Assignment Toolbox

Here you’ll find a guide to reviewing your completed assignment, and how to consider your lecturer’s expectations. Plus, a handy assignment checklist and what to do if something unexpected happens. 

When you think about this question you can then begin to evaluate how your assignment matches up to these expectations. 

Some general lecturer expectations include:

• A response closely related to question or topic
• Probably some New Zealand or contextual focus
• Background research
• Student ideas…..and ideas, evidence, support from reading
• Most of the assignment will be written in a student's own words
• Up to 10% exactly quoted (with references); quotations and paraphrases are linked in a meaningful way to rest of text
• Complete and accurate referencing, in the text as well as in the reference list or bibliography
• Most assignments will have:
  • an introduction
  • a body
  • a conclusion
  • a reference list or bibliography
• You are taking the lecturer on a guided tour - ideas are explained and linked so a lecturer can see where the student is taking them
• Excellent presentation reflecting careful proofreading to check for spelling, punctuation, formatting errors.

 
Remember - the target audience may not only be the tutor; it’s sometimes others (e.g industry professionals).

This checklist is designed to help you check and improve your own assignment. Review your assignment together with the specific guidelines and criteria (marking schedule) that the course lecturer has given you.