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Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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• Students: Submit assignments

Start, revise & submit assignments

To start your assignment, you first need to link your Google Account to Assignments. You can then open your assignment and, when you are finished, submit it for grading. If you edit your work before the due date, you can resubmit your assignment.

You can attach any file type from Google Drive or your hard drive to your assignment, including:

• Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
• Microsoft ®️ Word ®️ , Excel ®️ , or PowerPoint ®️
• Image files
• Video files (WEBM, MPEG4, 3GPP, MOV, AVI, MPEG-PS, WMV, FLV, OGG)

Assignments automatically converts Microsoft Office ®️ files to Google Docs, then saves the files to the Assignments folder in your Google Drive.

Complete an assignment

Link your google account to assignments for the course.

The first time you use Google Assignments in a course, you link the Google Account you want to use with that course with your LMS account. 

Linking your Google Account to Assignments allows it to:

• Access your Google Drive to attach files to your assignments.
• Archive copies of your submissions.
• Create an Assignments folder in your Drive that organizes files by course and assignment.

To link your account:

• Go to your LMS.
• Open the assignment.
• Sign in with your Google Account.
• If it's your first time using Assignments for the course, link your Google Account to the course.  

Attach files to an assignment

Important: If your assignment is set up to grade with your LMS’s grader tool, there’s a 10 MB size limit per file.

You can attach up to 20 files to your assignment. 

• To upload a new file, click Create and select a file type.

Turn in an assignment

• When you turn in an assignment, a copy is saved to your Google Drive in the Assignments folder.
• Ownership of your original file transfers to your instructor when it is graded and you can't edit your file.
• You regain ownership of your file when your instructor returns your work.
• You will never lose ownership of your files.
• Work that has been submitted to the instructor is not unsubmitted.
• The instructor sees a time stamp of the most recent submission.

After your instructor grades and returns your work, you regain ownership of your file. 

Note : If you resubmit files, the instructor sees a time stamp of the most recent submission.

Unsubmit an assignment

Important:  This only applies to assignments graded with Google Assignments.

If your assignment has a due date, you can unsubmit your work before the due date. Be sure to resubmit your work before the due date, so it’s not marked late. After the due date, you can’t unsubmit your work. 

If your assignment doesn’t have a due date, you can unsubmit your work at any time. Be sure to check with your instructor for specific requirements.

• Open your assignment.

Need more help?

Try these next steps:.

What is the best way to submit assignments

Submission Strategies: Picking the Right Path for Timely and Error-Free Assignment Hand-ins

Submitting assignments efficiently and effectively is critical to academic success, requiring careful consideration and strategic planning. The process of traditional paper submissions has evolved drastically in the digital age. With various platforms and technologies, the submission goes digital. The best way to submit assignments involves a thoughtful combination of proper preparation, adherence to submission guidelines, and utilization of digital tools.

In this context, it becomes imperative to explore the methods and practices that optimize the submission process, ensuring that students can present their work in a manner that is both seamless and in alignment with academic requirements. This introduction displays the best practices and considerations for submitting assignments, helping students to streamline their task submission.

Pre-Submission Checklist For Assignments

Before submitting a written assignment, it is essential to go through a comprehensive checklist to ensure the work is polished and meets the required standards. By following a systematic process, students can check the significant points before making the final submission. Our experts advise students to develop a checklist that includes everything, from research to writing and proofreading. Through this approach, students can confirm their assignments' accuracy, quality, and uniqueness. The strategy of making and following a checklist ensures students are submitting refined assignments without feeling stressed or anxious.

Submitting Assignments in Online Learning: A Simple Guide

Online learning offers flexibility and convenience, but it also requires you to navigate digital platforms effectively. Just like the classic scenario of forgetting your homework at school, it's possible to complete an assignment in an online course and forget to submit it. In this guide, we'll explore various methods for submitting your assignments to your instructors and offer valuable tips for completing any assignment.

1. Know Where Your File Is Stored

Before starting the submission process, ensure you know where your assignment file is located. Is it saved on your computer, in a cloud storage service like OneDrive, or within a Google Docs document? Knowing the file's location is crucial for a smooth submission process.

2. Uploading Assignments

Experts advise students to check thoroughly before uploading assignments finally. You can take USA Assignment Help from professionals to ensure your assignment is correct, unique, and follows the instructions. Then, see the dedicated uploading assignment feature provided by online learning platforms. The method of submission differs from sending an email attachment. It allows you to submit assignments in one designated place without needing your instructor's email address. Here's how to do it:

- Look for an "Add a File" or "Upload" button in your learning management system.

- Click this button and browse your computer to select the assignment file (remember to locate it beforehand).

- After identifying the file, click "Open". Once it opens, click "Submit."

- You should receive a confirmation message indicating that the file has been successfully uploaded.

3. Email Attachments

If your instructor doesn't use a dedicated assignment upload feature, they may ask you to send your work as an email attachment. This process is similar to attaching files in emails you send to friends or colleagues. Locate the "Attachment" icon (usually represented by a paperclip), browse for your file, and upload it. The steps for uploading remain universal, whether you're attaching a document to an email or a discussion board posting.

4. Submitting Discussion Posts

You'll often need to post your responses or start new discussions when participating in online discussions. The process is simple and precise:

- Click on the "Compose" button to start a new discussion.

- When responding to someone else's post, use the "Reply" button. Consider copying and pasting a relevant excerpt from the original post to quote the author.

- Always remember to click "Post" or "Submit" after composing your message to ensure it appears on the discussion board.

5. The Importance of the Submit Button

Online quizzes and tests come with a digital safeguard: the "Submit" button. Before turning in your work, ensure you've answered all the questions and reviewed your responses. Some systems offer variations of the "Submit" button, such as "Save without Submitting," "Submit Page," and "Submit All and Finish." These options prompt you to double-check your work.

6. General Tips for Submitting Assignments

No matter what type of assignment you're working on, consider the following tips for successful submission:

- Submit Early: Whenever possible, submit your assignments well before the deadline to account for potential technical issues. Avoid last-minute submissions.

- Have a Backup Plan: In case of technical failures or system crashes, send your assignment as an email attachment to your instructor with a polite note explaining the situation.

- Keep a Copy: Always retain copies of your work throughout the course. Compose your assignments in a word processor and copy-paste them into the online platform. This way, you have a backup in case of submission issues.

Following these simple steps and tips, you can confidently navigate online learning platforms and ensure your assignments are submitted accurately and on time.

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How To Write an Email For Submission Of Assignment

Welcome to this informative article that will guide you on how to write an effective email for the submission of your assignment. If you’re unsure about how to draft an email for submitting your assignment, this article is here to help you!

Table of Contents

What To Do Before Writing the Email

What to include in the email.

When composing your email for assignment submission, it’s important to include the following parts:

Subject Line

Choose a subject line that clearly indicates the purpose of your email. For example, “Assignment Submission – [Course Name]”. This helps the recipient identify the email’s content quickly.

Begin your email with a polite and professional greeting, such as “Dear Professor [Last Name],” or “Hi [Instructor’s Name],”. Use the appropriate salutation based on your relationship with the recipient.

Introduction

In the body of the email, mention any relevant details or specific instructions provided by your instructor. Clearly state that you are submitting your assignment and acknowledge the due date. If there are any additional comments or questions related to the assignment, include them here.

End your email with a courteous closing, such as “Thank you,” or “Best regards,” followed by your full name and contact information. This shows professionalism and makes it easy for the recipient to respond if necessary.

Email Template – Assignment Submission

Subject: Assignment Submission – [Course Name] Dear Professor/Instructor [Last Name], I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to submit my assignment for the [Course Name]. The assignment is attached in the required format. I have completed the assignment as per the given guidelines and it is ready for submission. The due date for the assignment is [Due Date]. If you have any further instructions or clarifications, please let me know. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Best regards, [Your Full Name] [Your Contact Information]

Brightspace Support

Assignment Submission Type Overview

Instructors have several submission type options when they create an assignment in the Assignment tool.  These types are File submission , Text submission , On paper submission , and Observed in person .  Below you will find definitions for these submission types so that you may better understand which type to select when creating your assignments.

File submission:   This submission type is the default when you create an assignment.  This type requires students to submit a document in order to complete the assignment.  If a student only types text into the comment box of the submission page and does not attach a document, Brightspace will not allow them to submit.

Text submission: This type of submission provides students with a text box to type a response.  Nothing else is required.

On paper submission: This type of submission allows instructors to receive student submissions in person (on paper) and still provide a grade through Brightspace.  Students are not able to submit anything to this type of assignment, but they can still receive feedback and a grade from the instructor.  The instructor also has the option of uploading the paper assignment back to the student when they provide their feedback and grade.

Observed in person: Similarly to the “On paper submission” type, this submission type does not allow students to submit anything through Brightspace.  If students make a presentation in class but are not submitting anything, this submission type would allow instructors to assign a grade and provide feedback through Brightspace.

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Assignment submission types in canvas.

Canvas lets you decide the way you want students to submit their assignments. You specify the submission type in the Submission Type box when you create the assignment. Assignment settings always remember and display the settings created or edited in the previous assignment in the course.

On This Page

No Submission

External tool.

Choose No Submission when you do not want students to submit an assignment in Canvas. You can use this assignment type to create extra columns in the Gradebook, or when you want to create an assignment that involves multiple scores.

Choose Online when you want students to submit their assignments in Canvas. When you use the online submission type, you can specify online entry options.

Text Entry : Students can submit their assignment directly in the Rich Content Editor .

Website URLs : Students can submit a URL that fulfills the assignment.

Media Recordings : Students can submit an audio or video recording that fulfills the assignment. They can either record new media or upload existing media.

File Uploads : Students can upload a file to fulfill the assignment. Note that if your institution has enbled Google Docs as a submission type, students can connect to Google Docs as a web service to submit an assignment as a Google Doc, Google Sheet, or Google Slide. However, these files will convert to their Microsoft counterpart file type—Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, respectively.

If you want to only allow certain types of files for assignment submissions, click the Restrict Upload File Types check box and manually enter a list of accepted extensions in the Allowed File Extensions box. In the case of an odd or unusual file type, try adding it to your course to confirm the file is accepted before requesting students to submit the file type.

Select On Paper when you want students to submit an assignment to you but not through Canvas. When you choose this assignment type, Canvas creates a column in the Gradebook for grading purposes. However, you must enter the grades manually.

Choose External Tool when you want students to submit their assignments using an external app (LTI) enabled for your course. You must enter a URL for the external tool.

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Create and Edit Assignments

You are viewing Original Course View content

Your institution controls which tools are available in the Original Course View . Assignments are always available to instructors in the Ultra Course View .

You can create assignments alongside other content.

With assignments, you can create coursework and manage the grades and feedback for each student separately. You can create assignments in content areas, learning modules, lesson plans, and folders.

When you create an assignment, a Grade Center column is created automatically. From the Grade Center or Needs Grading page, you can see who has submitted their work and start grading. Students access their grades from their My Grades pages or the assignment's Review Submission History page.

You can also create a group assignment and release it to one or more groups in your course. Each group submits one collaborative assignment and all members receive the same grade. You can create a single assignment and assign it to all groups, or create several unique assignments and assign them to individual groups.

More on group assignments

Create an assignment

You can create assignments in content areas, learning modules, lesson plans, and folders.

In the Blackboard mobile app, assignment instructions for Original courses show after students begin an attempt.

Drag files from your computer to the "hot spot" in the Attach Files area. If your browser allows, you can also drag a folder of files. The files will upload individually. If the browser doesn't allow you to submit your assignment after you upload a folder, select Do not attach in the folder's row to remove it. You can drag the files individually and submit again.

You won't be able to drag files to upload if your institution uses an older version of Blackboard Learn.

You can use the file name or provide another name for the file.

• Optionally, select a Due Date . Assignments with due dates automatically show in the course calendar and in the To Do module. Submissions are accepted after this date but are marked late. If you don’t want students to access an assignment after the due date, choose the appropriate display dates.

If you set the points possible to a non-whole number, letter grades may not be assigned correctly.

• Optionally, add a rubric . Expand the sections to make selections such as anonymous grading, how the grade is displayed, and the number of attempts. You can allow more than one attempt on an assignment.
• Make the assignment available when you're ready for students to access it. Select the appropriate options for availability, tracking, and display dates. Display dates don't affect an assignment's availability, only when it appears.
• Select Submit .

More on assignment grade settings

More on adding files in the editor

More on Course Files vs. the Content Collection

Video: Create an Assignment

Watch a video about creating an assignment.

The following narrated video provides a visual and auditory representation of some of the information included on this page. For a detailed description of what is portrayed in the video, open the video on YouTube , navigate to More actions , and select Open transcript .


Video: Create an assignment explains how to create an assignment.

Late assignments

When you assign a due date for an assignment, students can still submit attempts after the date passes. Submissions after the due date are marked late. If you penalize late submissions, inform students in the assignment instructions.

You can view the late label in these areas:

• Student's submission page in the grade panel
• Student's Grade Details page
• Needs Grading page

From the Grade Center, you can also view a list of all submissions with the Assignment File Download option in an assignment's menu. View who has submitted, submission dates, and the grading statuses. You can sort by date to easily see who submitted after the due date.

If you don’t want students to access an assignment after the due date, choose the appropriate display dates. Inform students that you won’t accept submissions after the due date and the assignment will no longer be available.

Students see the late label after they make a submission after the due date.

Student assignment submission confirmations

When students submit assignments successfully, the Review Submission History page appears with information about their submitted assignments and a success message with a confirmation number. Students can copy and save this number as proof of their submissions and evidence for academic disputes. For assignments with multiple attempts, students receive a different number for each submission. If your institution has enabled email notifications for submission receipts, students will also receive an email with a confirmation number and other details for each submission.

You and your students won't be able to view confirmation numbers if your institution uses Blackboard Learn 9.1 Q4 2016 or earlier. Student email notifications and student access to receipt history were introduced in Blackboard Learn 9.1 Q2 2017.

You and your administrators have a retrievable record in the system even if an attempt, assignment, or student is later deleted. These records are maintained in the course and also retrievable after the archive and restore process.

You can access all of your students' confirmation numbers from the Grade Center. Open the Reports menu and select Submission Receipts .

On the Submission Receipts page, you can view information for each assignment, such as who submitted and when. Group assignments are also logged and the Submitter column lists who submitted for the group. In the Submission column, view if a student submitted a file or wrote the submission in the assignment's editor.

Use the menus at the top of the page to filter the items. In the second menu, select Not blank and leave the search box empty to show all of the submission receipts. Select a column heading to sort the items.

Edit, reorder, and delete assignments

You can edit, reorder, and delete your assignments. Change the order of assignments with the drag-and-drop function or the keyboard accessible reordering tool. For example, reorder the assignments to keep the current one at the top.

From an assignment's menu, select on option:

• Move an assignment to another location in your course. When you move an assignment, it's removed from its original location. You can't copy an assignment.
• Edit an assignment. If you change the instructions, students who have already made submissions will see the new instructions only on subsequent attempts.
• Apply release criteria, tracking, metadata, and review status.

More on options you can apply

Delete assignments

You can delete an assignment from a course area and if no student submissions exist, the Grade Center column is also deleted.

When you delete an assignment that has student submissions, you also delete all the submissions. You have two options:

• Preserve the scores in the Grade Center, but delete the assignment and all submissions. Though the scores remain in the Grade Center, you can't access the students' submissions again. The action is irreversible.
• Delete the assignment, the Grade Center column, all assigned grades, and all submissions. The action is irreversible.

Alternatively, make the gradable item unavailable in your course to preserve the submissions and the scores in the Grade Center.

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What is the best way to submit your Assignment?

Submitting assignments plays a crucial role and is an essential part of the educational journey; it adds value to the pursuing course. Whether you are pursuing regular courses or online courses, before submitting the assignment, you must have proper knowledge and understanding of the best way to submit your assignment, guiding you to success. This blog will guide you through the key consideration and provide valuable steps that you must follow to ensure an efficient assignment submission.

What are assignments?

Assignments are the task provided by the university or college or any other discipline that mainly focuses on a specific topic (Storch and Tapper., 2000). Assignments help students to gather knowledge and develop research skills.

Why assignment is important for students

Assignments are an integral part of the educational journey and play a significant role in their overall learning and development. Submitting assignments demonstrates their understanding of the subject matter. Submitting assignments reflects their ability to understand the field of study and makes them responsible. When students work on assignments, they engage in extensive research, broadening their knowledge. This enhances their comprehension and enables them to develop a broader understanding of the assigned topic. This also cultivates some skills in them, such as time management, problem-solving skills, and analytical skills. And thus developing valuable organisational skills essential in academic and professional fields.

• Be careful about the guidelines: Once you are wrapped up with your assignment, dive into the submission process guidelines provided by your college, university, or any other discipline. Give more priority to the formatting type, word limit, citations, and other specific instructions. These are the basic points, but these are the most important points on which you must focus.
• Plan and organise properly: Effective planning is essential to give a proper shape to the assignment. Break your task among different chapters or sections that must focus on particular sections of the given topics. And then create a timeline to ensure you will stay within the deadline. Establishing a clear plan will help you to stay focused and reduce stress.
• Proofread and Editing: Once you finish the initial draft, take time to proofread and edit if required. Check for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. These two factors are the most important, which can reduce your marks.
• References: Ensure your assignment is properly cited using APA, MLA, and Harvard. Always give references for the last five-six years. References must be relevant, and proper referencing is essential for academic assignments; it helps the reader distinguish which theories are from secondary research and which are your own (Bailey., 2017). Referencing also helps to cite any contradictory ideas and opinions.
• Check for plagiarism: While writing an academic assignment, you must be careful about plagiarism. You must use reliable software e.g. Turnitin, to identify whether your crafted assignment is unique. Most students face plagiarism challenges, and they need to lose marks. So be careful with plagiarism before submitting your assignment.
• Use relevant sources: You must follow scholarly resources to craft your assignment and ensure these align with your assignment requirements. Your assignment should be sourced from current resources. And if your assignment involves any data, it should be taken from relevant sources.

Guidance for submitting assignments anonymously

Before submitting the file, make sure you go through the submission guidelines properly. Most of the students make a common mistake; they save their files with their name or roll no, but it may deduct their marks, or the extreme case would be the organisation may reject their paper. So don’t save your work by your name; the file name must be with the topic name with the module name or submission code. This varies depending on the guidelines of the assignment. You must ensure the entire document must not contain your name and your student’s id or roll no. You must submit your assignment through Turnitin and do not include your name.

Submitting Process through Turnitin

• First, you must log in to the NILE.
• Then from Turnitin, search for the module name or course name
• Click on the check box showing “Submit your work”
• And then, you need to browse the assignment name that you want to submit

With these four simple steps and you are done with the submission process.

• Bailey, S., 2017. Academic writing: A handbook for international students. Routledge.
• Storch, N. and Tapper, J., 2000. The focus of teachers and students concerns discipline-specific writing by university students. Higher Education Research & Development, 19(3), pp.337-355.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an assignment.

Assignments are tasks that may be practical or theoretical assignments that the students must complete within a stipulated time. Whether an individual is pursuing a short-term or long-term course, one must submit their assignment without failing to promote themselves in the next standard. Assignments are usually assigned by the professors or tutors.

Why are assignments important?

Assignments are an integral part of the educational journey and play a vital role in students’ academic careers. When students work on assignments, it reflects their understanding of the subject and develops a broad understanding of the given topic. This also enables them to manage time, stress and pressure. This is a life lesson for them as these three factors will also help them in their professional journey.

What is the best way to submit assignments?

There is no single solution to this question, but the most important thing you must consider before submitting your assignments is following the submission guidelines. You must be careful about plagiarism issues, proofread your documents, check your grammar score through Grammarly, and avoid saving your document with your name.

How do I submit my assignments through Turnitin?

To submit your file through Turnitin, you must log in to NILE, select your module from the list and click on “submit your work”, but before you click on the check box, you must check whether you have saved the file with your name or not and if you have done that change that with your students’ id or student roll no.

Author Bio: Mark Edmonds is a seasoned professional at Academic Assignments, specializing in providing top-notch assignment writing services to students. With a wealth of experience, he offers valuable insights and guidance on academic submissions, ensuring students excel in their studies—Trust Mark for expert assistance in achieving academic success.

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Submit to an assignment

Before getting started.

• To submit a paper to an assignment on Turnitin, the user must log in and upload a file to an existing assignment.
• Assignments in Turnitin cannot accept student submissions until the assignment start date and time has passed.
• Assignments may also reject submissions after the due date and time set by the instructor. 
• This action opens a pop-up window showing assignment preference information, including start and due dates/times as well as other assignment information or special instructions.

After the submission has completed, a digital receipt is displayed in your browser window. A copy is also sent via email. It is important to use a valid email address to receive this copy of the digital receipt. Save the receipt and the submission ID it contains, as this is proof of a completed submission. If the digital receipt is not shown on screen after submission, return to the class portfolio page and view the assignment to ensure the paper submission completed correctly. Submissions can be checked and viewed by clicking on the title of the paper under the title column to the right of the assignment name.

Log in to turnitin.com (or turnitinuk.com if you're in the UK).

Psst! See Logging in if you can't quite remember how to log in toTurnitin.

• Once you've logged in, you should see your homepage listing the classes you enrolled in .
• Click the name of the class where you'd like to upload a file. This will take you to your Class Homepage for that class.

Click the Submit button to the right of the assignment name. This will take you to the file submission page.

On the file submission page, make sure the phrase next to the Submit: heading says "Single File Upload." If it says "Cut and Paste Upload," use the dropdown menu (the down arrow) next to Submit: to switch to "Single File Upload." This will allow you to upload your file rather than using the Cut and paste file submission feature.

• Enter a title for the submission.
• Click the What can I submit? link to review the types of files and file sizes Turnitin can accept.
• the computer you're using OR
• Dropbox   OR
• Google Drive
• Click one of the submission buttons (computer, Dropbox , or Google Drive).
• Select the file you want to upload.
• Click the Upload button on the file submission page.
• Review the preview panel (and congratulate yourself on getting your paper done).
• Then, you must click the  Confirm button to officially upload the file to the assignment.

If you have multiple assignments due, do not submit from the same browser using separate tabs. This may cause a failed upload for one, some, or all of the assignments.

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