So, you have an assignment coming up, but don’t know where to start? Well look no further, we’ve got you covered!
Firstly, check your unit guide for any information listed there by your unit coordinator, there should be an outline of what the assignment consists of and the expectation of your work. If you’re still unsure, try and have a chat or email your tutor for clarification!
If you’re stuck on how to get the ball rolling, a good place to start is with research, to gather your articles! Even if you don’t have a super solid idea for your assignment yet, just by researching different key words you’ll be able to see what research is out there, which will most likely lead you to your great idea / topic! You can start broad and then narrow your search down as you start to find the direction you want to go. It never hurts to have an article ready that you don’t end up using (as opposed to needing an article last minute and struggling to find one!).
And while you’re searching, to save the heartache of finding an article only to realise it isn’t peer reviewed ( ☹ ), on the Murdoch library search page, make sure you select the ‘Peer reviewed’ filter on the left of the page to ensure all results will be usable. You’re welcome!
When researching for articles, try using Boolean Operators to streamline your searches! This table below outlines the different ways you can use Boolean Operators to your advantage when searching online. The Murdoch library database, and Google Scholar are great places to start searching on!
If you’re trying to gauge if an article is relevant for your assignment, try this trick.
If you are writing an essay, read the abstract (if there is one, if not then read the introduction) and conclusion of the article as these sections will contain an overview of what’s in the entire article! If what you need isn’t in there, then the article probably won’t be much help and you can move onto the next one!
If you are writing a lab report, and are looking at other studies, read the abstract and the discussion to see if it is relevant to your report. The abstract is an overview of the entire study, and the discussion talks about what the results mean (along with all the other goodies)! Happy reading!
Now, if you’re still stuck on your assignment – maybe you’ve hit a wall and need some fresh eyes, or perhaps it’s your first time writing a lab report – have a look at these resources available to you as a Murdoch student!
Online Resources via LMS
On LMS, when you enter a unit, have a look (most likely at the top of the unit page) to see if there is a discussion forum available, where you can ask questions on assignments & view other students questions (and tutor responses!). Maybe someone has already asked the perfect question to get you started!
Another handy feature on LMS, is the ‘Study Success Toolkit‘ that is accessible through your unit dashboard. Find it on the main page (listed like a unit) or in the side menu accessible through the 3 lines at the top of LMS (next to where it says dashboard as shown below).
And this is what the Study Success Toolkit should look like when you open it, so go on ahead and check it out – there are so many handy resources inside!
If you’ve written a draft of your assignment and are wanting to get some feedback on it but don’t know where to look – did you know as a Murdoch student, you have access to Studiosity?!
Studiosity is an online platform that can review and give feedback on your work, accessible through LMS in the Extra Resources section on each unit site! You are allowed 20 submissions each year (10 per half year), where you submit your assignment to a specialist to review your work, who then gives you feedback on what to work on! When uploading your work, you can select the assignment type, e.g., essay, lab report, and what you are wanting help on, whether that be your structure, grammar, writing style or fluency – studiosity will be able to help. Please keep in mind that the feedback from studiosity is only a suggestion, and that your tutor may mark differently. If you do have any major questions about the assignment, it is best to contact your tutor.
Studiosity is very popular and tries to have a quick turnaround. However, there can be busy periods so try not to leave your submission to Studiosity to the last minute, as sometimes there can be a wait time to receive feedback. You want to be able to receive your feedback and have time to edit it, before finally submitting it on LMS! Studiosity also offers a live chat function where you can connect with a subject specialist to ask any questions you need help with!
Online Resources
If referencing by hand is not your thing, you are in luck! As a Murdoch University student, you have free access to ‘Endnote‘, an online referencing management software, allowing you to build a library of references and insert citations as you write! If this sounds good to you, check out the link below to find out more about Endnote, as well as where to download it for free!
As amazing as it is to have help from software, always check your references in case you need to make any adjustments!
If you prefer to write your referencing by hand, but haven’t quite wrapped your head around it yet, then the Murdoch Library online referencing guide will be your friend! Select the referencing type you need and explore the different examples and breakdowns of both intext citations and reference list examples.
This guide stayed permanently open during my 1st year of uni at Murdoch to help me with my assignments!
On Campus Resources
If you’re still having a hard time with referencing, every Thursday from 12 – 2pm in the Geoffrey Bolton Library (South Street Campus), Ask a Librarian is held! If you need help understanding referencing, how to use the library databases, or even developing a search strategy for the Murdoch library database – head on down to the library foyer and ask away between 12 & 2pm each Thursday! Murdoch’s lovely librarians will be able to help you out!
Peer Academic Coaches (PAC) are a great resource to check out, where you can spend 20 minutes one on one with a PAC to help you with:
- Academic skills (reading, writing, planning, maths, stats and time-management)
- Planning an assignment (e.g., essay, report, etc.)
- Referencing
- Understanding academic integrity and discourse
- Discipline-based skills and questions
Peer Academic Coaches (PAC) are in 3 different areas on Murdoch’s South Street campus, and once on our Mandurah Campus.
- Library 350.3.001 (Library foyer)
- West 453.1.001 (Red Sea Container)
- East 247.1.001 (Red Sea Container)
- Mandurah 100.1 (Near reception)
Each location has PAC’s that specialise in different degrees, so you can choose to visit a PAC who specialises in the same discipline as you for any super specific questions!
By clicking the link here, you will be able to view the timetable for each PAC location, Monday through to Friday in teaching weeks.
If you are in your 1st year of study at Murdoch, you may be able to attend a Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) for your unit!
PASS classes are offered for first year units that are considered challenging and are a wonderful way to study with your peers. Through PASS, not only do you work through the content, but there is also opportunity to work on, or even simply start your assignment to make sure you’re on the right track!
Click the link here to check if a PASS class if offered for any of your first-year units!
Check in with your classmates to see how they’re going with the assignment. Sometimes having someone explain something to you (differently to how you’ve been trying to understand it) can make all the difference, and suddenly that essay question makes so much sense!
Check out the notice boards on campus for any workshops that Murdoch uni, or student ran societies might be running! Often there will be referencing workshops, or even group study sessions (which are great for keeping yourself accountable as you all work on your own things!). So, keep your eyes peeled for fliers in notice boards around campus, and on the digital screens in the library on level 2!
Goodluck with your assignments!
