Steps to Successful Assignment Completion by Elize du Toit
The Library recognised that students need to make a connection between academic assignment success and the Library. Therefore the Teaching and Learning Librarian, Dr Elize du Toit approached Mr Hervé Mitoumba-Tindy, responsible for Professional Support for Language and Literacy at UJ’s Writing Centre to develop a map that students can use to assist them with their assignment writing. The map is divided into the different steps in the writing process; starting with receiving the assignment instructions and finishing with the submission of the assignment.
Each step of this map explains to the student what the students can expect from that specific stage in the assignment writing process and how the Writing Centre and the Library can assist the student to complete their academic assignments successfully.?In this way, the student links the library and the Writing Centre to their assignment writing journey. Mr Mitoumba-Tindy provided guidance from the Writing Centre’s involvement and Dr du Toit provided guidance from the Library’s involvement.?Often students attempt to complete assignments on their own, leaving them disappointed with the assignment outcomes, such as not knowing where and how to find relevant information, committing unintentional plagiarism and submitting low standard work.
With this map, we wanted to create awareness that students do not need to go through the assignment writing process alone, but together as a resource, the Writing Centre and the Library have all the means, capabilities and resources to assist students in this journey.?