21 Creating an Assignment Plan

Now that you have a clear idea of what you need to do, the next step is to break down the assignment into manageable “chunks.” The idea of completing a major scholarly paper may seem overwhelming, but if you can divide the task into achievable steps, you will be on your way to success.

Use the following chart to break your assignment into smaller steps. You will want to create steps that can be done easily in one day, and preferably in a single work period. Consider the following example breakdown for a scholarly paper.

In the preceding example, the assignment is divided into smaller pieces, with a manageable amount to complete each day. It is also clear when each task has been completed. A daily work goal like “work on scholarly paper” is not well defined and can seem overwhelming. This can make it easy to procrastinate. By choosing specific and achievable goals, you may become more motivated to get started, and you will be able to measure your progress each day. Remember to reward yourself for meeting your goals along the way.