From overwhelmed to on track: a simple guide to starting your assignment

It’s Week 4.

You’ve had your assignment instructions since Week 1. Suddenly the due date is two weeks away… and you still have no idea where to start.

Here are some simple steps to break the paralysis and get started.

Understand your assessment

Before you write anything, make sure you know exactly what you’re being asked to do.

Start by checking your course profile. Look for:

assignment type (for example, essay, literature review, report)
required length or word count
submission format.

Next, read the marking criteria. This tells you what your marker is looking for.

Highlight the directive words such as analyse, compare, discuss, examine and evaluate. These verbs tell you how to approach the task.

Break down your topic

Find the main ideas or concepts in your topic. For each one, brainstorm:

synonyms
related terms
different spellings
broader or narrower terms.

Use a thesaurus or dictionary to help identify these.

Try organising search terms in a table to help structure your thinking.

Find scholarly information

Create your search strategy by using Boolean operators to build a strong search:

OR for similar ideas → contamination OR pollution
AND to combine different concepts → microplastics AND ingestion

Then start searching. Use:

Library catalogue
databases recommended in your course
Google Scholar.

As you read and learn more about your topic, refine your search by adding, removing or adjusting keywords.

Evaluate and think critically

It’s important to evaluate the information you gather and think critically.

A quick way to evaluate a source is to check:

currency – how recent is it?
relevance – does it actually address your topic?
authority – is the author an expert?
accuracy – is it supported by evidence?
purpose – why was it written?

Thinking critically doesn’t just mean being critical. It involves:

synthesising ideas
questioning evidence
reflecting on assumptions
applying ideas to different contexts.

As you read, use these questions to guide you:

What is the author arguing?
What evidence supports it?
What are the limitations?

Start writing

Begin with something small, such as a few dot points, a rough outline or a short paragraph about what you have learned so far. It does not need to be perfect. You are just getting ideas out.

You will build this into more formal academic writing later.

Keep track of your sources as you go, and use the referencing style required for your assignment. Consult our referencing guides so you can format your citations correctly.

Stay motivated

Assignments feel less overwhelming when you:

break the work into small tasks
set a 25‑minute timer (Pomodoro method)
work in a distraction‑free spot
reward yourself after completing a small milestone
start early with a short daily session rather than a marathon later.

Need help? We’re here.

If you’re stuck, confused or just unsure where to begin, contact the Library.