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How to Do Homework

Last Updated: May 6, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Ronitte Libedinsky, MS . Ronitte Libedinsky is an Academic Tutor and the Founder of Brighter Minds SF, a San Francisco, California based company that provides one-on-one and small group tutoring. Specializing in tutoring mathematics (pre-algebra, algebra I/II, geometry, pre-calculus, calculus) and science (chemistry, biology), Ronitte has over 10 years of experience tutoring to middle school, high school, and college students. She also tutors in SSAT, Terra Nova, HSPT, SAT, and ACT test prep. Ronitte holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MS in Chemistry from Tel Aviv University. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 957,997 times.

Even though your parents probably complain about how hard it was in their day, students nowadays have more homework than ever before, even when just starting their first year at middle school. That homework doesn't need to be a struggle now. Learning to plan out an efficient schedule for completing your homework, working on it effectively, and knowing when to get help with difficult assignments can help take the stress out of studying. Don't put it off any longer. See Step 1 for more information.

Working on Homework

Step 1 Make sure you have everything you need before you start.

Once you go into your space and start working, try not to leave until you've got a break scheduled. If you want a quick snack or drink, get it now before you start. Hit the bathroom and make sure you'll be able to work for the amount of time before your next break, uninterrupted.

Step 2 Eliminate as many distractions as possible.

  • It's common that students will try to multi-task, watching TV or listening to the radio or continuing to chat on Facebook or Instagram while also trying to do homework. It'll be so much more fun to do those things after you're already done with your homework, though, and your homework will take half as much time if you're focused on doing nothing but your homework.
  • Check your phone or your social networking sites during your study break, but not before. Use these distractions as a carrot, not as a pacifier.

Step 3 Concentrate on one task at a time.

If one assignment proves challenging and time-consuming, it's okay to switch for a while to something else. Just make sure to save enough time to circle back and give it another shot.

Step 4 Take a break every hour.

  • Try to figure out what works best for you. Some students might like to start their homework immediately after school to get it done as quickly as possible, while it may be better to give yourself an hour to relax before starting in on it and decompress from the long school day. Don't wait for the last minute.
  • While it may seem like a better idea to work straight through and finish, it's possible that the quality of the work you're doing will start to suffer if you don't give your mind a rest. It's difficult to think hard for more than 45 minutes at a time on a particular subject. Give yourself a rest and come back refreshed.

Step 5 Dive back in after study breaks.

  • The first fifteen minutes after a break are your most effective minutes, because your mind will be cleared, and ready to work hard. Give yourself a pep talk and dive back in, refreshed and ready.

Step 6 Create incentives to finish.

  • If you have trouble staying focused, get a parent, sibling, or friend to help keep you honest. Give them your phone while you're working to avoid the temptation to check it, or give them the video game controller so you won't be able to plug in for a few minutes of alien-hunting when you're supposed to be doing your homework. Then, when you're finished, show them the finished product and earn back your fun. Make it impossible to cheat.

Step 7 Let the homework take as long as it needs.

  • You can make yourself take enough time by having your gate-keeper (the person with your phone or video game controller) check over your homework for quality when you're done. If you know you're not going to get it anyway unless it's done right, you won't have any reason to rush. Slow down and do it right.

Step 8 Review your work after you finish.

Joseph Meyer

When doing practice problems, promptly check to see if your answers are correct. Use worksheets that provide answer keys for instant feedback. Discuss answers with a classmate or find explanations online. Immediate feedback will help you correct your mistakes, avoid bad habits, and advance your learning more quickly.

Planning Your Homework

Step 1 Write out your daily homework in a list.

  • It's common to quickly write out the math problems you're supposed to do at the top of your notes, or scribble down the page number of the English reading on a textbook page, but try to recopy this information into a specific homework list so you will be sure to remember to do it.
  • Write down as many details as you can about each assignment. It's good to include the due date, corresponding textbook pages, and additional instructions from your teacher. This will help you plan your night of homework more effectively. Also, it's a good idea to write about your homework in a planner.

Step 2 Make sure you understand each assignment.

  • Homework doesn't have to wait until you get home. Look through an assignment as soon as it's been given, so you'll have the time to ask your teacher any questions you might have before you leave school for the day.

Step 3 Create a comfortable homework spot

  • At home , a desk in your bedroom might be the best place. You can shut the door and tune out any distractions. For some students, though, this is a good way to get distracted. You might have video games, computers, guitars, and all sorts of other distractions in your bedroom. It might be a better idea to sit at the kitchen table, or in the living room, where your parents can call you out for procrastinating. You'll get it done more quickly without the temptation of distraction.
  • In public , the library is a great place to study and do homework. At all libraries, it's a rule that you have to be quiet, and you won't have any of the distractions of home. The school library will often stay open after school ends, making it a good option for finishing up homework before heading home, or your school may even have an after-school study spot specifically for the purpose. [11] X Research source
  • Try to switch it up . Studying in the same place too often can make work more difficult. Some studies have shown that a change in environment can make your mind more active, since it's processing new information. You'll be able to vary your routine and remember what you learned more effectively.

Step 4 Choose the most important assignments to work on.

  • Try starting with the most difficult homework . Do you really hate the idea of getting into the algebra homework? Does reading for English take the longest? Start with the most challenging homework to give yourself the most time to complete it, then move on to the easier tasks you can complete more quickly.
  • Try starting with the most pressing homework . If you've got 20 math problems to do for tomorrow, and 20 pages to read in a novel for Friday, it's probably better to start with the math homework to make sure you'll have enough time to complete it. Make homework due the next day the priority.
  • Try starting with the most important homework . Your math homework might be difficult, but if it's only worth a few completion points, it might be less important to spend a lot of time on it than the big project for Social Studies that's due in two days. Devote the most time to the most valuable assignments.

Step 5 Make a timetable.

  • Set an alarm or a timer to keep yourself honest. The less time you spend procrastinating and checking your text messages, the more quickly you'll be done. If you think you can finish everything in a half hour, set a timer and work efficiently to finish in that amount of time. If you don't quite finish, give yourself a few extra minutes. Treat it like a drill.
  • Keep track of how long you usually spend on particular assignments on average. If your math homework typically takes you 45 minutes to finish, save that much time each night. If you start plugging away for an hour, give yourself a break and work on something else to avoid tiring out.
  • Schedule 10 minutes of break time for every 50 minutes of work time. It's important to take study breaks and give your mind a rest, or you'll work less effectively. You're not a robot!

Finding Extra Time

Step 1 Start working on it now.

  • Do you really need an hour of TV or computer after school to decompress? It might be easier to just dive into your homework and get it done while the skills are still fresh in your mind. Waiting a couple hours means you'll have to review your notes and try to get back to the same place you already were. Do it while it's fresh.
  • If you've got three days to read an assignment, don't wait until the last evening to do it all. Space it out and give yourself more time to finish. Just because you've got a due date that's a long time away doesn't mean it wouldn't be easier to finish now. Stay ahead of the game. Try either waking up earlier or going to bed later. But don't get too tired!

Step 2 Steal some homework time on the bus.

  • If you've got to read a bunch of stuff for homework, read on the bus. Pop in some headphones to white noise that'll drown out the shouting of other students and tune into your book.
  • The bus can be distracting, or it can be a great resource. Since it's full of your classmates, try to get other students to work with you and get things done more quickly. Work together on the math problems and try to figure out things together. It's not cheating if everyone's doing the work and no one's just copying. Also, you might make some new friends while you're at it!

Step 3 Work on your homework in between class periods.

  • Don't rely on this time to finish homework just before it's due. Rushing to finish your last few problems in the five minutes before you need to turn it in looks bad in front of the teacher, plus it doesn't give you any time to review your homework after you finish it. Rushing is a good way to make mistakes. And always check difficult problems you had trouble with.

Step 4 Work on homework during long waits.

  • Work on your homework while you're waiting for a ride, while you're killing time at your brother's soccer game, or while you're waiting for your friend to come over. Take advantage of any extra time you have in the day.

Getting Homework Help

Step 1 Talk to your teacher about difficult assignments.

  • Asking for help with your homework isn't a sign that you're bad at the subject or that you're "stupid." Every teacher on the planet will respect a student that takes their homework seriously enough to ask for help. Especially ask if you weren't there that day!
  • Asking for help isn't the same thing as complaining about the difficulty of homework or making excuses. Spending ten minutes doing half your math problems and leaving most of them blank because they were hard and then telling your teacher you need help isn't going to win you any favors on the due date. If it's hard, see your teacher ahead of time and find the time to get help.

Step 2 Visit the tutoring center or help desk at school.

  • If there's not an organized homework help group at your school, there are many private tutoring organizations that work both for-pay and non-profits. Sylvan Learning Center and other businesses have after-school hours that you can schedule appointments at to get help studying and completing your homework, while community centers like the YMCA, or even public libraries will often have homework help hours in your area.
  • Getting help doesn't mean that you're bad at your homework. All variety of students visit tutoring centers for extra help, just to make sure they have enough time and motivation to get everything done. It's hard being a student! There's no shame in extra help. Imagine being afraid to ask for anything! You wouldn't be able to ask in restaurants, shops, anywhere!

Step 3 Work with other students.

  • Make sure that your group study sessions don't cross the line into cheating. Dividing up an assigned so your friend does half and you copy each other's answers is considered cheating, but discussing a problem and coming up with a solution together isn't. As long as you each do the work separately, you shouldn't have any problems.

Step 4 Talk to your parents.

  • Some parents don't necessarily know how to help with your homework and might end up doing too much. Try to keep yourself honest. Asking for help doesn't mean asking your parent to do your work for you.
  • Likewise, some older relatives have outdated ways of completing specific tasks and might suggest forcefully that something you learned in class is wrong. Always use your teacher's approach as the correct approach, and discuss these alternative ways of completing an assignment with your teacher if necessary.

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

1 - Study For Exams

Expert Q&A

Ronitte Libedinsky, MS

Reader Videos

  • Make sure your little study space is well lit, quiet, and comfortable. This will make it much easier to do your homework properly. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
  • If you missed school that day, then you should call a friend to get the notes and/or homework from that day. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Take a piece of paper or wipe board and create a schedule for your homework. Be generous with the amount of time that you give for each task. If you end up finishing a task earlier than the schedule says, you will feel accomplished and will have extra time to complete the next task. It makes homework get done quicker than usual. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

  • Make sure you have what you need handy when you get stuck on homework. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you're confused — asking helps you understand things better. And get enough sleep since it's easier to get your work done when you're well-rested.
  • Don't put off starting homework just to have more playtime. Jumping in early leaves more free time for later but ensures you don't miss out on sleep. Plus, the class material is still fresh right after school, so you'll understand your homework better.
  • Do your homework as soon as you get home every day except Fridays. On Fridays, give yourself permission to relax for the evening. Also, take short breaks as you work to help you focus. Play a quick game, eat a healthy snack, or use the bathroom.
  • Ask for help when you need it, but don't rely on others to give you all the answers. The point of homework is for you to practice what you've learned, so try to work through problems yourself before asking for hints or explanations.
  • Write down homework assignments in your planner right when your teacher gives them so you don't forget details later. Knowing exactly what work you need to do keeps you from being surprised.
  • Break big assignments down into smaller pieces that feel more manageable. Taking things step-by-step makes big tasks feel less overwhelming, and helps you stay motivated.

writing down homework

  • Never leave unfinished homework for the next day because you might have other homework to do and you will have to do both. Thanks Helpful 24 Not Helpful 0
  • If you forget your homework, your teacher might not accept late work or may even give you more homework. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 1

Things You'll Need

  • Writing equipment, such as pencils, rulers, and erasers.
  • Resources that may help you work faster.
  • A comfy place to sit while doing homework.

You Might Also Like

Excuse Yourself from Unfinished Homework

  • ↑ https://www.warnerpacific.edu/5-tips-for-dealing-with-too-much-homework/
  • ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-wealth/201206/10-tips-make-homework-time-less-painful
  • ↑ Ronitte Libedinsky, MS. Academic Tutor. Expert Interview. 26 May 2020.
  • ↑ https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/college-prep/stay-motivated/take-control-of-homework
  • ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/homework.html
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/understanding-assignments/
  • ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
  • ↑ http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/school/homework.html#a_Create_a_Homework_Plan
  • ↑ https://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/Extras/StudyMath/Homework.aspx
  • ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/
  • ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/homework-help.html

About This Article

Ronitte Libedinsky, MS

If you need to do homework, find a quiet, comfortable spot where you won’t be distracted. Turn off any electronics, like your TV, phone, or radio, and gather all of the supplies you’ll need before you get started. Work on the most important or hardest assignments first to get them out of the way, and if you have a homework assignment that actually seems fun, save it for last to motivate you to finish your other work faster. Keep reading to learn how to find extra time to get your homework done, like working on it on the way home from school! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to deal with homework writing?

Plan your time, do some writing every day, check your writing for mistakes, be attentive to details.

It’s hard to imagine a student who has never done any homework. It’s the thing that we all deal with sooner or later. Homework writing takes time and requires you fully concentrate on the process. As there are various types of custom home works, there’s no single way of working on them. If you are a student and you have a lot of homework to do, we’re happy to offer you our help.

We are a team of people who have finished hundreds of homeworks in different subjects. We know that time and quality matter, so we do our best to do all the tasks quickly with the highest quality remaining. Placing an order is easy as a pie and it looks like the following:

  • You get in touch with our team and give us the task;
  • We choose the most suiting expert for your task;
  • The expert works on your task;
  • You get your homework paper done on time.

We value your time, so you will spend little time placing an order. If you have any questions about the order or the services, we’ll be happy to answer them. If you want to write your homework yourself, scroll down to see a complete guide to doing this with ease.

Get your homework papers written by the experts.

A complete guide to homework writing

There are a few tips and tricks that will help you do your homework assignments with ease. And we’d like to share them with you. Once you get the task, it’s good to read it and understand what exactly you have to do and think how much time you will need for this. If you have any questions or this type of the task is new for you, you should ask your tutor to assist you. In all the rest of the cases, you will easily plan your work.

You will get easy and complicated tasks from time to time and you should clearly see how much time you can devote to each of them. If you work part-time, you will have to consider some hours at night a few times a month. You can take a paper calendar or the one that you have on your phone installed. Plan your week and write down how much time you need for the homework papers. Add a little more time to make sure you will manage to finish everything on time.

Homework service will save you from wasting long hours and hard work.

You may get a task that you need to finish in a month. Most of the students won’t start working on it at least within the first two or even three weeks. You should start immediately after you receive the task. Plan your work and start right away. It can be five or ten minutes that you devote to homework writing. You will see that such an approach makes even complicated tasks much easier especially if you were used to procrastinating in the past.

It will be a good motivation to improve your grammar and spelling. You should always check yourself for making any kinds of mistakes. You can use any software that you like and take a look into a grammar guide to learn the rule. Or you can order a custom writing service to check yourself. Even the slightest mistakes can turn a normal text into a disaster, so removing them and remembering the rules will do only good for you.

Here we mean that you shouldn’t rush. When you get a new task from a tutor, try to understand the goal of the task and why you need to do it. Of course, you can always order a homework service, but you will sometimes need to complete the task yourself to gain some specific skills or knowledge. When you carefully read the task, you may notice some different approaches to completing it. Or you may have some questions that you will ask your tutor.

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10 Places To Write Down Homework Assignments So You Don’t Forget

Professors in college don’t directly tell you what the homework assignments are all the time. Even the syllabus they provide doesn’t always tell you what the assignments are because everything changes so quickly. They write the homework on the board at the beginning of class and never mention it again. Don’t get caught without your work.

There are several places to write down homework assignments so you don’t forget what is due on what day. Sometimes teachers mention the work and sometimes they don’t, but you should never show up to class without the work done. I am here to help you with that. Here, I will give you ten places, but there are so many more you can choose from.

1. Your Hand

This is not recommended, but sometimes you go to class without even having a notebook. You always have your hand with you, or your arm and someone is bound to have a pen with them. If you use this method, please do not use a marker of any kind. This will be very hard to get off, and you at least want to be able to take it off. The best ink to use, if you are going to write on your arm, is black ink. It still might take a few tries, but it will come off eventually.

2. An Agenda Book

Every college bookstore has agenda books. It is super cheap, too, so this is one of the best places to write down homework assignments to remember them. Keep this agenda book in your backpack so you know it will come with you to every class. It starts in August, so this will be the ideal method to make sure you have your assignments done on time. If your bookstore doesn’t have them, then any store you get notebooks at will sell agenda books for fairly a reasonable price.

3. That Subject’s Notebook

If you like writing all of your notes in a notebook, you can keep track of your homework in the notebook for your class. If you use this method, I recommend writing the assignments in a different color or making some type of note that alerts you to the assignment instead of reading through your notes again. I always color-code my notebooks, so it makes finding the assignment easier, but you can just write the assignment anywhere inside.

4. Post-It Notes

If you read a lot of books for school, you probably have post-it notes in your backpack. You can write your homework assignments on a post-it and stick them on your laptop or in your notebook. You just have to make sure you don’t lose it between class and when you do your homework, though. When you use post-it notes, it makes it easier to just stick the note to your desk when you get back to your dorm. That makes it easier to figure out what you need to do, you can put it in chronological order, too.

5. Whiteboard

When you get back to your room, you can transfer your homework assignments onto a whiteboard so you don’t forget them. It would make it easier to do them if you can see them directly. You can also feel good when you erase them from the board if you see the assignments in front of you, too. Whiteboards make it fairly simple to organize your assignments. You can put them in order of when they are due, so you know what assignments to do every day.

This is a good method if you use your laptop to take notes on your laptop in class. Keep the calendar open so you can write the assignments directly into the calendar and make sure to mark down the due date so it’s not late. This would probably be one of the easiest methods, especially when you’re always on your computer. Your laptop is something you always have with you because most teachers allow you to take notes on your laptop instead of in a notebook.

10 Weekend Activities For College Students That Don’t Involve A Keg

7. your phone.

Everyone always has their phone with them, so this will probably be a good method to use. If your teacher doesn’t like phones out during class, use a different method. Or if you think you can remember the assignment, wait until after class and then write them down on your phone. Don’t forget to write down the due date, too. You can write the assignments in the Notes app on your phone, or you can use the calendar app to make alerts when they are due.

8. Use The Reminder App

iPhones have the Reminder app that would be a good thing to use. The laptops also have them. You can use it as a planner, so you can write your assignments down in there and then set dates to remind yourself about them. The app is a very useful tool and I would definitely recommend using it if the agenda doesn’t work. You can leave notes with each reminder, too, so you can make it easier to remember what to do and when to do it.

9. Separate Notebook

Carry around an extra notebook and use it as an agenda book. You don’t need to buy an agenda book this way and you can still use it as an agenda. It would be easier to keep track of your assignments this way instead of using the same notebook as your class notes. I recommend this method, as well. If you use a separate notebook, it would make it easier to color code your assignments, too, since it’s in a different notebook.

10. myHomework App

This app myHomework is a good method to use, too. There are other websites or apps that work the same way, too. I recommend one of these because it will help you keep track of your homework more effectively than using a notebook or writing it down on your hand. It works really well. This app allows you to leave notes with each assignment, as well, so you know exactly what you’re doing when you do it. That makes it easier to do the assignments when they’re due.

If there are any more places to write down homework assignments that I forgot about or didn’t add for whatever reason, please feel free to write them in the comment section below.

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Re-reading is inefficient. Here are 8 tips for studying smarter.

by Joseph Stromberg

If you buy something from a Vox link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

The way most students study makes no sense.

That's the conclusion of Washington University in St. Louis psychologists Henry Roediger and Mark McDaniel — who've spent a combined 80 years studying learning and memory, and recently distilled their findings with novelist Peter Brown in the book Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning .

using active learning strategies is most effective

The majority of students study by re-reading notes and textbooks — but the psychologists' research, both in lab experiments and of actual students in classes, shows this is a terrible way to learn material. Using active learning strategies — like flashcards, diagramming, and quizzing yourself — is much more effective, as is spacing out studying over time and mixing different topics together.

McDaniel spoke with me about the eight key tips he'd share with students and teachers from his body of research.

1) Don't just re-read your notes and readings

167068424

Photofusion/UIG via Getty Images

"We know from surveys that a majority of students, when they study, they typically re-read assignments and notes. Most students say this is their number one go-to strategy.

when students re-read a textbook chapter, they show no improvement in learning

"We know, however, from a lot of research, that this kind of repetitive recycling of information is not an especially good way to learn or create more permanent memories. Our studies of Washington University students, for instance, show that when they re-read a textbook chapter, they have absolutely no improvement in learning over those who just read it once.

"On your first reading of something, you extract a lot of understanding. But when you do the second reading, you read with a sense of 'I know this, I know this.' So basically, you're not processing it deeply, or picking more out of it. Often, the re-reading is cursory — and it's insidious, because this gives you the illusion that you know the material very well, when in fact there are gaps."

2) Ask yourself lots of questions

457326795

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe via Getty Images

"One good technique to use instead is to read once, then quiz yourself, either using questions at the back of a textbook chapter, or making up your own questions. Retrieving that information is what actually produces more robust learning and memory.

retrieving information is what produces more robust learning and memory

"And even when you can't retrieve it — when you get the questions wrong — it gives you an accurate diagnostic on what you don't know, and this tells you what you should go back and study. This helps guide your studying more effectively.

"Asking questions also helps you understand more deeply. Say you're learning about world history, and how ancient Rome and Greece were trading partners. Stop and ask yourself why they became trading partners. Why did they become shipbuilders, and learn to navigate the seas? It doesn't always have to be why — you can ask how, or what.

"In asking these questions, you're trying to explain, and in doing this, you create a better understanding, which leads to better memory and learning. So instead of just reading and skimming, stop and ask yourself things to make yourself understand the material."

3) Connect new information to something you already know

"Another strategy is, during a second reading, to try relating the principles in the text to something you already know about. Relate new information to prior information for better learning.

"One example is if you were learning about how the neuron transmits electricity. One of the things we know if that if you have a fatty sheath surround the neuron, called a myelin sheath , it helps the neuron transmit electricity more quickly.

"So you could liken this, say, to water running through a hose. The water runs quickly through it, but if you puncture the hose, it's going to leak, and you won't get the same flow. And that's essentially what happens when we age — the myelin sheaths break down, and transmissions become slower."

Screen_shot_2014-06-19_at_11.29.27_am

( Quasar/Wikimedia Commons )

4) Draw out the information in a visual form

"A great strategy is making diagrams, or visual models, or flowcharts. In a beginning psychology course, you could diagram the flow of classical conditioning . Sure, you can read about classical conditioning, but to truly understand it and be able to write down and describe the different aspects of it on a test later on — condition, stimulus, and so on — it's a good idea to see if you can put it in a flowchart.

"Anything that creates active learning — generating understanding on your own — is very effective in retention. It basically means the learner needs to become more involved and more engaged, and less passive."

5) Use flashcards

4838276667_8d92568682_o

"Flashcards are another good way of doing this. And one key to using them is actually re-testing yourself on the ones you got right.

keeping a correct card in the deck and encountering it again is more useful

"A lot of students will answer the question on a flashcard, and take it out of the deck if they get it right. But it turns out this isn't a good idea — repeating the act of memory retrieval is important. Studies show that keeping the correct item in the deck and encountering it again is useful. You might want to practice the incorrect items a little more, but repeated exposure to the ones you get right is important too.

"It's not that repetition as a whole is bad. It's that mindless repetition is bad."

6) Don't cram — space out your studying

129722306

Johannes Simon/Getty Images

"A lot of students cram — they wait until the last minute, then in one evening, they repeat the information again and again. But research shows this isn't good for long term memory. It may allow you to do okay on that test the next day, but then on the final, you won't retain as much information, and then the next year, when you need the information for the next level course, it won't be there.

practice a little bit one day, then two days later

"This often happens in statistics. Students come back for the next year, and it seems like they've forgotten everything, because they crammed for their tests.

"The better idea is to space repetition. Practice a little bit one day, then put your flashcards away, then take them out the next day, then two days later. Study after study shows that spacing is really important."

7) Teachers should space out and mix up their lessons too

161076003

Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images

"Our book also has information for teachers. And our educational system tends to promote massed presentation of information as well.

"In a typical college course, you cover one topic one day, then on the second day, another topic, then on the third day, another topic. This is massed presentation. You never go back and recycle or reconsider the material.

"But the key, for teachers, is to put the material back in front of a student days or weeks later. There are several ways they can do this. Here at Washington University, there are some instructors who give weekly quizzes, and used to just put material from that week's classes on the quiz. Now, they're bringing back more material from two to three weeks ago. One psychology lecturer explicitly takes time, during each lecture, to bring back material from days or weeks beforehand.

the key, for teachers, is to put the material back in front of a student days or weeks later

"This can be done in homework too. It's typical, in statistics courses, to give homework in which all of the problems are all in the same category. After correlations are taught, a student's homework, say, is problem after problem on correlation. Then the next week, T tests are taught, and all the problems are on T tests. But we've found that sprinkling in questions on stuff that was covered two or three weeks ago is really good for retention.

"And this can be built into the content of lessons themselves. Let's say you're taking an art history class. When I took it, I learned about Gauguin, then I saw lots of his paintings, then I moved on to Matisse, and saw lots of paintings by him. Students and instructors both think that this is a good way of learning the painting styles of these different artists.

"But experimental studies show that's not the case at all. It's better to give students an example of one artist, then move to another, then another, then recycle back around. That interspersing, or mixing, produces much better learning that can be transferred to paintings you haven't seen — letting students accurately identify the creators of paintings, say, on a test.

"And this works for all sorts of problems. Let's go back to statistics. In upper level classes, and the real world, you're not going to be told what sort of statistical problem you're encountering — you're going to have to figure out the method you need to use. And you can't learn how to do that unless you have experience dealing with a mix of different types of problems, and diagnosing which requires which type of approach."

8) There's no such thing as a "math person"

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Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

"There's some really interesting work by Carol Dweck , at Stanford. She's shown that students tend to have one of two mindsets about learning.

it turns out that mindsets predict how well students end up doing

"One is a fixed learning model. It says, 'I have a certain amount of talent for this topic — say, chemistry or physics — and I'll do well until I hit that limit. Past that, it's too hard for me, and I'm not going to do well.' The other mindset is a growth mindset. It says that learning involves using effective strategies, putting aside time to do the work, and engaging in the process, all of which help you gradually increase your capacity for a topic.

"It turns out that the mindsets predict how well students end up doing. Students with growth mindsets tend to stick with it, tend to persevere in the face of difficulty, and tend to be successful in challenging classes. Students with the fixed mindset tend not to.

"So for teachers, the lesson is that if you can talk to students and suggest that a growth mindset really is the more accurate model — and it is — then students tend to be more open to trying new strategies, and sticking with the course, and working in ways that are going to promote learning. Ability, intelligence, and learning have to do with how you approach it — working smarter, we like to say."

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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4 Tips for Completing Your Homework On Time

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Homework, a necessary evil according to many teachers, has a lot of students tied up in knots. Some students can never seem to get things turned in on time. In fact, many students do not even realize that they  have  homework until a friend from class texts them or they overhear someone in the halls talking about Ms. So-and-so's terrible, no-good, awful, horrifying worksheet for Chemistry that is due the next day. These five tips for completing your homework on time, however, should help you get that homework finished on time. 

Tip 1: Rely On a Planning System

Most of you by now are well acquainted with a homework planner. It has the dates, the school subjects you are taking, and a whole lot of blank space to write down your homework assignments. Use these planners if you have them. Writing with an actual pencil or pen may seem almost archaic what with technology virtually doing everything for us, but the kinesthetic movement of writing down an assignment into one of those little squares (Language Arts test tomorrow - STUDY TONIGHT), will actually help solidify that homework in your brain.

Plus, when you are packing up to go home at the end of the school day, all you have to do is open up that planner to see which books, folders, and binders need to go home with you so you will not miss out anything that you need to do that evening.

Some people  hate  using planners. They'd rather walk on a pile of crushed glass than actually write something down in a planner. That's quite all right. One student kept a wadded up piece of paper in his pocket where he'd scrawl his assignments. It worked for him, so it was fine. For those of you not keen on planners or crumpled up notes, your phone can come in really handy. Just download a productivity app and type your assignments in there. Or, keep track of all the work due in the notes section of your phone. Or, snap a picture of the homework board in each teacher's class before you head out into the hallway. Or, if you are really dead-set against anything planner-related, then just send yourself a text after each class with your homework assignments for the night.

No matter which planning system you prefer, use it. Check off each item once you get it in your backpack. Your brain can only process so much information at a time, so you absolutely must write your homework down if you plan to complete it on time. 

Tip 2: Prioritize Your Homework Assignments

All assignments are not created equal. It's strongly recommended you use a prioritizing system when you sit down at home with your homework. Try a system a little something like this:

  • Examples: Studying for a major test coming up tomorrow. Finishing a major project due tomorrow. Writing an essay worth a LOT of points that is due tomorrow. 
  • Examples:  Studying for a quiz coming up tomorrow. Completing a homework sheet that is due tomorrow. Reading a chapter that is due tomorrow. 
  • Examples: Studying for a spelling test that will occur on Friday. Writing a blog and posting it on the class board by Friday. Finish a book upon which you will take a quiz on Friday.
  • Examples: Reviewing chapters for the midterm exam. Working on an on-going project, research paper, or long assignment due at the end of the quarter. Completing a packet that isn't due for two weeks. 

Once you've prioritized the work you have to do, complete all the 1's first, then the 2's, moving down as you go. That way, if you find yourself pressed for time because Great-Grandma decided to stop over for family dinner and your mom insisted you spend the evening playing bridge with her despite the fact that you have hours of homework ahead of you, then you will not have missed anything vitally important to your grade. 

Tip 3: Get the Worst Assignment Over With First

So, maybe you absolutely hate writing essays (But, why, though when all you have to do is follow these essay tips? ) and you have a major essay staring you in the face that  must  be completed before tomorrow. You also have to study for a major math test, complete a social studies blog by Friday, study for the ACT  next month, and finish up your science worksheet from class. Your "1" assignments would be the essay and the math test. Your "2" assignment is the science worksheet, the "3" assignment is that blog, and the "4" assignment is studying for the ACT. 

Ordinarily, you would start with the science worksheet because you  love  science, but that would be a big mistake. Start with those "1" assignments and knock out that essay first. Why? Because you hate it. And completing the worst assignment first gets it off your mind, out of your homework cache, and makes everything that comes after it appears to be really, really easy. It will be an absolute  joy  to complete that science worksheet once you have written the essay. Why rob yourself of joy? 

Then, once you've completed the stuff due first, you can focus on putting in a little bit of time on the ACT. Easy peasy.

Tip 4: Take Planned Breaks

Some people believe that sitting down to complete homework means that you literally park your behind in a chair and you don't move it for the next four thousand hours or so. That is one of the worst study ideas in history. Your brain only has the capacity to stay focused for about 45 minutes (maybe even less for some of you) before it goes on the fritz and starts wanting to make you get up and dance the Roger Rabbit. So, schedule your study time with breaks actually built in . Work for 45 minutes, then take a 10-minute break to do whatever it is people your age like to do. Then, rinse and repeat. It looks a little something like this:

Homework Time:

  • 45 minutes: Work on "1" assignments, starting with the absolute worst.
  • 10 minutes: Get a snack, play Pokemon Go!, surf Instagram
  • 45 minutes: Work on "1" assignments again. You know you didn't finish.
  • 10 minutes: Do some jumping jacks, dance the Macarena, polish your nails.
  • 45 minutes: Work on "2" assignments and maybe even finish with any 3s and 4s. Put everything in your backpack.

Completing your homework on time is a learned skill. It requires some discipline and not everyone is naturally disciplined. So, you have to practice checking that you have everything you need for homework when you are still at school, prioritizing your work, plunging into the assignments you loathe, and taking planned breaks. Isn't your grade worth it?

You bet it is. 

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How to Avoid Homework Stress

Last Updated: March 28, 2019 References

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 133,057 times.

Students of all kinds are often faced with what can seem like an overwhelming amount of homework. Although homework can be a source of stress, completing it can be a very rewarding and even relaxing experience if done in an organized and timely manner. Remember, homework is not intended as punishment, but is used to reinforce everything you’ve learned in class. Try to view it as a chance to sharpen your skills and understanding.

Managing Your Time

Step 1 Pick a time of day to do your homework.

  • Try to work earlier, rather than later, if possible. This way, you won’t be rushing to finish your work before bedtime.
  • Find a time of day during which you can concentrate well. Some people work best in the afternoon, while others can concentrate better on a full stomach after dinner.
  • Choose a time when you will have relatively few distractions. Mealtimes, times during which you have standing engagements, or periods usually used for socializing are not the best choices.
  • Allow enough time to complete your work. Making sure the total time you allow yourself for homework is sufficient for you to complete all your assignments is crucial. [1] X Research source [2] X Research source

Step 2 Start large projects as early as possible.

  • Save an appropriate amount of time for projects considering your normal homework load.
  • Estimate how much time you will need each day, week, and month depending on your usual workload. Allow yourself at least this much time in your schedule, and consider allotting a fair amount more to compensate for unexpected complications or additional assignments.
  • Reserve plenty of time for bigger projects, as they are more involved, and it is harder to estimate how much time you might need to complete them.

Step 3 Make yourself a homework schedule.

  • Get a day planner or a notebook to write down your homework assignments, and assign an estimated amount of time to each assignment. Make sure to always give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.
  • Plan to finish daily homework every day, then divide up weekly homework over the course of the entire week.
  • Rank assignments in due-date order. Begin on those assignments due first, and work your way though. Finishing assignments according to due-date will help you avoid having to hurry through homework the night before it must be handed in.
  • Allow more time for more difficult subjects and difficult assignments. Each individual person will have their strong subjects—and those that come a little harder. Make sure you take into account which subjects are harder for you, and allow more time for them during your scheduling.

Working Hard at School and in Class

Step 1 Ask questions.

  • If you’re too shy to ask questions, or don’t feel it’s appropriate to do so during class, write them down in your notebook and then ask the teacher or professor after class.
  • If you don't understand a concept, ask your teacher to explain it again, with specifics.
  • If you're having trouble with a math problem, ask the teacher to demonstrate it again using a different example.
  • Remember, when it comes to learning and education, there are no bad questions.

Step 2 Take good notes...

  • Pay attention to important terms and ideas. Make sure to note things your teacher stresses, key terms, and other important concepts.
  • Write clearly and legibly. If you can’t read your handwriting, it’ll take you longer to reference your notes at home.
  • Keep your notebook organized with dividers and labels. This way, you’ll be able to locate helpful information in a pinch and finish your homework quicker. [4] X Research source

Step 3 Record the class or lecture.

  • Get permission.
  • Sit up front and close to the instructor.
  • Make sure to label your recordings so you don't lose track of them.
  • Try to listen to them that same day while everything is fresh in your mind.

Step 4 Use any available time at school to begin your homework.

  • Work in class. If you finish a class assignment early, review your notes or start your homework.
  • Study at lunch. If you have time at lunch, consider working on homework. You can do this leisurely by just reviewing what you’ll need to do at home, or you can just jump right into your work.
  • Don't waste time. If you get to class early, use that time for homework. In addition, many schools let students go to the library during this unplanned time, and it's a great place to finish uncompleted assignments.

Doing Your Homework

Step 1 Sit down and do your homework.

  • Get some fresh air
  • Go for a short run
  • Do push-ups
  • Walk your dog
  • Listen to music
  • Have a snack

Step 5 Stay positive.

  • Study groups break up the monotony of daily homework and make for a less stressful experience than trying to cram on your own.
  • Note that each person should turn in individualized assignments rather than collaborating to find the answers.

Balancing Homework with Life

Step 1 Avoid over committing yourself.

  • AP or IB classes often have 2 or 3 times the amount of reading and homework as regular courses.
  • Honors classes may have up to double the amount of work required as regular courses.
  • College students need to consider whether they want to take the recommended course load (often 4 classes) or more. More classes might help you finish your degree sooner, but if you are juggling work and extracurricular activities, you might be overwhelmed. [8] X Research source [9] X Research source

Step 2 Decide your priorities.

  • Rank your classes and activities in order of importance.
  • Estimate (realistically) how long your academic and extracurricular activities will take.
  • Figure out how much time you have overall.
  • If you’ve over committed, you need to drop your lowest ranked class or activity.

Step 3 Reserve time for your family and friends.

  • Make sure to reserve mealtimes for family, rather than working.
  • Try to set aside the weekend for family, and work only if you need to catch up or get ahead.
  • Don’t plan on working on holidays, even if you try, your productivity likely won’t be high.

Step 4 Make sure you get enough rest.

  • Pick a reasonable hour to go to sleep every night.
  • Try to do your morning prep work like ironing clothes and making your lunch at night.
  • Take a nap after school or after classes if you need. You’ll probably be able to do better work in less time if you are rested. [10] X Research source [11] X Research source
  • If you’re in middle or high school, talk to your parents and your teachers about the issue and ask them to help you figure out a solution.
  • If you’re a college student, reach out to your professors and advisor for help.
  • If it takes you much longer to finish your homework than it takes other students, it may be due to a learning difference. Ask your parents to schedule a meeting with a learning specialist.

Community Q&A

Community Answer

  • Ask for help when you need it. This is the biggest thing you should do. Don't worry if people think you're dumb, because chances are, you're making a higher grade than them. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 4
  • Actually pay attention to the teacher and ask if you don't know how to do the work. The stress can go away if you know exactly what to do. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2
  • Recognize that some teachers get mad if you do separate homework assignments for different classes, so learn to be discreet about it. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

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  • ↑ http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/coping-school-stress
  • ↑ http://www.kidzworld.com/article/24574-how-to-avoid-homework-stress
  • ↑ http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/notes.html
  • ↑ https://stressfreekids.com/10038/homework-stress
  • ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-jackson/5-ways-to-relieve-homework-stress-in-5-minutes_b_6572786.html
  • ↑ https://stressfreekids.com/11607/reduce-homework-stress
  • ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/how-students-can-survive-the-ap-course-workload/2012/03/01/gIQA8u28qR_story.html
  • ↑ http://www.usnews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2012/05/10/weigh-the-benefits-stress-of-ap-courses-for-your-student
  • ↑ http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/sleep-in-adolescents
  • ↑ https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=how+much+sleep+do+20+year+old+need

About this article

Emily Listmann, MA

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Spend less time on homework

How many times have you found yourself still staring at your textbook around midnight (or later!) even when you started your homework hours earlier? Those lost hours could be explained by Parkinson’s Law, which states, “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, if you give yourself all night to memorize those geometry formulas for your quiz tomorrow, you’ll inevitably find that a 30 minute task has somehow filled your entire evening.

We know that you have more homework than ever. But even with lots and lots to do, a few tweaks to your study routine could help you spend less time getting more accomplished. Here are 8 steps to make Parkinson’s Law work to your advantage:

1. Make a list

This should be a list of everything that has to be done that evening. And we mean, everything—from re-reading notes from this morning’s history class to quizzing yourself on Spanish vocabulary.

2. Estimate the time needed for each item on your list

You can be a little ruthless here. However long you think a task will take, try shaving off 5 or 10 minutes. But, be realistic. You won’t magically become a speed reader.

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3. Gather all your gear

Collect EVERYTHING you will need for the homework you are working on (like your laptop for writing assignments and pencils for problem sets). Getting up for supplies takes you off course and makes it that much harder to get back to your homework.

The constant blings and beeps from your devices can make it impossible to focus on what you are working on. Switch off or silence your phones and tablets, or leave them in another room until it’s time to take a tech break.

Read More: How to Calculate Your GPA

5. Time yourself

Noting how much time something actually takes will help you estimate better and plan your next study session.

6. Stay on task

If you’re fact checking online, it can be so easy to surf on over to a completely unrelated site. A better strategy is to note what information you need to find online, and do it all at once at the end of the study session.

7. Take plenty of breaks

Most of us need a break between subjects or to break up long stretches of studying. Active breaks are a great way to keep your energy up. Tech breaks can be an awesome way to combat the fear of missing out that might strike while you are buried in your work, but they also tend to stretch much longer than originally intended. Stick to a break schedule of 10 minutes or so.

8. Reward yourself! 

Finish early? If you had allocated 30 minutes for reading a biology chapter and it only took 20, you can apply those extra 10 minutes to a short break—or just move on to your next task. If you stay on track, you might breeze through your work quickly enough to catch up on some Netflix.

Our best piece of advice? Keep at it. The more you use this system, the easier it will become. You’ll be surprised by how much time you can shave off homework just by focusing and committing to a distraction-free study plan.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 5 best homework help websites (free and paid).

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Other High School , General Education

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Listen: we know homework isn’t fun, but it is a good way to reinforce the ideas and concepts you’ve learned in class. But what if you’re really struggling with your homework assignments?

If you’ve looked online for a little extra help with your take-home assignments, you’ve probably stumbled across websites claiming to provide the homework help and answers students need to succeed . But can homework help sites really make a difference? And if so, which are the best homework help websites you can use? 

Below, we answer these questions and more about homework help websites–free and paid. We’ll go over: 

  • The basics of homework help websites
  • The cost of homework help websites 
  • The five best homework websites out there 
  • The pros and cons of using these websites for homework help 
  • The line between “learning” and “cheating” when using online homework help 
  • Tips for getting the most out of a homework help website

So let’s get started! 

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The Basics About Homework Help Websites–Free and Paid

Homework help websites are designed to help you complete your homework assignments, plain and simple. 

What Makes a Homework Help Site Worth Using

Most of the best sites allow users to ask questions and then provide an answer (or multiple possible answers) and explanation in seconds. In some instances, you can even send a photo of a particular assignment or problem instead of typing the whole thing out! 

Homework help sites also offer more than just help answering homework questions. Common services provided are Q&A with experts, educational videos, lectures, practice tests and quizzes, learning modules, math solving tools, and proofreading help. Homework help sites can also provide textbook solutions (i.e. answers to problems in tons of different textbooks your school might be using), one-on-one tutoring, and peer-to-peer platforms that allow you to discuss subjects you’re learning about with your fellow students. 

And best of all, nearly all of them offer their services 24/7, including tutoring! 

What You Should Should Look Out For

When it comes to homework help, there are lots–and we mean lots –of scam sites out there willing to prey on desperate students. Before you sign up for any service, make sure you read reviews to ensure you’re working with a legitimate company. 

A word to the wise: the more a company advertises help that veers into the territory of cheating, the more likely it is to be a scam. The best homework help websites are going to help you learn the concepts you’ll need to successfully complete your homework on your own. (We’ll go over the difference between “homework help” and “cheating” a little later!) 

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You don't need a golden piggy bank to use homework help websites. Some provide low or no cost help for students like you!

How Expensive Are the Best Homework Help Websites?

First of all, just because a homework help site costs money doesn’t mean it’s a good service. Likewise, just because a homework help website is free doesn’t mean the help isn’t high quality. To find the best websites, you have to take a close look at the quality and types of information they provide! 

When it comes to paid homework help services, the prices vary pretty widely depending on the amount of services you want to subscribe to. Subscriptions can cost anywhere from $2 to $150 dollars per month, with the most expensive services offering several hours of one-on-one tutoring with a subject expert per month.

The 5 Best Homework Help Websites 

So, what is the best homework help website you can use? The answer is that it depends on what you need help with. 

The best homework help websites are the ones that are reliable and help you learn the material. They don’t just provide answers to homework questions–they actually help you learn the material. 

That’s why we’ve broken down our favorite websites into categories based on who they’re best for . For instance, the best website for people struggling with math might not work for someone who needs a little extra help with science, and vice versa. 

Keep reading to find the best homework help website for you! 

Best Free Homework Help Site: Khan Academy

  • Price: Free!
  • Best for: Practicing tough material 

Not only is Khan Academy free, but it’s full of information and can be personalized to suit your needs. When you set up your account , you choose which courses you need to study, and Khan Academy sets up a personal dashboard of instructional videos, practice exercises, and quizzes –with both correct and incorrect answer explanations–so you can learn at your own pace. 

As an added bonus, it covers more course topics than many other homework help sites, including several AP classes.

Runner Up: Brainly.com offers a free service that allows you to type in questions and get answers and explanations from experts. The downside is that you’re limited to two answers per question and have to watch ads. 

Best Paid Homework Help Site: Chegg

  • Price: $14.95 to $19.95 per month
  • Best for: 24/7 homework assistance  

This service has three main parts . The first is Chegg Study, which includes textbook solutions, Q&A with subject experts, flashcards, video explanations, a math solver, and writing help. The resources are thorough, and reviewers state that Chegg answers homework questions quickly and accurately no matter when you submit them.  

Chegg also offers textbook rentals for students who need access to textbooks outside of their classroom. Finally, Chegg offers Internship and Career Advice for students who are preparing to graduate and may need a little extra help with the transition out of high school. 

Another great feature Chegg provides is a selection of free articles geared towards helping with general life skills, like coping with stress and saving money. Chegg’s learning modules are comprehensive, and they feature solutions to the problems in tons of different textbooks in a wide variety of subjects. 

Runner Up: Bartleby offers basically the same services as Chegg for $14.99 per month. The reason it didn’t rank as the best is based on customer reviews that say user questions aren’t answered quite as quickly on this site as on Chegg. Otherwise, this is also a solid choice!

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Best Site for Math Homework Help: Photomath

  • Price: Free (or $59.99 per year for premium services) 
  • Best for: Explaining solutions to math problems

This site allows you to t ake a picture of a math problem, and instantly pulls up a step-by-step solution, as well as a detailed explanation of the concept. Photomath also includes animated videos that break down mathematical concepts to help you better understand and remember them. 

The basic service is free, but for an additional fee you can get extra study tools and learn additional strategies for solving common math problems.

Runner Up: KhanAcademy offers in-depth tutorials that cover complex math topics for free, but you won’t get the same tailored help (and answers!) that Photomath offers. 

Best Site for English Homework Help: Princeton Review Academic Tutoring

  • Price: $40 to $153 per month, depending on how many hours of tutoring you want 
  • Best for: Comprehensive and personalized reading and writing help 

While sites like Grammarly and Sparknotes help you by either proofreading what you write via an algorithm or providing book summaries, Princeton Review’s tutors provide in-depth help with vocabulary, literature, essay writing and development, proofreading, and reading comprehension. And unlike other services, you’ll have the chance to work with a real person to get help. 

The best part is that you can get on-demand English (and ESL) tutoring from experts 24/7. That means you can get help whenever you need it, even if you’re pulling an all-nighter! 

This is by far the most expensive homework site on this list, so you’ll need to really think about what you need out of a homework help website before you commit. One added benefit is that the subscription covers over 80 other subjects, including AP classes, which can make it a good value if you need lots of help!  

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Best Site for STEM Homework Help: Studypool

  • Best for: Science homework help
  • Price: Varies; you’ll pay for each question you submit

When it comes to science homework help, there aren’t a ton of great resources out there. The best of the bunch is Studypool, and while it has great reviews, there are some downsides as well. 

Let’s start with the good stuff. Studypool offers an interesting twist on the homework help formula. After you create a free account, you can submit your homework help questions, and tutors will submit bids to answer your questions. You’ll be able to select the tutor–and price point–that works for you, then you’ll pay to have your homework question answered. You can also pay a small fee to access notes, lectures, and other documents that top tutors have uploaded. 

The downside to Studypool is that the pricing is not transparent . There’s no way to plan for how much your homework help will cost, especially if you have lots of questions! Additionally, it’s not clear how tutors are selected, so you’ll need to be cautious when you choose who you’d like to answer your homework questions.  

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What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Homework Help Sites?

Homework help websites can be a great resource if you’re struggling in a subject, or even if you just want to make sure that you’re really learning and understanding topics and ideas that you’re interested in. But, there are some possible drawbacks if you don’t use these sites responsibly. 

We’ll go over the good–and the not-so-good–aspects of getting online homework help below. 

3 Pros of Using Homework Help Websites 

First, let’s take a look at the benefits. 

#1: Better Grades Beyond Homework

This is a big one! Getting outside help with your studies can improve your understanding of concepts that you’re learning, which translates into better grades when you take tests or write essays. 

Remember: homework is designed to help reinforce the concepts you learned in class. If you just get easy answers without learning the material behind the problems, you may not have the tools you need to be successful on your class exams…or even standardized tests you’ll need to take for college. 

#2: Convenience

One of the main reasons that online homework help is appealing is because it’s flexible and convenient. You don’t have to go to a specific tutoring center while they’re open or stay after school to speak with your teacher. Instead, you can access helpful resources wherever you can access the internet, whenever you need them.

This is especially true if you tend to study at off hours because of your extracurriculars, work schedule, or family obligations. Sites that offer 24/7 tutoring can give you the extra help you need if you can’t access the free resources that are available at your school. 

#3: Variety

Not everyone learns the same way. Maybe you’re more of a visual learner, but your teacher mostly does lectures. Or maybe you learn best by listening and taking notes, but you’re expected to learn something just from reading the textbook . 

One of the best things about online homework help is that it comes in a variety of forms. The best homework help sites offer resources for all types of learners, including videos, practice activities, and even one-on-one discussions with real-life experts. 

This variety can also be a good thing if you just don’t really resonate with the way a concept is being explained (looking at you, math textbooks!).

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Not so fast. There are cons to homework help websites, too. Get to know them below!

3 Cons of Using Homework Help Websites 

Now, let’s take a look at the drawbacks of online homework help. 

#1: Unreliable Info

This can be a real problem. In addition to all the really good homework help sites, there are a whole lot of disreputable or unreliable sites out there. The fact of the matter is that some homework help sites don’t necessarily hire people who are experts in the subjects they’re talking about. In those cases, you may not be getting the accurate, up-to-date, and thorough information you need.

Additionally, even the great sites may not be able to answer all of your homework questions. This is especially true if the site uses an algorithm or chatbot to help students…or if you’re enrolled in an advanced or college-level course. In these cases, working with your teacher or school-provided tutors are probably your best option. 

#2: No Clarification

This depends on the service you use, of course. But the majority of them provide free or low-cost help through pre-recorded videos. Watching videos or reading info online can definitely help you with your homework… but you can’t ask questions or get immediate feedback if you need it .

#3: Potential For Scamming 

Like we mentioned earlier, there are a lot of homework help websites out there, and lots of them are scams. The review comments we read covered everything from outdated or wrong information, to misleading claims about the help provided, to not allowing people to cancel their service after signing up. 

No matter which site you choose to use, make sure you research and read reviews before you sign up–especially if it’s a paid service! 

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When Does “Help” Become “Cheating”?

Admittedly, whether using homework help websites constitutes cheating is a bit of a grey area. For instance, is it “help” when a friend reads your essay for history class and corrects your grammar, or is it “cheating”? The truth is, not everyone agrees on when “help” crosses the line into “cheating .” When in doubt, it can be a good idea to check with your teacher to see what they think about a particular type of help you want to get. 

That said, a general rule of thumb to keep in mind is to make sure that the assignment you turn in for credit is authentically yours . It needs to demonstrate your own thoughts and your own current abilities. Remember: the point of every homework assignment is to 1) help you learn something, and 2) show what you’ve learned. 

So if a service answers questions or writes essays for you, there’s a good chance using it constitutes cheating. 

Here’s an example that might help clarify the difference for you. Brainstorming essay ideas with others or looking online for inspiration is “help” as long as you write the essay yourself. Having someone read it and give you feedback about what you need to change is also help, provided you’re the one that makes the changes later. 

But copying all or part of an essay you find online or having someone write (or rewrite) the whole thing for you would be “cheating.” The same is true for other subjects. Ultimately, if you’re not generating your own work or your own answers, it’s probably cheating.

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5 Tips for Finding the Best Homework Help Websites for You

Now that you know some of our favorite homework help websites, free and paid, you can start doing some additional research on your own to decide which services might work best for you! Here are some top tips for choosing a homework help website. 

Tip 1: Decide How You Learn Best 

Before you decide which site or sites you’re going to use for homework help, y ou should figure out what kind of learning style works for you the most. Are you a visual learner? Then choose a site that uses lots of videos to help explain concepts. If you know you learn best by actually doing tasks, choose a site that provides lots of practice exercises.

Tip 2: Determine Which Subjects You Need Help With

Just because a homework help site is good overall doesn’t mean that it’s equally good for every subject. If you only need help in math, choose a site that specializes in that area. But if history is where you’re struggling, a site that specializes in math won’t be much help. So make sure to choose a site that you know provides high-quality help in the areas you need it most. 

Tip 3: Decide How Much One-On-One Help You Need 

This is really about cost-effectiveness. If you learn well on your own by reading and watching videos, a free site like Khan Academy is a good choice. But if you need actual tutoring, or to be able to ask questions and get personalized answers from experts, a paid site that provides that kind of service may be a better option.

Tip 4: Set a Budget

If you decide you want to go with a paid homework help website, set a budget first . The prices for sites vary wildly, and the cost to use them can add up quick. 

Tip 5: Read the Reviews

Finally, it’s always a good idea to read actual reviews written by the people using these homework sites. You’ll learn the good, the bad, and the ugly of what the users’ experiences have been. This is especially true if you intend to subscribe to a paid service. You’ll want to make sure that users think it’s worth the price overall!

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What’s Next?

If you want to get good grades on your homework, it’s a good idea to learn how to tackle it strategically. Our expert tips will help you get the most out of each assignment…and boost your grades in the process.

Doing well on homework assignments is just one part of getting good grades. We’ll teach you everything you need to know about getting great grades in high school in this article.

Of course, test grades can make or break your GPA, too. Here are 17 expert tips that’ll help you get the most out of your study prep before you take an exam.

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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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how to pick and use an assignment notebook

How to pick and use an assignment notebook

Katie Azevedo September 8, 2017 executive function , homework , organization , productivity , routines , time management

writing down homework

You’re here because you want to know how to pick and use an assignment notebook. But I’m going to start by giving you the best assignment notebook tip ever: write it down.

Write down assignments. Write down due dates. Write down appointments. Write it all down.  You could have the BEST assignment notebook in the universe, and it will still be horrible if you don’t use it .

Why you need an assignment notebook

Our brains were made for way cooler things than storing boring information like what pages we’re supposed to read for homework and what day we are going to the dentist.

Our brains were made for thinking. And creating. And day dreaming, or whatever.

So when we try to use our brains to store “shallow” information like homework assignments, guess what we end up doing? Yup, having less brain energy to think and create.

How does that affect us in school? We will have difficulty paying attention, learning, remembering, studying, reading, etc. — all because we are using up our background brain energy (our mental bandwidth!) trying to subconsciously remember when the heck our project is due.

What’s the solution?

Write it all down. Everything. Every time.

Here’s where having an assignment notebook or student agenda comes into play. You need one. And you need one that works for you .

Just as we all think and learn differently, we are all going to have unique preferences for what this system looks like and how we use it. But no matter your unique tastes and preferences, the whole point of using an assignment notebook or agenda is to have a place to deposit the information that sucks up our brain power. We all need a place to write down what we can’t forget but don’t need to store.

Why you think you don’t need an assignment notebook

The biggest resistance I hear from students about keeping an assignment notebook is this: “I can remember everything myself.”

Ugh. Please. Just because we CAN do something doesn’t mean we SHOULD. And just because we CAN do something, doesn’t mean it’s GOOD for us.

Even if you CAN remember all your assignments and due dates and tasks and appointments, you must also remember this: trying to store this information in our heads uses up brain energy that we should be using for other things!

I recommend that every student use an assignment notebook that has at least two basic components. After that, the rest is up to you. All assignment notebooks should have at least:

  • a monthly calendar view
  • a daily calendar view with space

The monthly calendar view

This is an essential component to any proper task management / assignment notebook system. A calendar view allows us to see, at a glance, what we have going on for the month. This is where we write down and keep track of anything that is time-sensitive, like appointments, due dates, work hours, practices, games, etc. Basically anything that requires us to BE at a certain place at a certain time goes in this section. We can also use this monthly calendar to mark important dates such as birthdays.

A quick glance at your monthly calendar should essentially alert you to what you’ve got going on in the next week, as well as any due dates that are lurking around the corner.

how to pick and use and assignment notebook monthly view

The daily calendar view

This is the second essential component to any good assignment notebook or student agenda. In the daily view, we write down what we have to do on that particular day . This information isn’t usually time sensitive, other than it needs to get done that day. (Unlike a doctor’s appointment, at 3:00, which you would put on your monthly view.) Here, we write down homework assignments (all of them! Every time! Even if it’s small!), tasks and to-dos. This stuff can be school related, life-related, job related, or personal. It’s important that this section have enough space for you to feel comfortable writing in. If it’s too small, you will probably end up leaving some items off, and that’s very much not the point!

assignment notebook tips monthly

Optional assignment notebook components

Although this part isn’t totally necessary for everyone, I think that most people would benefit from a simple list-like section in the front of their notebook to write down things that pop up and need to be addressed, but that aren’t necessarily tasks or appointments.

This is where you could jot down ideas you have, random things you want to remember for a later time, and projects you want to get to at some point. This could also be where you do your brain dumps .

If you came to this post looking for assignment notebook recommendations, I’m hesitant to offer any because anything I link here will eventually become outdated (you should always have a dated assignment notebook). But if you need a reference point, this is a good one.

Assignment notebook extras

Apart from having an assignment notebook or calendar with a monthly and daily view, you can play with any other components you want. I have a ton of different lives (mom, teacher at one school, teacher at another school, business owner, graduate student, etc. times infinity!!) so I have a lot of other sections in my own personal task management system. But that’s all the fun stuff that you get to play around with and figure out over time.

My last assignment notebook tip is based on the same principle for everything I teach: keep it simple. Start with the basics and only add sections if you need to.

Once you know how to pick and use an assignment notebook, here are my best tips for how to keep track of homework . Seriously helpful.

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12 Schoolwork Shortcuts for Kids Who Hate Homework

Finishing homework faster doesn’t mean rushing or hovering over your child until he melts down. it means following these 12 adhd-friendly strategies for creating calm, avoiding burnout, and staying organized..

Susan Kruger, M.Ed.

1. What Homework Strategy Is Best?

Talk with a parent about raising her child with ADHD and, sooner or later, the conversation will turn to the homework wars. “You can’t believe how long it takes for my son to finish homework,” she will say. “Will it ever get better?” Yes, it will. There are ADHD homework strategies and secrets for studying more effectively. Don’t tell your child which strategy to use. Instead, let her choose. Choice is a key factor for inspiring motivation.

A girl uses ADHD homework strategies to finish her assignments

2. How Should We Begin Homework?

When you first sit down to do homework, take two minutes to put loose papers into the proper folders. Use the next eight minutes to reread notes and/or handouts from school. These 10 minutes will save you hours of searching and studying. You will quickly get into the habit of putting assignments where they belong. Reviewing your notes transfers information to long-term memory, saving hours of study time when test time comes around.

A boy uses ADHD homework strategies to finish his assignments

3. How Long Should We Work on Homework?

Set a timer and limit each study or work session to 30 minutes. Challenge yourself to finish a certain amount of work within that time. The adrenaline rush of the challenge will improve your focus.

[ Get This Free Download: Top 5 Homework Frustrations — and Fixes for Each ]

A girl takes an exercise break, one of her ADHD homework strategies.

4. What's a Reasonable Homework Break?

Both your body and brain need frequent refreshers. Set another timer for five minutes, then do jumping jacks, run in place, or stretch. Start another 30-minute block of homework. This sounds too simple to work, but these breaks keep you sharp to get your work done faster. After two weeks, you will find that these five-minute blocks will significantly reduce procrastination.

A girl uses ADHD homework strategies to complete her assignments

5. How Can We Keep Homework Organized?

A lot of students with ADHD who keep a planner forget to use it throughout the day. Always keep it in your main folder or binder, along with a pen in the binding. Use a binder clip to mark your current page. It should take only a few steps to access your planner and to write down assignments and reminders — and you won’t waste time later, calling friends to ask about homework.

A boy and his father use ADHD homework strategies to finish assignments together.

6. What's an Energizing After-School Snack?

When kids do homework, they should sip (not gulp) a drink with sugar in it, says Dr. Russell Barkley, Ph.D., author of Taking Charge of ADHD (#CommissionsEarned) . Lemonade or sports drinks are good choices. These beverages deliver glucose to your brain, which is its only source of fuel. The more fuel you have, the more you will be able to work effectively and efficiently.

A teen uses ADHD homework strategies to finish his assignments.

7. Should We Skip Tough Homework Problems?

If you come to a homework question (or two or three) that you find confusing, highlight or circle it and move on. The more you dwell on something you don’t understand, the more anxious you will get. The more anxious you get, the less energy you have for the rest of your homework. Stick with what you can figure out. Take the hard problems to your teacher at the start of class and ask for help.

[ Click to Read: The ADHD Homework System We Swear By ]

A girl uses ADHD homework strategies to finish her assignments.

8. What's the Best Way to Review School Notes?

Your brain will process the information in three ways: through your eyes as you read it, your mouth as you say it, and your ears as you hear your own voice. This improves your focus and memory.

A girl and her father use ADHD homework strategies together to finish assignments.

9. What's the Best Way to Review for Tests?

Writing down questions helps you learn better than reciting or memorizing information. The process forces you to think about the information at a higher level. Higher-level thinking helps you learn more things, thus shortening your study time.

A boy and his mother use ADHD homework strategies to finish assignments.

10. How Much Do We Need to Read?

Read through related sections of your textbook, but don’t read every word. Read headings, diagrams, and captions to photos and illustrations to get started. Set your timer and spend one 30-minute block reviewing a textbook chapter. Your enhanced comprehension will help you sail through your homework.

A boy uses ADHD homework strategies to finish reading assignments.

11. How Much Review Is Best?

Review textbook chapters before teachers lecture about them in class. This process gives your brain enough knowledge to help you pay better attention in class. You can reduce study and homework time if you have a deeper understanding of the material.

Two girls leave school with their backpacks, ready to use ADHD homework strategies to finish assignments.

12. How Do You Wake Up an ADHD Brain?

Most children with ADHD are groggy in the morning, so it’s easy to forget things if you are trying to get organized. Instead, gather all of your folders, books, notebooks, and supplies, and put them in your bag before you go to sleep. When you don’t deal with chaos in the morning, you have more resources to stay focused through the day. The calmer your day, the more energy you’ll have to blast through homework in the evening.

[ Read This Next: Scripts to End Every Homework Fight ]

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

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writing down homework

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Homework Book: Study Planner for Writing Down Homework Week at a Glance 110 pages

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writing down homework

Homework Book: Study Planner for Writing Down Homework Week at a Glance 110 pages Paperback – July 29, 2019

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  • Print length 105 pages
  • Language English
  • Publication date July 29, 2019
  • Dimensions 6 x 0.27 x 9 inches
  • ISBN-10 1086138104
  • ISBN-13 978-1086138108
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (July 29, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 105 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1086138104
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1086138108
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.27 x 9 inches
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ScienceDaily

Study shows stronger brain activity after writing on paper than on tablet or smartphone

Unique, complex information in analog methods likely gives brain more details to trigger memory.

A study of Japanese university students and recent graduates has revealed that writing on physical paper can lead to more brain activity when remembering the information an hour later. Researchers say that the unique, complex, spatial and tactile information associated with writing by hand on physical paper is likely what leads to improved memory.

"Actually, paper is more advanced and useful compared to electronic documents because paper contains more one-of-a-kind information for stronger memory recall," said Professor Kuniyoshi L. Sakai, a neuroscientist at the University of Tokyo and corresponding author of the research recently published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience . The research was completed with collaborators from the NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting.

Contrary to the popular belief that digital tools increase efficiency, volunteers who used paper completed the note-taking task about 25% faster than those who used digital tablets or smartphones.

Although volunteers wrote by hand both with pen and paper or stylus and digital tablet, researchers say paper notebooks contain more complex spatial information than digital paper. Physical paper allows for tangible permanence, irregular strokes, and uneven shape, like folded corners. In contrast, digital paper is uniform, has no fixed position when scrolling, and disappears when you close the app.

"Our take-home message is to use paper notebooks for information we need to learn or memorize," said Sakai.

In the study, a total of 48 volunteers read a fictional conversation between characters discussing their plans for two months in the near future, including 14 different class times, assignment due dates and personal appointments. Researchers performed pre-test analyses to ensure that the volunteers, all 18-29 years old and recruited from university campuses or NTT offices, were equally sorted into three groups based on memory skills, personal preference for digital or analog methods, gender, age and other aspects.

Volunteers then recorded the fictional schedule using a paper datebook and pen, a calendar app on a digital tablet and a stylus, or a calendar app on a large smartphone and a touch-screen keyboard. There was no time limit and volunteers were asked to record the fictional events in the same way as they would for their real-life schedules, without spending extra time to memorize the schedule.

After one hour, including a break and an interference task to distract them from thinking about the calendar, volunteers answered a range of simple (When is the assignment due?) and complex (Which is the earlier due date for the assignments?) multiple choice questions to test their memory of the schedule. While they completed the test, volunteers were inside a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, which measures blood flow around the brain. This is a technique called functional MRI (fMRI), and increased blood flow observed in a specific region of the brain is a sign of increased neuronal activity in that area.

Participants who used a paper datebook filled in the calendar within about 11 minutes. Tablet users took 14 minutes and smartphone users took about 16 minutes. Volunteers who used analog methods in their personal life were just as slow at using the devices as volunteers who regularly use digital tools, so researchers are confident that the difference in speed was related to memorization or associated encoding in the brain, not just differences in the habitual use of the tools.

Volunteers who used analog methods scored better than other volunteers only on simple test questions. However, researchers say that the brain activation data revealed significant differences.

Volunteers who used paper had more brain activity in areas associated with language, imaginary visualization, and in the hippocampus -- an area known to be important for memory and navigation. Researchers say that the activation of the hippocampus indicates that analog methods contain richer spatial details that can be recalled and navigated in the mind's eye.

"Digital tools have uniform scrolling up and down and standardized arrangement of text and picture size, like on a webpage. But if you remember a physical textbook printed on paper, you can close your eyes and visualize the photo one-third of the way down on the left-side page, as well as the notes you added in the bottom margin," Sakai explained.

Researchers say that personalizing digital documents by highlighting, underlining, circling, drawing arrows, handwriting color-coded notes in the margins, adding virtual sticky notes, or other types of unique mark-ups can mimic analog-style spatial enrichment that may enhance memory.

Although they have no data from younger volunteers, researchers suspect that the difference in brain activation between analog and digital methods is likely to be stronger in younger people.

"High school students' brains are still developing and are so much more sensitive than adult brains," said Sakai.

Although the current research focused on learning and memorization, the researchers encourage using paper for creative pursuits as well.

"It is reasonable that one's creativity will likely become more fruitful if prior knowledge is stored with stronger learning and more precisely retrieved from memory. For art, composing music, or other creative works, I would emphasize the use of paper instead of digital methods," said Sakai.

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Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Tokyo . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

  • Keita Umejima, Takuya Ibaraki, Takahiro Yamazaki, Kuniyoshi L. Sakai. Paper Notebooks vs. Mobile Devices: Brain Activation Differences During Memory Retrieval . Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience , 2021; 15 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.634158

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Writing down homework

Discussion in ' Elementary Education ' started by snickydog , Jul 23, 2009 .

snickydog

snickydog Groupie

Jul 23, 2009

I teach first and we have agendas the students are to write their homework in. It's never much to write, since we do a weekly homework packet plus a math sheet. When do you write down homework? Is there a procedure that works well for you? I did it near the end of the day last year, but I've heard of people doing it first thing in the morning. Also, how long does it take your students to write their homework down and get packed up?  

atoz

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lteach2

lteach2 Cohort

We have agendas, too. But I just staple in a homework sheet since we never had time at the end of the day. At the school before this one, I had the kids write their own HW down. I just made sure they had plenty of space/lines and kept it simple.  

RainStorm

RainStorm Phenom

I personally think that it is a bit much to expect a 1st grader to copy down homework into an agenda -- but that is just my opinion. I agree with the "staple it in" idea. Alternatively, print the assignments on a sheet of labels and just stick them in (though stapling sounds infinitely easier.) Developmentally,copying from the board onto paper is a skill one would generally expect of a 1st grader. I'm not saying it can't be done -- only that it would be a huge struggle for many, and it doesn't really seem to be the best use of instructional time. I'd rather use that time for teaching.  
RainStorm said: ↑ I personally think that it is a bit much to expect a 1st grader to copy down homework into an agenda -- but that is just my opinion. I agree with the "staple it in" idea. Alternatively, print the assignments on a sheet of labels and just stick them in (though stapling sounds infinitely easier.) Developmentally,copying from the board onto paper is a skill one would generally expect of a 1st grader. I'm not saying it can't be done -- only that it would be a huge struggle for many, and it doesn't really seem to be the best use of instructional time. I'd rather use that time for teaching. Click to expand...

LAH2

LAH2 Companion

I do it near the end of the day just in case my plans for the day change (for example, if we didn't get to finish something in math or if the students need extra practice with something). We copy down homework right when the kids come back from their afternoon specials. I don't like leaving it until the very end of the day in case I get busy and lose track of time. In the beginning of the year I've learned to leave LOTS of time for copying down homework because they've never had to do it before and I like to make sure that they have everything they need to bring home with them. But once they get used to the routine it only takes them probably about 5 minutes for most of kids to get their homework copied (except for those few who take a little longer), and then another 5 minutes at the end of the day to get packed up.  

teacherintexas

teacherintexas Maven

I had my kids use their planners at the end of the day, but even that was difficult for the beginning of the year. Luckily, they didn't have to write much. For first grade, I think using a typed weekly sheet would be the best way to go. You could make it into a mini newsletter with notes and spelling list for the week.  

DHE

DHE Connoisseur

Jul 24, 2009

We use agendas, too and I have done it two ways and both worked well for the class that I used it with. There has been years that we wrote it at the end of the day and there has been years that we wrote it down after finishing each subject(math was written when we finished math and so on). There are some that it takes longer to copy, but I usually start at the beginning of the year with the writing it down and it has not been a big problem. Last year we were provided with a chart that looks like one of their pages and I put it on a small bulletin board and they copy from there.  

mclaugcr

mclaugcr Companion

DHE said: ↑ ...there has been years that we wrote it down after finishing each subject(math was written when we finished math and so on). Click to expand...

:)

msmullenjr Devotee

I also have my class write it down as we do it. There are days when HW changes from what I thought. If they were really confused about a Math lesson, I won't give it for HW. I will give a spiral review page of something they need to practice anyway.  

NYSTeacher

NYSTeacher Companion

My students copy their HW each morning. They enter the room between 7:15-7:25, depending on when they arrive and they are marked tardy at 7:30). They have until 7:45 to follow their morning procedures: unpack, hand in HW and notes for me, copy their HW (leave on their desks for me to check/stamp), and complete 5 morning work math problems. Copying it in the morning has always worked for me, it's the only way I've done it. I personally think I would have a hard time having them copy it at the end of the day.  

noreenk

noreenk Cohort

My 5th graders write down homework either immediately upon getting the assignment (especially in math when they have specific problem #s) and/or at the end of the day. In 1st/2nd, i had daily spelling homework that everyone received a copy of, and I did weekly homework packets to simplify things. On the rare occasion that a student had additional homework, I would write it down or have them do it if they could do it quickly. The packets took awhile to assemble on Thursdays, but it was sooo nice to pass them out on Friday and know that I didn't have to worry about anything for the whole week.  

shasha379

shasha379 Devotee

NYSTeacher said: ↑ My students copy their HW each morning. They enter the room between 7:15-7:25, depending on when they arrive and they are marked tardy at 7:30). They have until 7:45 to follow their morning procedures: unpack, hand in HW and notes for me, copy their HW (leave on their desks for me to check/stamp), and complete 5 morning work math problems. Copying it in the morning has always worked for me, it's the only way I've done it. I personally think I would have a hard time having them copy it at the end of the day. Click to expand...

luv2teach1st

luv2teach1st Rookie

We also use agendas, but for writing their homework in. On Monday and Tuesday, they do 2 times each, Wednesday - Sentences for 5 of their spelling words, Thursday - Pre-test. I send home a letter explaining the homework routine, and an example how it should be done. Sometimes I may add a worksheet or activity for them to do, in which case I send home a homework sheet for the week. Last year, I tried having my students copy down their homework, and it was just to difficult for some of them. It took them for ever to do.  

zoerba

zoerba Comrade

Jul 27, 2009

My students copy their homework while I do a read aloud. When they are done copying they come sit by my feet to hear the story. This ensures that every student finishes AND the room is silent.  

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do / write one's homework

  • Thread starter Kenny Chang
  • Start date Feb 25, 2021

Kenny Chang

Kenny Chang

Senior member.

  • Feb 25, 2021

Hello, everyone. I would like to know if it is correct to say write your homework . I know in AE you would say do your homework because there are many different forms of homework. Writing is not the only way to finish it. But if the homework is really about writing, can I say write your homework ? Thank you.  

The Newt

Kenny Chang said: [...]But if the homework is really about writing, can I say write your homework ? Thank you. Click to expand...
  • Feb 26, 2021

Thank you, The Newt. So if there is a boy who is writing his *essay now, and someone asks what the boy is doing. I still need to say "He is doing his homework" instead of "He is writing his homework," right? *The essay is part of his homework.  

dojibear

Correct. "Write homework" is not English. Even if the homework involves writing a paper, that isn't "writing homework". It is "writing a paper that was assigned as homework". Homework is the assignment, not the paper. Homework is assigned work. Homework might be: - reading something - taking a test - writing an essay - doing some problems - researching a topic - taking a survey  

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  1. How to Do Homework (with Pictures)

    Write down homework assignments in your planner right when your teacher gives them so you don't forget details later. Knowing exactly what work you need to do keeps you from being surprised. Break big assignments down into smaller pieces that feel more manageable. Taking things step-by-step makes big tasks feel less overwhelming, and helps you ...

  2. How to Do Homework: 15 Expert Tips and Tricks

    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.

  3. Help and tips to deal with homework writing tasks

    A complete guide to homework writing. Plan your time. Do some writing every day. Check your writing for mistakes. Be attentive to details. It's hard to imagine a student who has never done any homework. It's the thing that we all deal with sooner or later. Homework writing takes time and requires you fully concentrate on the process.

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  5. 10 Places To Write Down Homework Assignments So You Don't Forget

    Don't forget to write down the due date, too. You can write the assignments in the Notes app on your phone, or you can use the calendar app to make alerts when they are due. 8. Use The Reminder App. iPhones have the Reminder app that would be a good thing to use. The laptops also have them.

  6. Re-reading is inefficient. Here are 8 tips for studying smarter

    1) Don't just re-read your notes and readings. "We know from surveys that a majority of students, when they study, they typically re-read assignments and notes. Most students say this is their ...

  7. 4 Tips for Completing Your Homework On Time

    45 minutes: Work on "1" assignments again. You know you didn't finish. 10 minutes: Do some jumping jacks, dance the Macarena, polish your nails. 45 minutes: Work on "2" assignments and maybe even finish with any 3s and 4s. Put everything in your backpack. Completing your homework on time is a learned skill. It requires some discipline and not ...

  8. Homework Help: Everything You Need to Know

    The Toronto District School Board offers a simple guideline to help determine how much homework is appropriate at each grade level. Following the guideline of 10 minutes per grade level, each grade should have this amount of homework: 30 minutes in Grade 3. 40 minutes in Grade 4. 50 minutes in Grade 5.

  9. How to Avoid Homework Stress (with Pictures)

    Writing down the information discussed in class helps you organize your thoughts and remember important facts and ideas. In addition, note taking aids in homework completion. When you are doing your homework, you'll be able to flip through your notes and easily locate the material that will help you address your homework activity.

  10. 8 Easy Ways to Finish Homework Faster

    Evaluate and improve your SAT score. 3. Gather all your gear. Collect EVERYTHING you will need for the homework you are working on (like your laptop for writing assignments and pencils for problem sets). Getting up for supplies takes you off course and makes it that much harder to get back to your homework. 4.

  11. The 5 Best Homework Help Websites (Free and Paid!)

    Best Paid Homework Help Site: Chegg. Price: $14.95 to $19.95 per month. Best for: 24/7 homework assistance. This service has three main parts. The first is Chegg Study, which includes textbook solutions, Q&A with subject experts, flashcards, video explanations, a math solver, and writing help.

  12. How to keep track of homework assignments

    Find a planner system and use it multiple times every day. The KEY step for keeping track of homework, which I'll get to next, is to write everything down. But before that happens, you need a place to write it all. You have three options here. 1) paper 2) digital 3) a combination of both.

  13. Homework challenges and strategies

    Get more tips for helping grade-schoolers and middle-schoolers slow down on homework. The challenge: Taking notes. Note-taking isn't an easy skill for some kids. They may struggle with the mechanical parts of writing or with organizing ideas on a page. Kids may also find it hard to read text and take notes at the same time.

  14. Doing Homework When You Have ADHD Is Painful

    School & Learning. Homework & Studying. The Homework System That Really Works. ADHD and homework mix like oil and water. All of the little details — from writing down assignments to remembering due dates — require intense focus and memory. With these routines, teachers and parents can replace after-school tantrums with higher grades.

  15. How to pick and use an assignment notebook

    Here, we write down homework assignments (all of them! Every time! Even if it's small!), tasks and to-dos. This stuff can be school related, life-related, job related, or personal. It's important that this section have enough space for you to feel comfortable writing in. If it's too small, you will probably end up leaving some items off ...

  16. Writing Practice Worksheets

    In these writing practice worksheets, students practice both reading and writing in these exercises. First, they read the uncompleted story. Then, they try to finish it using their own words. Beginning Finish the Story - The Snow Day. Beginning Finish the Story - The Fair. Beginning Finish the Story - Summer Camp.

  17. ADHD Homework Strategies: Study Smarter, Not Harder!

    When you first sit down to do homework, take two minutes to put loose papers into the proper folders. Use the next eight minutes to reread notes and/or handouts from school. ... Writing down questions helps you learn better than reciting or memorizing information. The process forces you to think about the information at a higher level. Higher ...

  18. Writing Worksheets & Free Printables

    Use letter writing worksheets as a way to introduce your child to a chosen letter of the day, or even a letter of the week! Start your day with a letter writing worksheet to get your child familiar with the symbol and how to draw it. Challenge your child to find the letter written down in three different places over the course of the day.

  19. Homework Book: Study Planner for Writing Down Homework Week at a Glance

    Homework Book: Study Planner for Writing Down Homework Week at a Glance 110 pages Paperback - July 29, 2019 by Dee Mack (Author) See all formats and editions

  20. Study shows stronger brain activity after writing on paper than on

    A study of university students and recent graduates has revealed that writing on physical paper can lead to more brain activity when remembering the information an hour later. Researchers say that ...

  21. The Pros and Cons of Homework

    Homework also helps students develop key skills that they'll use throughout their lives: Accountability. Autonomy. Discipline. Time management. Self-direction. Critical thinking. Independent problem-solving. The skills learned in homework can then be applied to other subjects and practical situations in students' daily lives.

  22. Writing down homework

    Writing down homework. Discussion in 'Elementary Education' started by snickydog, Jul 23, 2009. snickydog Groupie. Joined: Jul 31, 2006 Messages: 1,481 Likes Received: 0. Jul 23, 2009. I teach first and we have agendas the students are to write their homework in. It's never much to write, since we do a weekly homework packet plus a math sheet.

  23. do / write one's homework

    Correct. "Write homework" is not English. Even if the homework involves writing a paper, that isn't "writing homework". It is "writing a paper that was assigned as homework". Homework is the assignment, not the paper. Homework is assigned work. Homework might be: - reading something - taking a test - writing an essay - doing some problems