Voting for TSRs Ultimate Study Playlist is NOW OPEN >>

Assignment writing

How long does it take for you to finish an assignment for undergraduate?

How many weeks, days…

Hi there,

It really depends on the word count and topic of the assignment.

I believe a 2K essay can be written in a day, especially if the research you have to complete is easy and enjoyable.

However, anything with a bigger word count and more extensive research should take over 2 days. Even up to a week.

If you feel like you're struggling to meet the word count, make sure to add quotes and citations from your references.

And ask yourself are the assignments interesting? If you look at the essay question, do you think it will require a lot of critical thinking or research to find supporting arguments?

In the end it all depends on your time management.

I hope I managed to help!

Best of luck,
Melanie
LSBU Rep

Reply 2

gjd800

A couple of months ago I researched, read for, and wrote two 3500 word masters level papers in 5 days (and hit distinctions for both). This was for a course in work.

It's a skill and with practice it gets really easy to do quickly. I recommend that undergrads write a lot for this reason. At undergrad you should really be balancing coursework to run concurrently over about 2 - 3 weeks to give yourself the best chance, and to do it without burning out.

Adding quotes to bump up a word count is a padding strategy that can lose you marks, so be careful doing that. Some courses are more forgiving than others with it. In philosophy we'd just put a line through it.

Reply 3

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by susan_ogundiran7

How long does it take for you to finish an assignment for undergraduate?

How many weeks, days…

Hi @susan_ogundiran7 ,

It definitely depends on the assignment and the word count. I would say that I can do around 1,500 in a day if I have done the research but this includes breaks too. It also depends on if you have done research and reading already, because if you still need to do this I would say to definitely allow a few days as finding the right information can take time.

It's better to start the assignment a couple of weeks if you can, so that you can spend a bit of time on it each day and then you have time to review it. I like to try and start mine 2 weeks in advance of the deadline so I can properly do the research and reading and also have time to go over my work and make corrections.

Allow yourself time because when you rush at the last minute it isn't always your best work.

I hope this helps!
Lucy-SHU student ambassador

Reply 4

UCLan Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by susan_ogundiran7

How long does it take for you to finish an assignment for undergraduate?

How many weeks, days…

Hi @susan_ogundiran7,

Best of luck with your first assignment!

Personally, I get stressed leaving assignments until the very last minute, therefore I give myself ample time.

If the essay is approximately 2500 words, it takes me a day to collect all the research (I would create a word document with all the sources or use a referencing software) and then I split the essay into different paragraphs and complete each section. It can take me approximately 12 hours of work to do the writing bit.

I would say give yourself plenty of time until you find your rhythm!

Best of luck,
Haya

Reply 5

University of Kent

Official Rep

Original post by susan_ogundiran7

How long does it take for you to finish an assignment for undergraduate?

How many weeks, days…

Hi there

I would echo the comments above: it really depends on what the essay is, how many words, and what types of content it relates to.

For myself, I find starting a bit earlier, maybe 2 weeks in advance gives me time to properly research, draft, proof read, and check. It is easier to do your essay over a longer period of time, allowing breaks and time to work on other things is important to prevent burn out.

Chloe
University of Kent Student Rep

Reply 6

Chester Student

Official Rep

Original post by susan_ogundiran7

How long does it take for you to finish an assignment for undergraduate?

How many weeks, days…

Hi @susan_ogundiran7,

As it has been said, it really depends on the content, the word count, and the research you'll need to do.

While you can definitely complete a 1000-2000 word essay in a day, I always like to give myself time to take enough breaks and make sure I complete it to a high standard. If it requires research and reading, it will take longer. I usually create the plan for my assignments 1-2 weeks in advance. This way, I'm not rushing to finish it before the deadline and I feel like I can take breaks when I need to.

It does get easier over time as you figure out what works the best for you, but I'd always recommend giving yourself enough time to have it completed a few days before the deadline.

I hope this helps!

Isabella
Third-year Geography with a Year Abroad Student

Reply 7

University of Sunderland Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by susan_ogundiran7

How long does it take for you to finish an assignment for undergraduate?

How many weeks, days…

Hi there,

I would say it really depends on 2 things, the person, and the assignment.
Some people will finish written assignments really quickly whereas others might find it more difficult. Some times the research can take longer than the actual writing of the assignment so I think it's important to get as much of that done as possible before you start writing. This will help you to be able to write quicker.

I really hope this helps,

Ellen
Y4 Medical Student
Uni of Sunderland

Reply 8

Popsiclez

It depends on your writing stamina, expertise and if the subject matter can sustain your interest for an extended period of time. I've just finished a 1.9k word report that I started just over 24 hours ago and 24 hours before that I had finished writing a 3k word report which I spent 72 hours writing from scratch. The latter is much better than the former because of the aforementioned factors and extra time spent working on it.

I'm in final year and I can write around a 1.8k to 2k word essay if I HAD to last minute, but the quality would be subpar and it wouldn't flow as seamlessly. If you don't have a strong stamina when it comes to writing I wouldn't leave your essays until the last minute especially if it's content rich. IME 500-1k words a day is a good ballpark for writing a good essay without burnout.

(edited 4 months ago)

Reply 9

BTina

As a timed assignment for one of my modules, I had to do 2 x 2,000-word essays in 48 hours. They were based on lectures and recommended reading, so I had 50% of the research done beforehand. The first one was fairly ok and quite fun but the second essay was a lot harder with no break. It was good to know I could do it but I prefer spreading an essay over the week.