulated by contemporary thinkers.

Citing sources

It’s also important to keep track of citations at this stage to avoid accidental plagiarism . Each time you use a source, make sure to take note of where the information came from.

You can use our free citation generators to automatically create citations and save your reference list as you go.

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The research paper introduction should address three questions: What, why, and how? After finishing the introduction, the reader should know what the paper is about, why it is worth reading, and how you’ll build your arguments.

What? Be specific about the topic of the paper, introduce the background, and define key terms or concepts.

Why? This is the most important, but also the most difficult, part of the introduction. Try to provide brief answers to the following questions: What new material or insight are you offering? What important issues does your essay help define or answer?

How? To let the reader know what to expect from the rest of the paper, the introduction should include a “map” of what will be discussed, briefly presenting the key elements of the paper in chronological order.

The major struggle faced by most writers is how to organize the information presented in the paper, which is one reason an outline is so useful. However, remember that the outline is only a guide and, when writing, you can be flexible with the order in which the information and arguments are presented.

One way to stay on track is to use your thesis statement and topic sentences . Check:

• topic sentences against the thesis statement;
• topic sentences against each other, for similarities and logical ordering;
• and each sentence against the topic sentence of that paragraph.

Be aware of paragraphs that seem to cover the same things. If two paragraphs discuss something similar, they must approach that topic in different ways. Aim to create smooth transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and sections.

The research paper conclusion is designed to help your reader out of the paper’s argument, giving them a sense of finality.

Trace the course of the paper, emphasizing how it all comes together to prove your thesis statement. Give the paper a sense of finality by making sure the reader understands how you’ve settled the issues raised in the introduction.

You might also discuss the more general consequences of the argument, outline what the paper offers to future students of the topic, and suggest any questions the paper’s argument raises but cannot or does not try to answer.

You should not :

• Offer new arguments or essential information
• Take up any more space than necessary
• Begin with stock phrases that signal you are ending the paper (e.g. “In conclusion”)

There are four main considerations when it comes to the second draft.

• Check how your vision of the paper lines up with the first draft and, more importantly, that your paper still answers the assignment.
• Identify any assumptions that might require (more substantial) justification, keeping your reader’s perspective foremost in mind. Remove these points if you cannot substantiate them further.
• Be open to rearranging your ideas. Check whether any sections feel out of place and whether your ideas could be better organized.
• If you find that old ideas do not fit as well as you anticipated, you should cut them out or condense them. You might also find that new and well-suited ideas occurred to you during the writing of the first draft — now is the time to make them part of the paper.

The goal during the revision and proofreading process is to ensure you have completed all the necessary tasks and that the paper is as well-articulated as possible. You can speed up the proofreading process by using the AI proofreader .

Global concerns

• Confirm that your paper completes every task specified in your assignment sheet.
• Check for logical organization and flow of paragraphs.
• Check paragraphs against the introduction and thesis statement.

Fine-grained details

Check the content of each paragraph, making sure that:

• each sentence helps support the topic sentence.
• no unnecessary or irrelevant information is present.
• all technical terms your audience might not know are identified.

Next, think about sentence structure , grammatical errors, and formatting . Check that you have correctly used transition words and phrases to show the connections between your ideas. Look for typos, cut unnecessary words, and check for consistency in aspects such as heading formatting and spellings .

Finally, you need to make sure your paper is correctly formatted according to the rules of the citation style you are using. For example, you might need to include an MLA heading  or create an APA title page .

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Checklist: Research paper

I have followed all instructions in the assignment sheet.

My introduction presents my topic in an engaging way and provides necessary background information.

My introduction presents a clear, focused research problem and/or thesis statement .

My paper is logically organized using paragraphs and (if relevant) section headings .

Each paragraph is clearly focused on one central idea, expressed in a clear topic sentence .

Each paragraph is relevant to my research problem or thesis statement.

I have used appropriate transitions  to clarify the connections between sections, paragraphs, and sentences.

My conclusion provides a concise answer to the research question or emphasizes how the thesis has been supported.

My conclusion shows how my research has contributed to knowledge or understanding of my topic.

My conclusion does not present any new points or information essential to my argument.

I have provided an in-text citation every time I refer to ideas or information from a source.

I have included a reference list at the end of my paper, consistently formatted according to a specific citation style .

I have thoroughly revised my paper and addressed any feedback from my professor or supervisor.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (page numbers, headers, spacing, etc.).

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How to Write an Effective Assignment

At their base, all assignment prompts function a bit like a magnifying glass—they allow a student to isolate, focus on, inspect, and interact with some portion of your course material through a fixed lens of your choosing.

The Key Components of an Effective Assignment Prompt

All assignments, from ungraded formative response papers all the way up to a capstone assignment, should include the following components to ensure that students and teachers understand not only the learning objective of the assignment, but also the discrete steps which they will need to follow in order to complete it successfully:

• Preamble.  This situates the assignment within the context of the course, reminding students of what they have been working on in anticipation of the assignment and how that work has prepared them to succeed at it. 
• Justification and Purpose.  This explains why the particular type or genre of assignment you’ve chosen (e.g., lab report, policy memo, problem set, or personal reflection) is the best way for you and your students to measure how well they’ve met the learning objectives associated with this segment of the course.
• Mission.  This explains the assignment in broad brush strokes, giving students a general sense of the project you are setting before them. It often gives students guidance on the evidence or data they should be working with, as well as helping them imagine the audience their work should be aimed at.  
• Tasks.  This outlines what students are supposed to do at a more granular level: for example, how to start, where to look, how to ask for help, etc. If written well, this part of the assignment prompt ought to function as a kind of "process" rubric for students, helping them to decide for themselves whether they are completing the assignment successfully.
• Submission format.  This tells students, in appropriate detail, which stylistic conventions they should observe and how to submit their work. For example, should the assignment be a five-page paper written in APA format and saved as a .docx file? Should it be uploaded to the course website? Is it due by Tuesday at 5:00pm?

For illustrations of these five components in action, visit our gallery of annotated assignment prompts .

For advice about creative assignments (e.g. podcasts, film projects, visual and performing art projects, etc.), visit our  Guidance on Non-Traditional Forms of Assessment .

For specific advice on different genres of assignment, click below:

Response Papers

Problem sets, source analyses, final exams, concept maps, research papers, oral presentations, poster presentations.

• Learner-Centered Design
• Putting Evidence at the Center
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• Start with the Capstone
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10 Tips for Writing Assignments

Writing assignments are a cornerstone of your academic journey, and honing your assignment writing skills is paramount for your success. Whether you're embarking on your first year or a seasoned academic, the art of effective assignment writing can wield significant influence over your grades and overall educational voyage. In this comprehensive guide, we'll offer you ten invaluable tips to elevate your assignment writing prowess. These strategies, along with expert guidance from our specialized assignment help website writemyessays.com/do-my-assignment.html , will empower you to enhance your writing skills and chart a course towards academic triumph.

Tip 1: Start Early

The first rule of successful assignment writing is to start early. Procrastination is the enemy of quality work. By initiating your assignments as soon as you receive them, you'll have ample time for essential steps such as research, planning, drafting, and revisions. Starting early allows you to manage your time effectively and produce well-crafted assignments.

Tip 2: Understand the Assignment

Before you begin writing, it's essential to thoroughly understand the assignment instructions. Take the time to read and analyze what is expected of you. If any aspects are unclear, don't hesitate to seek clarification from your instructor. Understanding the assignment's requirements is fundamental to meeting them successfully.

Tip 3: Plan Your Work

Effective planning is a cornerstone of assignment writing. Develop a structured plan that includes creating a timeline for your assignment. Break down the work into smaller tasks, allocate sufficient time for research, outlining, drafting, and proofreading. A well-organized plan will keep you on track and reduce stress.

Tip 4: Utilize Campus Resources

Your university offers a wealth of resources to support your writing endeavors. Take advantage of writing centers, libraries, and academic advisors who can provide guidance and feedback on your assignments. These resources are valuable assets that can significantly improve the quality of your work.

Tip 5: Research Thoroughly

High-quality assignments require thorough research. Dive deeply into your chosen topic, utilizing a variety of credible sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites. Ensure that you cite your sources correctly to provide evidence for your arguments and maintain academic integrity.

Tip 6: Maintain a Good Writing Style

Developing and maintaining a clear and concise writing style is essential for effective communication in your assignments. Avoid overly complex language and prioritize clarity. Ensure that your assignments have a logical structure with a clear flow of ideas. Your goal is to make your writing accessible and easy for your reader to understand.

Tip 7: Seek Writing Assistance

If you ever find yourself struggling with assignment writing, don't hesitate to seek writing assistance. Many universities offer writing assistance programs staffed by experienced tutors who can provide guidance and feedback on your work. These services are designed to help you refine your writing skills and produce higher-quality assignments.

Tip 8: Proofread and Edit

The importance of proofreading and editing cannot be overstated. After completing your initial draft, take the time to review and edit your work. Check for grammar and punctuation errors, ensure proper formatting, and verify that your assignment aligns with the assignment guidelines. Effective editing will polish your work and enhance its overall quality.

Tip 9: Stay Safe Online

When conducting online research for your assignments, it's essential to prioritize online safety. Use reliable sources and be cautious of plagiarism. Properly cite all your references to maintain academic integrity and avoid unintentional academic misconduct.

Tip 10: Celebrate Your Achievements

Lastly, don't forget to celebrate your achievements in assignment writing. Completing assignments is a significant accomplishment on your academic journey. Reward yourself for your hard work and dedication, and acknowledge your successes. Recognizing your achievements can motivate you to excel in future assignments.

Dos and Don'ts

To summarize, here are some dos and don'ts for successful assignment writing:

• Start early and plan your work effectively.
• Thoroughly understand the assignment instructions.
• Utilize available campus resources for support and guidance.
• Conduct in-depth research using credible sources.
• Maintain a clear and concise writing style for accessibility.
• Seek writing assistance when facing challenges.
• Commit to thorough proofreading and editing.
• Stay safe and ethical when conducting online research.
• Celebrate your achievements and milestones.
• Procrastinate on your assignments; start early instead.
• Overlook or misinterpret assignment instructions.
• Miss out on utilizing valuable campus resources.
• Skimp on research quality or rely on unreliable sources.
• Engage in overly complex writing that hinders clarity.
• Hesitate to seek assistance when facing challenges.
• Neglect the critical steps of proofreading and editing.
• Plagiarize or compromise on academic integrity.
• Forget to acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions related to assignment writing:

1. How can I improve my writing style?

Improving your writing style is a gradual process. Consider taking writing courses, seeking feedback from professors or writing tutors, and practicing regularly to refine your skills.

2. Is it okay to use online sources for research?

Yes, it's acceptable to use online sources for research, but ensure that they are reliable and properly cited in your assignments to maintain academic credibility.

Final Thoughts

Writing assignments may seem challenging at times, but with the right approach and these ten tips, you can excel in your academic journey. Remember that assignment writing is a skill that improves with practice and dedication. By following these guidelines and continuously honing your writing skills, you'll be well-equipped to tackle assignments successfully and achieve academic excellence. Go to website

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Sample written assignments

Look at sample assignments to help you develop and enhance your academic writing skills. 

How to use this page

This page features authentic sample assignments that you can view or download to help you develop and enhance your academic writing skills. 

PLEASE NOTE: Comments included in these sample written assignments  are intended as an educational guide only.  Always check with academic staff which referencing convention you should follow. All sample assignments have been submitted using Turnitin® (anti-plagiarism software). Under no circumstances should you copy from these or any other texts.

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Literature review

Literature Review: Education (Critical Pedagogy)   (PDF, 165KB)

Reflective writing

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Anatomy of an Assignment Sheet

Guides & tips.

In this guide, we invite instructors to think through the different sections of an assignment sheet and perhaps take a fresh look at their own assignment sheets. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find some insights into more effective assignment sheets from Writing Consultants working in the CAS Writing Center .

Key Elements

Things to Consider

• While an assignment does not necessarily have to have a title (this one’s a clunky mouthful), it can help students connect an individual assignment to the bigger context of the class.
• Start by telling students the purpose of the assignment, connecting it to the course goals, especially the ones having to do with writing as opposed to course content. Why are students being asked to do the work assigned? What are they supposed to learn?
• The due dates (or submission guidelines) section is a chance to draw students’ attention to how the assignment will be scaffolded.
• Under assignment (or task ), tell students what they are supposed to do clearly and succinctly. Including a central motivating question can be helpful, though sometimes the assignment will call for students to develop that question themselves.
• In the comments section (or additional information) you can include elaborations, warnings, guiding questions, etc. in a separate section. Here you can be more discursive than in the statement of task, but try not to go on for too long. Going over a page can overwhelm students.

Additional Resources

• Learn more about transparent assignment design  and use a template for transparent assignments ( Winkelmes 2013-2016 ).
• Look at the Writing Program’s templates for major assignments in WR 120 to begin customizing your own assignment sheets.

Tips from Tutors: What Writing Consultants Say About More Effective Assignment Sheets

Keep assignment sheets short (~1 page if possible)..

• Students genuinely want to understand what’s being asked of them, but if there is too much information, they don’t always know how to prioritize what to focus on.
• Focus on specific questions you want students to answer or tasks you want them to complete. Avoid content that isn’t specifically related to the assignment itself.
• It’s generally best not to include all assignments for the semester in a single document. While it can be helpful to have one sheet or section of the syllabus with all assignments listed, it’s best to give each assignment its own document with detailed expectations.
• Students need some guidelines for assignments. Following the WP “anatomy of an assignment” guidelines (above) helps students as they move from one WR course to the next, and it also helps consultants figure out where to find key information more quickly.

Give students some choices, but be (overly) clear about your expectations.

• It’s especially challenging for WR 120 students to come up with their own “research question” and then answer it. If you’re asking them to do that, be very specific about what you want them to do and what parameters they should work within.
• Don’t give students a long list of questions to consider — or, if you do, be incredibly explicit about what questions are intended to generate ideas as opposed to what questions they actually need to answer in their paper.
• The best assignment sheets tend to be those that give students a set number of options and then ask them to pick one to answer.

Give clear (as in legible and also as in straightforward) feedback.

• Provide typed rather than handwritten comments.
• Avoid cryptic feedback like “awkward” or “?” that could be interpreted in different ways.
• If you write comments in shorthand, be sure to provide students with a key.
• Provide feedback as specific questions that students can either address themselves, or discuss with a writing consultant (or you!)

Remember WR courses are introductory courses.

• Choose course readings for written assignments that lend themselves to teaching writing as opposed to seminal texts or your personal favorites.
• Go over all readings that students are expected to write about in class and devote extra time to particularly challenging ones. If you are working on difficult topic and/or dense texts, don’t assume your students can navigate them without explicit scaffolding in class.
• Not all students have been taught how to analyze quotations and use them as evidence to support their argument, so be sure to spend time teaching these skills.
• Don’t take anything for granted. Students are coming from all kinds of educational backgrounds, and our courses meant to reinforce (but sometimes teach for the first time) skills all students will need for future college papers.  You may also want to read about the “hidden curriculum” in writing classes when considering inclusivity and assumptions.

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Feel free to use this checklist to guide you through the stages of assignment design.

• Is the relevance of this writing assignment obvious (to other writing assignments, to course objectives, and to the discipline/field)? Students will likely be more motivated to complete a task that has obvious relevance to course goals and/or personal goals.
• Have you helped students focus their writing by clarifying its primary purpose ? Are you, for example, primarily asking them to argue a position? Provide information? Express themselves? Explore an issue? If you have more specific expectations, it may help to clarify their writing task. For instance, you might ask students to apply a theory to specific data, critically evaluate a text, solve a problem, synthesize disparate ideas, analyze data by scrutinizing specific aspects separately or apply theories to new contexts. Additionally, is it clear whether you’re asking students to work backward (using the assignment to prove what they’ve already learned) or work forward (expanding their learning)? 
• Where possible, have you moved beyond assigning a “topic” and provided students with an authentic scenario , problem-solving scenario, or inquiry question? Authentic prompts can inspire ideas, motivate writers, and deter students from writing what John Bean calls the “all about paper” or the “data dump.
• If this is a longish assignment, have you broken it into manageable tasks ? If you’re working with a complex and lengthy assignment, you’ll want to build smaller assignments backward from the end product.
• If you’ve not already made it apparent, have you specified what sort of reader or audience your students should address? Writing to designated or selected audiences allows students to make important decisions about how much background knowledge they can assume on the part of their reader and what sorts of evidence, logic, and tone they should use. Specifying an audience allows students to write toward authentic communication with a reader for a purpose, rather than simply proving to you that they are fulfilling course expectations.
• Have you described what sorts of evidence student writers are expected to rally? Are they to back ideas using their own logic/experience, or are they conducting traditional research? Is there a type of scholarly source you’re expecting students to use, or is the choice theirs to make? Likewise, are you looking for a specific citation style?
• Have you described your aims using a limited number of comprehensive rather than abstract verbs? For example, “support a position with evidence” or “describe a process so that it can be replicated” are likely more actionable directives than “consider,” "explore," or "discuss."
• Is the wording and are the cultural references inclusive ? If the assignment uses idiomatic language (expressions), do you provide an explanation for the benefit of non-native English speakers? Does the assignment use generic language and acknowledge different lived experiences?
• Is the assignment accessible ? Does the format and document structure (use of headings and subheadings) of the assignment work with adaptive technologies?
• Where appropriate, have you described the organization of the finished product you envision in adequate detail, including elements of format and appearance? This includes length, margins, organizational sequencing, format, style, and documentation specifications.
• Have you provided your grading criteria and conveyed their relative weight or importance? And, are these criteria relevant to the assignment’s purpose and disciplinary discourse rather than generic writing attributes?
• Have you scheduled instances of feedback into the process? These include responses from peers or the instructor on topic ideas, proposals, thesis ideas, or drafts.
• Have you indicated what resources might be useful to students as they write and revise? Examples include model papers, resource books, writing consultation services.
• Have you balanced freedom with guidance and structure ? Have you successfully avoided intimating that the only successful responses to this assignment will be those that approach the target question/problem exactly as you would? Can students make choices related to topic, argument, form, audience, research, or mode? If so, how and when will you check in to ensure that they make workable choices? For high-stakes, lengthy assignments, you’ll want to check in early.
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Using Bloom’s Taxonomy

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Bloom’s Taxonomy is a framework for identifying and organizing what educators want students to learn from a given instructional activity. It was originally conceived to create common learning objectives across courses and departments and to provide educators with standardized language to use when framing learning goals for curricula and comprehensive examinations. Now, Bloom’s taxonomy can be used as a potential model for framing educational objectives within a course and as a guide to structure activities and assessment based on learning goals.

Bloom’s Taxonomy is useful for framing writing instruction in engineering courses as it helps instructors and TAs create assignments that will enhance students’ understanding of important concepts and ideas and enable them to meet the key course objectives.

Objectives created using Bloom’s Taxonomy are based on two dimensions: 1) knowledge and 2) cognitive processes. The knowledge dimension indicates the type of content or subject matter that students will work with, while the cognitive processes dimension dictates what students will have to do with that content (the tasks they will have to perform as they think and write). Below we provide two lists that break down the knowledge and cognitive process dimensions and then a table that shows how the two dimensions work together:

Instructors and TAs can use the table shown above to create prompts that ask students to perform specific writing tasks that address different types of content or knowledge taught within the course.

When writing exercises are used in an engineering course, any standard calculation-based homework problem can be leveraged to target different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Below we provide one example, taken from a Purdue fluid mechanics course, which illustrates this expansion with the use of writing prompts:

You’ll notice that all the prompts that follow use one of the tasks from the cognitive processes dimension list, and then identify specific content (knowledge) that students should engage with.

Watch CBS News

Here's why Southwest is assigning seats — and what it means for customers

By Megan Cerullo

Edited By Aimee Picchi

Updated on: July 25, 2024 / 5:04 PM EDT / CBS News

Southwest will start selling assigned seats , marking a major shakeup of a signature policy that has set the low-cost carrier apart from airlines for half a century. The new policy, announced Thursday, will make flying Southwest look and feel remarkably different for customers. 

The shift will affect how customers of the discount carrier select seats and board planes. Southwest passengers, including longtime fans of the open seating policy,   will also be able to choose different types of seats for a price, including those offering more legroom. These changes could affect ticket costs across the board, according to experts, although Southwest has not addressed pricing or indicated that regular seat costs will change. 

Some experts are cheering the move, saying it amounts to an improvement for both passengers and the airline. 

" Southwest's decision to start assigning seats and plan to add extra-legroom seats prove an old dog can learn new tricks," Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group, told CBS News. "It will make their flights more orderly and comfortable. And it should also improve the airline's bottom line as well."

Southwest will begin selling tickets with assigned seats beginning in 2025. The airline will reveal additional details around changes to the flight boarding process in September. Here are three ways flying Southwest could change. 

Assigned seats

Southwest is ending its open seating policy, in which customers find a cabin seat on a first-come, first-serve basis. When the changes go into effect next year, customers will purchase tickets with assigned seating, eliminating some of the stress associated with the current boarding process. 

"It's a pretty big change for Southwest, which always had an open seating system, and you had to run into the cabin and try to find the seat you want," Clint Henderson, managing editor of The Points Guy, told CBS MoneyWatch. 

Henderson said this turned off some business travelers like himself from choosing to fly Southwest, and he predicted the change could attract a new crop of customers to the airline.

"Many business travelers don't want to fight for a seat and deal with the drama that sometimes entails," Henderson said. 

Tensions can run high on airplanes too, with testy passengers quibbling over limited and sometimes shared real estate.

"Since the pandemic, airline passengers may be less cordial and less amicable," said airline customer experience analyst Marbue Brown. "There are certainly benefits to environments where there is no ambiguity about who owns a seat."

Some seats will have more leg room

In addition to assigned seats, Southwest will introduce premium seating, offering passengers extended legroom on one-third of a cabin's seats. 

Southwest already lets customers pay to be first in line to board aircraft, "but this is a much bigger change now, with premium seats available for purchase," Going.com's Keyes said.  

The airline is likely responding to travelers' penchant for more premium travel experiences following the pandemic, according to Keyes. "The demand is for premium economy, business class and better seats, which Southwest doesn't have to offer," he said. 

Southwest's seats already offer more legroom than traditional carriers', which has been a selling point for the airline. They come with 32 inches of space, versus the industry standard of 30-31 inches. It's possible Southwest's new cabin configuration could shrink its current standard of 32 inches of space, some experts said.

"They haven't announced the new cabin design, but the most likely outcome is we're going to see that 32 inches of legroom to start to shrink for main cabin, and for it to be more like 31 or 30," Scott Keyes, founder of Going.com, told CBS MoneyWatch. "That's normal for people who are used to flying American or United, but cramped for people who fly Southwest." 

Price changes

The new cabin configurations could drive up ticket prices across the board because Southwest's aircraft might contain fewer number of total seats, industry analysts said. On the other hand, the dramatic policy changes could be price-neutral, depending on how Southwest redesigns its plane cabins. 

"Some folks will pay more for extra legroom, and, based on how you reconfigure planes, you might not have to raise prices on other seats," Brown said. 

What remains to be seen is whether Southwest will introduce a bare-bones, basic economy-type offering. 

Currently, all tickets come with free checked bags and free   changes. "But might they start to offer an economy package that includes more restrictions on baggage? That's something we'll have to wait and see," Keyes said. 

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

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Gen-z slang is revolutionizing work jargon.

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Gen-Z's convergence of the physical and chronically online self has led to the introduction of a new ... [+] office vernacular, reshaping professional communications.

One of the most significant shifts currently happening in the workforce is the rise of Generation Z. This cohort, born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s, is projected to make up nearly 30% of the labor force by 2025, according to the World Economic Forum.

As digital natives, Gen-Z have no memory of a time before the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media. For this generation, the integration of physical and digital identities have become standard. This convergence of the physical and chronically online self has led to the introduction of a new office vernacular, reshaping professional communications.

Decoding Gen-Z Slang In The Workplace

Gen-Z's influence on workplace communication blends internet culture, social media trends and diverse linguistic influences into professional settings.

As workplaces become increasingly multigenerational, understanding and adapting to different communication styles is key. Gen-Z employees may choose to "code switch" or adjust their language depending on the context and the colleagues they're interacting with. This approach can help bridge generational communication gaps while still allowing for authentic expression.

The following are some examples of Gen-Z jargon, their meanings and origins.

Please note that this is meant as a fun guide to help you, dear reader, communicate better with your Gen-Z colleagues. When using in-group terms, memes, lingo and phrases in an office setting, it's essential to gauge your audience and the workplace culture.

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"Slay" is used as a form of high praise, similar to "killing it." It originated in Black and LGBTQ+ communities and gained widespread popularity through social media platforms like TikTok.

In the workplace context, a Gen-Zer could use "slay" to express strong approval or praise for a colleague's accomplishment or performance. For example, after a successful presentation or project completion, a Gen-Z employee might say to their coworker, "You absolutely slayed that presentation!" This usage conveys enthusiasm and admiration for the colleague's work.

The phrase "no cap" essentially means "I'm telling the truth" or "I'm not lying." Its origins lie in African American Vernacular English and hip-hop culture, where it was used to assert authenticity.

In the workplace, a Gen-Z employee may use "no cap" to emphasize transparency, honesty or sincerity in their statements. For instance, during a meeting, they might say, "No cap, I really think our project will exceed expectations if we stick to this timeline." This usage signals to colleagues that the speaker is being genuine and straightforward about their belief in the project's potential.

"Lit" is used to describe something exciting, enjoyable or cool. This term has roots in jazz culture of the 1910s , but has evolved and gained new popularity among younger generations.

In the workplace, "lit" conveys enthusiasm and positivity, making it a casual way to express approval or excitement about a project, event or achievement.

An appropriate way to use "lit" in a sentence when communicating with a colleague or manager could be: "The team collaboration on this project has been lit; I really appreciate everyone's contributions!" This usage conveys a sense of excitement and positivity about the teamwork involved.

“Rizz” is a slang term that stands for "charisma" and refers to someone's ability to charm or attract others, particularly in romantic contexts. The term was coined by YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat and gained widespread popularity in 2022.

It has since become a part of mainstream vernacular and was even named the Oxford English Dictionary's “ Word of the Year ” for 2023. While "rizz" originally described someone's "game" or ability to woo others, it has evolved to encompass general swagger, self-assurance and coolness.

In the workplace, a Gen-Z employee may use "rizz" to compliment a colleague's charisma or ability to engage others effectively. For example, in a meeting, they could say, "Your presentation had so much rizz; everyone was captivated by your delivery." This usage highlights the colleague's engaging and impressive performance.

"Ick" is used to describe a sudden feeling of disgust or loss of attraction toward someone, often for a trivial reason. This term has roots in psychology, but has been adopted and popularized by Gen-Z.

In a professional setting, using "ick" while maintaining a professional tone can be challenging but achievable. For instance, a Gen-Z employee might say, "I got an ick when I noticed the inconsistencies in the report; we need to address these issues before the client meeting." This usage conveys a sense of discomfort or dissatisfaction with a specific aspect of the work.

Understood The Assignment

The phrase "understood the assignment" is a popular slang expression used to acknowledge someone who has performed exceptionally well or exceeded expectations. It originated from the context of academic or workplace assignments, where understanding the task leads to excellent results.

Its prominence was further boosted by American rapper Tay Money's song, " The Assignment ," which included lyrics referencing the phrase.

In an office setting, a Gen-Z employee may say, "Our marketing team really understood the assignment with this campaign; they've exceeded our target metrics and captured our brand essence perfectly."

"Sus," short for suspicious, is used to describe something or someone that seems untrustworthy or questionable. This term gained significant popularity through the online game Among Us .

In the workplace, you may use "sus" in a sentence like this: "The way management handled the layoffs feels sus; it seems like there was no clear communication."

This usage reflects your feelings about trust and transparency.

Some Other Commonly Used Gen-Z Lingo

• Vibe : the overall atmosphere or feeling of a situation, person or place. It's often used to describe the general mood or energy in the office or during a meeting.
• Bet : expresses agreement or acceptance, similar to saying "okay" or "sure." It can be used to acknowledge a task or confirm understanding of instructions.
• Menty B : a mental breakdown, usually used for minor stressful situations
• That slaps : what you say when something is very good
• Stan : to support something
• Facts : to express that something is true
• Fire : expresses that something is awesome, cool or impressive
• G.O.A.T. : means the “greatest of all time,” deriving from the sports arena
• Say Less : conveys clear agreement and confirmation of shared feelings or sentiments
• FR : short for "for real"
• Flex : a showcase of accomplishments and self-promotion
• Glow Up : refers to a positive personal transformation—a testament to resilience, growth, milestones and breakthroughs
• Period : punctuates statements with unwavering finality, embodying conviction and resolve and leaving no room for debate or ambiguity
• Basic : denotes a lack of originality or independent thought
• Unserious : lightheartedly highlights the whimsical or frivolous nature of a subject or individual, dismissing them
• L or W Wormhole : refers to wins or losses, symbolizing triumphs and setbacks
• Cringe : describes a strong feeling of discomfort, embarrassment or awkwardness in response to someone's behavior, words or actions
• Delulu : derives from the word “delusional” and refers to individuals who are perceived as being out of touch with reality
• Brat : introduced by British pop star Charli XCX and denotes a confident, carefree and rebellious attitude

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"Transformational change": Southwest Airlines is doing away with open seating

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Photo: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

Southwest Airlines is shifting to assigned seating and will offer some premium seating with extra legroom, the low-cost carrier announced on Thursday as part of a significant shakeup to its traditional business model.

Why it matters: The changes come the same day the airline reported second quarter results that beat some expectations following a bump from a summer travel boom but still "fell short" in other key areas.

How it works: Over its 50-year history, Southwest has had an open seat model, with passengers only assigned a boarding group and a number that represents a reserved spot within that group.

• The airline said it performed research and found that 80% its customers and 86% of potential customers preferred assigned seating.
• "When a Customer elects to stop flying with Southwest and chooses a competitor, open seating is cited as the number one reason for the change," it said.
• The company didn't specify when the changes would go into effect but said it would provide more details in late September.

Thought bubble, via Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick : This is a monumental change for Southwest, which has long held on to its old-school way of doing things even as other airlines raked in revenue from options like "economy plus" seating with extra legroom for slightly higher fares.

• And it comes as Southwest faces pressure on both sides: More premium airlines are making money off economy plus seating, while ultra low-cost carriers are stealing away budget travelers with truly no-frills flying.

Zoom out: In addition to the seating changes, Southwest said it would begin offering overnight, redeye flights in five initial nonstop markets: Las Vegas to Baltimore and Orlando; Los Angeles to Baltimore and Nashville; and Phoenix to Baltimore.

• The flights are currently on sale but won't take off until Valentine's Day.

What they're saying: Bob Jordan, Southwest's president and CEO, said in a statement Thursday that the shift to assigned seating and better legroom options "will be a transformational change that cuts across almost all aspects of the Company."

• "Although our unique open seating model has been a part of Southwest Airlines since our inception, our thoughtful and extensive research makes it clear this is the right choice — at the right time — for our Customers, our People, and our Shareholders," Jordan said.

The big picture: Southwest has long resisted altering its seating procedures.

• But the changes come amid sharp criticism from an activist investor and $231 million in first-quarter losses.
• The airline also experienced a series of potentially dangerous incidents this year.
• The air carrier will still offer free checked bags. Elliott Investment Management, the activist hedge fund that invested nearly $2 billion in the airline's stock earlier this year, had proposed eliminating the its "bags fly free" policy.

Go deeper: Boeing's manufacturing problems hit Southwest, United Airlines

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A.I. Can Write Poetry, but It Struggles With Math

A.I.’s math problem reflects how much the new technology is a break with computing’s past.

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By Steve Lohr

In the school year that ended recently, one class of learners stood out as a seeming puzzle. They are hard-working, improving and remarkably articulate. But curiously, these learners — artificially intelligent chatbots — often struggle with math.

Chatbots like Open AI’s ChatGPT can write poetry, summarize books and answer questions, often with human-level fluency. These systems can do math, based on what they have learned, but the results can vary and be wrong. They are fine-tuned for determining probabilities, not doing rules-based calculations. Likelihood is not accuracy , and language is more flexible, and forgiving, than math.

“The A.I. chatbots have difficulty with math because they were never designed to do it,” said Kristian Hammond, a computer science professor and artificial intelligence researcher at Northwestern University.

The world’s smartest computer scientists, it seems, have created artificial intelligence that is more liberal arts major than numbers whiz.

That, on the face of it, is a sharp break with computing’s past. Since the early computers appeared in the 1940s, a good summary definition of computing has been “math on steroids.” Computers have been tireless, fast, accurate calculating machines. Crunching numbers has long been what computers are really good at, far exceeding human performance.

Traditionally, computers have been programmed to follow step-by-step rules and retrieve information in structured databases. They were powerful but brittle. So past efforts at A.I. hit a wall.

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