by The Open University
Available in 34 free installments
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First you need to know how much time you have available for your assignment. The pacing of your studies comes outside the scope of this unit, but it can be very de-motivating when you no longer feel in control of your studies because ? for whatever reason ? you have fallen behind. So it is extremely important to meet the deadlines set by the course team in your course calendar whenever possible.
Look ahead to the submission date of your next assignment. How much time can you allow yourself to go through all the stages? Take account of your known personal commitments and how much time you think that they will involve. Do you know much about the topic or will it require a great deal of extra work? How long does it usually take you to write down your thoughts? Try to set aside blocks of time in your study calendar or diary.
You need to be both realistic and flexible. Almost certainly you won't have the amount of time you would ideally like, and it's also possible that something will happen at work or home which will affect your timetable. However, having blocked out the time in your study calendar or diary, see how far you can stick to it. If you find that you need more time for certain stages, then have another go for the next assignment, allowing the extra time in order to make it more workable.
Of course, there are lots of different patterns of working: some students can only work to deadlines at the very last minute; while others prefer to work in shorter snatches over longer periods. The main problem with the former is that you may have to skip over some of the points we are now discussing, which could be counter-productive.
Waiting until the last minute may be because you are afraid to begin. If this applies to you ? as it will to many others ? you might find it helpful to pause here and consider why you feel this way.
Spend a few minutes answering the question: Why do I always seem to look for excuses to delay beginning work on my assignment?
Is it because you are frightened by the prospect of starting? Perhaps you have looked at the title and felt that you just don't understand what is wanted. You have some ideas but don't know how to put them together. Maybe you just don't want to do it; it seems a daunting task. Or is it because you need to develop your reading or note taking skills? Try reflecting on your own experience. Then you will be in a better position to help yourself, if procrastination is a problem. You can ask yourself, ?What am I going to do about this?? What help do I need?? We hope this unit will provide some of that help.
We can almost hear you saying that you never have enough time for your assignments, whatever your approach, and we empathise with this view. This may be even more of a problem if English is not your first language. It is well known that time constraints are a barrier in distance learning, and you may well have to be satisfied with doing what is good enough, whatever your circumstances. Your aim should not be to submit the ?perfect? assignment (even if there were such a thing). Look again at the discussion of the purpose of an essay in Activity 4. Your aim should be to do the best you can in the circumstances, to learn from the experience and benefit from your tutor's comments so that you can improve for the next time.
At what stage do you look at the title of your next assignment?
