Part 1: Preparing for your assignment

For many tasks, preparation is key. Assignments are no different.

Taking steps to prepare for an assignment creates excellent foundations that can:

• Reduce your stress or anxiety
• Increase your confidence
• Help give you clarity on what you are going to do

Your assignment brief and understanding what you need to do

Preparing for an assignment starts with understanding what is being asked of you.

As soon as an assignment is released, read the brief carefully and more than once. Identify:

• The task type (for example, analyse, evaluate, reflect or discuss)
• The topic or focus
• The word count, format and submission date
• How the assignment is weighted within the module (what percentage of the module is it worth)

Assignment details are usually shared early in your module and are available in Moodle. Recording key dates helps you plan ahead and avoid last minute pressure.

To help you identify the type of tasks and actions needed for an assignment you can use Decoding the Question worksheet. This resource also helps you to identify the subject matter and content that will need to be covered too.

Key resources:

• SMART worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
• YSJ Week-by-Week Calendar Semester 1, 2026-27 (PDF, 0.7 MB)
• YSJ Study Planner Semester 1, 2026-27 (PDF, 30.7 KB)
• Decoding the Question worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)

View more on our Skills guides page

As you attend lectures, seminars and tutorials, think about how the content links to your assignment. Teaching sessions often provide guidance, examples or emphasis that help clarify expectations.

If anything in the brief is unclear, ask your tutor early. Understanding the task fully before you begin saves time and builds confidence.

Resources you can prepare and gather

Good preparation means gradually building up the resources you will need for your assignment.

Start your reading early. Your reading lists are one of your most important tools. Identify the essential texts for your module and begin reading during term rather than waiting until the assignment deadline approaches. When completing weekly readings, think about how ideas, theories or examples might relate to your assignment; some lecturers will give you questions to answer, ideas to reflect on, concepts to focus on. Where a key textbook has been recommended for use across a whole module rather than weekly readings, you won’t normally need to read the whole textbook – instead, you can identify chapters that are relevant to the topics studied on the module to guide your reading.

The Library provides ebooks for essential texts where possible and maintains print stock for others. However, popular items may not always be immediately available. Checking early and reserving books when needed ensures you have access when it matters most.

Make notes on your reading as you go. Early note taking creates a useful bank of material that you can return to later.

Key resources:

• Guide to Making Notes factsheet (docx, 0.6 MB)
• Active Reading Chart worksheet (docx, 71.6 KB)

View more on our Skills guides page

Keeping organised notes helps you avoid searching for information under pressure. Make a note of key points, useful examples, and where ideas come from so you can return to them later.

Attending teaching sessions, live or recorded, supports your learning and assignment preparation; your lecturers plan teaching so that it all leads to and supports your assignments, so they are a fantastic resource. Take notes as you would in an in person session, focusing on understanding rather than copying slides. After teaching sessions, review your notes and try summarising key ideas in your own words. Revisiting recorded sessions within a few days can help clarify anything you did not understand at first.

Pre session readings or tasks help prepare you for learning and highlight areas you may need to ask about. Follow up activities such as quizzes, forums or tasks are important for consolidating your understanding. This active learning from your taught sessions is important preparation for assignments.

Some students, particularly neurodivergent students, may have additional things to consider when preparing for learning. We have ideas to help.

Key resources: 

• Studying while neurodivergent

Studying with self kindness and wellbeing in mind

Preparing for assignments is not just about working harder, it is about working in ways that support your wellbeing.

Keep up gently and consistently

Learning is more effective when it is spread over time. Try to keep up with sessions weekly and catch up within a week if you miss something. Avoid binge watching recorded content, which can feel productive but is often less effective.

Breaking your work into manageable stages helps reduce overwhelm and makes progress feel achievable.

Ask for help and study with others

You are not expected to manage everything alone. Asking questions, joining discussions, or studying with others can help you check understanding and feel more connected. Tutors and support services are there to help, so reaching out early is a positive step.

Take regular breaks and set boundaries

Studying online or on a laptop for long periods can be tiring. Take regular breaks, move away from screens, and decide on a realistic cut off point for study each day.

Balancing study with rest helps you stay focused, motivated and kind to yourself during busy assessment periods.

Wellbeing support

We may all encounter a time when specialist mental health or emotional support can make a big difference. Studying can be one of those times, and our Wellbeing team can offer a different kind of support if you need it.

You can self-refer for mental health or wellbeing support, or use Spectrum.Life, our free confidential counselling and wellbeing support service which is available to all students. Spectrum.Life is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Spectrum.Life have a range of self-guided meditation sessions you can access any time including sessions to manage overwhelm, boost confidence, reducing stress, and building self-compassion.