This document provides guidance on writing an assignment, including preparation, structure, and formatting. It recommends the following steps:
1. Prepare by looking at the assignment questions to understand what is required, mind mapping points, and making a plan for arguments and their order.
2. The introduction should set the scene and outline main points.
3. The middle should develop each point with evidence from sources cited using the PEE method of introducing a point, providing evidence, and explaining its importance.
4. The conclusion should summarize the points without introducing new ideas and end with a final statement.
It also provides tips on research, formatting, word counts, asking for help, and using Harvard referencing
2. Preparation
• Look at the questions of the topic what sort of answer should you
give?
Top Tip
• You may find it useful to mind map this to ensure you will make all
the points in which you wish to make.
• Look at the points that have to be covered
• Make a plan to guide your assignment. How will you order your
arguments.
• Which are most important?
• How will the overall argument develop?
3. Introduction
• One paragraph
• Set the scene outline the main points in which you will be making.
• Keep to the point.
• Take your time.
4. Middle
• Develop each point remember to ‘PEE’ Introduce your point support
with evidence (use a quote)
• For example
• Chomsky (1959) cited in Zimbardo (1992) states that____ (pg_).
• Give an explanation why is this point important.
• Ensue you use factual information.
• Keep your answer relevant to the question on the assignment task.
Remember to split each point into paragraphs, No bullet Points!!
5. Conclusion
• One Paragraph
• This is similar to your introduction summarise points you have made
end with a final statement, Think have you learned something from
placement that can back up your final point?
• Never introduce a new point as part of your conclusion.
6. Top Tips
• Keep a note of books, magazine articles and web addresses, web addresses
will need a record of date and time these are accessed.
• Avoid slang and abbreviations!
• Proof read your work before submitting to oracle. You may want to ask a
family member or learning services to do this for you!
• Never rush your assignment! Keep to assignment deadlines try to keep up
to date with criteria that has been taught each week.
• Suggested word count 250/300 for a D grade, 350/400 for a C grade,
• 450/500 for a B grade AND 550/600 FOR AN A AND A*
• Please ask myself or Sharon for help!!
• Fridays would be a good day to have a study day!
7. Harvard referencing
•Bibliography
•Sources that you have quoted/summarised from
can only be included in this list.
•Authors should be listed alphabetically.
•Your sources should be written as follows with
the date in brackets and title in italics.
8. • Single Author
• Author surname, intial (year) Title, city where
published, publisher’s name.
• Example
• Agar, M (1973) Ripping and Running, New York,
Seminar Press.
• Multiple Author
• Authors last names and initials in the order on
the book separated by commas. (year) Title, city
where published, Publisher’s name.
9. • Example
• Usher, R, and Bryant, I (1989) Adult
Education, London, Routledge.
10. Not acceptable as reference
• Silky steps
• Wikipedia
• When using this site below
• https://www.simplypsychology.org/pavlov.html
• Be careful some sites have multiple authors!
• Make sure you reference who wrote the
article and when e.g. Saul McLeod Pub 2007
Updated 2013
