Breaking Down Long Term Assignments

The Process of breaking down long-term assignments into smaller units helps your left and right brain work together to organize specific steps that result in a complete project. Auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners will benefit greatly by talking aloud while writing and reviewing the specific steps as needed. Help lower your stress level and raise your success level by following these steps:

  1. Use the correct color of pen for each subject throughout this process.
  2. Write in the date the assignment was given.
  3. Write in the assignment is due by using “Report Really Due.” Then in the day before write, “Report Due” which is really the Final Draft: Second Edit. Always give yourself one extra day to correct anything that may go wrong at the last minute. Plus, you can actually enjoy one extra day to relax and not panic.
  4. Count the number of days between the assignment date and your “Report Due” date; divide that number into fourths, halves and three-fourths.
  5. Next write three steps that should be completed for each date.
  6. Work backwards from the “Report Due” date to schedule 24 hours of not working on the assignment. Schedule a “Final Draft: First Edit” and a “Final Draft: Second Edit.”
  7. Post a copy of the calendar in a place it will be seen every day as a reminder.
  8. Stick to your schedule!

For written assignments

Always leave 24 hours between the time you finish your final edited draft and your final read-through before turning it in. this allows your brain to refocus on other things so upon rereading the final draft you will catch mistakes that were not apparent on previous editing.

For reading assignments

Break down the reading by writing specific pages to be read each day (Mon. pp. 1-15, Tues. pp 16-30 etc.) Remember to leave enough days to write your report.

Taken from Frender, G. (2004). Learning to learn. Nashville, TN: Incentive Publications