how to make up assignments

MISSED exam/assignment & need makeup (PROF advice)

GUIDE to talking to your professor about missing an assignment or exam

As a former professor, with over a decade of experience, I am going to share with you exactly what I would have wanted to hear from my students when they missed an exam or assignment.

And it’s probably not what you would think either.

Then I will let you know how often I would let students makeup a missing assignment or exam so you get a better understanding of your chances.

Finally, I will give you an email template of what to say to your professor when you miss an assignment or exam to help get you a second chance to complete it.

What does it mean to makeup an exam or assignment?

If a student wants to makeup an exam or assignment, this means that the student missed the exam or failed to turn in the assignment. And the student received a zero because they were not present to complete it or failed to turn it in before the deadline.

The professor would give the student an opportunity to complete the exam or assignment and turn it in after the deadline. The grade would replace the missing grade you have because you couldn’t take the exam or didn’t complete the assignment.

It is important to understand the difference between a makeup exam and retaking an exam because these are treated differently by your professors. While some professors may allow a makeup exam, they might not allow students to retake exams.

What is an excuse to makeup an exam or assignment?

If a student wants to makeup an exam or assignment, they want another chance to take it and earn a grade for the assignment. There are some excuses for missing an exam or assignment but it will vary based on the institution and the professor. Some of the excuses to MAKEUP a missed exam or assignment include :

Documented medical issues

Hospitalization

Student related activity

Religious holy days

Funeral of immediate relative

Military duty

Disability accommodations

Internet connection or technical issue (if online)

While I listed some reasons why your professor may allow you to makeup an exam or assignment, I will now tell you some reasons why your professor might NOT allow you to complete a makeup exam or assignment. Keep in mind that your professor may still allow you to complete it late regardless of your excuse.

Some of those reasons may include :

Forgot about it

Studied for another class

Busy with work

Car trouble

Wasn’t prepared

From reviewing the excuses above, you can tell that some of them are more important than others. For example, if you have a valid and documented reason to miss an assignment, then your professor is more likely to allow a makeup opportunity compared to excuses about your unprepardness.

And if you contacted them BEFORE you missed the assignment, you may get to make it up compared to students who reach out to their professors days or even weeks after the missed assignment or exam.

But if you were just unprepared and didn’t take the class seriously, they probably won’t give you another chance to do the assignment late.

One question you should ask yourself is if you didn’t complete the assignment because you were unprepared or unorganized, you may not be entitled to makeup the assignment. But if something traumatic or unavoidable happened, you may get to make it up.

Can you makeup an exam or assignment in college?

College students may be able to makeup an exam or assignment if their professor allows students to have a second chance. It will depend on the student’s excuse and if they have documentation. It will also depend on the professor’s policy.

Some professors are much more lenient when it comes to makeup assignments, while others have strict policies and won’t budge.

Usually there isn’t a university wide policy regarding missed assignments so your professor has a lot of discretion . Professors usually have the ability to let students makeup assignments. While it is not a guarantee, it is something that happens in college.

You won’t know if you can makeup the assignment if you don’t ask. And there is no harm in asking.

As a former professor, I allowed my students an opportunity to makeup an exam or assignment about 10% of the time. This would depend on my particular late policy I had that semester and the student’s excuse.

One time, there was a natural disaster and students couldn’t get online because the internet was completely down. The students really needed to access their online textbook to study. So, those students who were effected by the natural disaster were given an opportunity to complete it late.

Should you ask your professor to makeup an exam or assignment?

If you have a valid excuse, and talk to your professor early, you should ask your professor if you can makeup an assignment to replace the zero you received.

However, I think that anyone who cares about their course grade should ask their professor for a makeup opportunity. Because this zero will effect your overall grade and you never know what your professor will say.

They might allow you to make it up and you wouldn’t know because you didn’t ask. So, regardless if you have a decent excuse, you should still ask because you might be surprised by their answer.

If they say no, oh well. Nothing is lost. But if they say yes, you have a lot to gain by the second chance you’ve been given.

How to talk to your professor about missing an exam or assignment?

Do it quickly.

Go in person.

Explain your circumstances.

Bring documentation.

You don’t want to wait and talk to your professor about making up an assignment weeks after it was due. After so much time has passed, your professor isn’t going to let you complete it late.

However, if you go soon after the assignment was due or the exam date passed, your professor is more likely to give you have a second chance.

I want to mention that you aren’t required to provide medical documentation to your professor , at least not directly. I wouldn’t want to share my personal medical information with my professor. Now, if it’s just a doctor’s note excusing you from the class, that’s one thing, but if it’s your hospital discharge papers, that’s too personal.

If you have this documentation, you might need to talk to someone in the accommodation’s office to see if you can get some reasonable accommodations for your medical issues.

Just let your professor know that you are working on this process to keep them in the loop. I guess this process could be different depending on what country you live in and if you are at a private or public university.

You may want to try and get an EXTENSION on your assignment r ather than missing it and making it up. So, if you see a deadline for an assignment, and you are worried you cannot complete it, you should talk to your professor about getting an extension first.

But if you already missed the exam or assignment, that won’t help you. I will tell you what I wish my students would have said to me when they missed an assignment.

BEFORE you ask for a second chance, please review your professor’s syllabus. Sometimes students would email me about a missed assignment, but I had to explain to them that they could still complete it late for a penalty. They would have known that if they read the syllabus before sending me an email.

I think it’s important to look at your syllabus first because you might be able to turn it in or complete it late RIGHT NOW. And if you take the time to email your professor, it will cause delay. You may miss a deadline for a second chance because you are waiting on an email from your professor.

So, it’s really important to understand what your professor’s policies are in regards to late assignments or missed exams.

What to tell your professor when you miss an assignment

If you miss an exam or assignment in college, you need to talk to your professor immediately. Explain why you missed it. If you have documentation, provide it.

And then tell them that you want the opportunity to complete it late.

You can let them know you would even be willing to complete it for a late penalty.

I need to tell you that you should be honest in your communication to your professor. I don’t want you to simply copy and paste my example, but edit it to fit your needs. I am just sharing with you an example of what I would have liked to hear from my former students.

You should tell your professor the TRUTH when you are asking to makeup something in their course .

Email template to professor for missed exam

Here is an example of what I would have loved to have heard from my students when they missed an assignment.

Dear Professor, I missed our last exam because I was attending my grandfather’s funeral. I have a link to his obituary at the bottom of this email for verification. I was spending time with my family and grieving the loss of my closest grandfather when I missed our latest exam. The funeral was in another state so I had travel arrangements too. I would have sent an email earlier but I was in a frenzy. I would love the opportunity to complete the exam. If I don’t get to complete this exam, I worry that the zero I received will really hurt my overall grade in this course and this does not reflect my knowledge of the subject. By completing the exam, I will be learning the material better by studying. And the exam grade will let me know if I am on track and I can see my progress in the course. While I am concerned about the zero I received, I am more concerned about missing the opportunity to monitor my progress in this course to understand if I am missing important concepts. When I study for the exam, I will learn more of the class material. This will help me in the future. I am willing to take the exam at the most convenient time for you and with a penalty, if necessary. I would also be willing to take a modified version of the exam, if necessary. Thank you.

Look, you are really trying to let them know that the missing assignment is only half of your concern but your biggest concern is how missing the exam hurts your progress in the course.

Think about it for a second. If you don’t study and prepare for the exam, that is valuable information your will never learn. And if you want to complete an assignment late, the feedback that you get from your professor is critical to your college education.

How can you tell how well you are doing in the class if you don’t get to complete the assignments? Your professor will be glad that you are worried about this more than a grade.

But remember, if you don’t really care either way, you shouldn’t pretend. Just tell them the truth. This is just what I would have wanted to hear.

Can you makeup a final exam in college?

Since college final exams are at the end of the semester, students won’t typically be allowed an opportunity to makeup a final exam.

When I was a professor, we had to enter grades within a day or two after the final exam. This means that there was not an opportunity to allow students a chance to makeup the exam. There wouldn’t be enough time for them to take it before the college wanted grades submitted to them.

So, while you can ask if you can makeup a final exam, just know that there may be little your professor can do if they already submitted grades. Plus, a lot of professors may not even be on campus after the final exam so they won’t have the ability to let you make it up anyway.

What to do if you miss an exam or assignment in college?

If you miss an exam or assignment in college, you need to talk to your professor immediately. I recommend going to your professor in person because it makes it more personable. Let them know your circumstances, and ask them if you can makeup the assignment.

You should be prepared for them to say no. If they say no, and you are not given a second chance, you should ask them how your overall grade will be effected.

Sometimes a zero for an assignment could cause you to fail the class or make a really bad grade. You might be better off withdrawing from the course, if necessary. And if you are failing because of this grade , you should talk to your professor about failing instead.

This is something that your professor can answer for you. I wouldn’t do anything until you talk to your professor.

You will need to get back on track in the course to make up for this zero if you have a chance to pass.

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How to write the best college assignments.

By Lois Weldon

When it comes to writing assignments, it is difficult to find a conceptualized guide with clear and simple tips that are easy to follow. That’s exactly what this guide will provide: few simple tips on how to write great assignments, right when you need them. Some of these points will probably be familiar to you, but there is no harm in being reminded of the most important things before you start writing the assignments, which are usually determining on your credits.

The most important aspects: Outline and Introduction

Preparation is the key to success, especially when it comes to academic assignments. It is recommended to always write an outline before you start writing the actual assignment. The outline should include the main points of discussion, which will keep you focused throughout the work and will make your key points clearly defined. Outlining the assignment will save you a lot of time because it will organize your thoughts and make your literature searches much easier. The outline will also help you to create different sections and divide up the word count between them, which will make the assignment more organized.

The introduction is the next important part you should focus on. This is the part that defines the quality of your assignment in the eyes of the reader. The introduction must include a brief background on the main points of discussion, the purpose of developing such work and clear indications on how the assignment is being organized. Keep this part brief, within one or two paragraphs.

This is an example of including the above mentioned points into the introduction of an assignment that elaborates the topic of obesity reaching proportions:

Background : The twenty first century is characterized by many public health challenges, among which obesity takes a major part. The increasing prevalence of obesity is creating an alarming situation in both developed and developing regions of the world.

Structure and aim : This assignment will elaborate and discuss the specific pattern of obesity epidemic development, as well as its epidemiology. Debt, trade and globalization will also be analyzed as factors that led to escalation of the problem. Moreover, the assignment will discuss the governmental interventions that make efforts to address this issue.

Practical tips on assignment writing

Here are some practical tips that will keep your work focused and effective:

–         Critical thinking – Academic writing has to be characterized by critical thinking, not only to provide the work with the needed level, but also because it takes part in the final mark.

–         Continuity of ideas – When you get to the middle of assignment, things can get confusing. You have to make sure that the ideas are flowing continuously within and between paragraphs, so the reader will be enabled to follow the argument easily. Dividing the work in different paragraphs is very important for this purpose.

–         Usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ – According to the academic writing standards, the assignments should be written in an impersonal language, which means that the usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ should be avoided. The only acceptable way of building your arguments is by using opinions and evidence from authoritative sources.

–         Referencing – this part of the assignment is extremely important and it takes a big part in the final mark. Make sure to use either Vancouver or Harvard referencing systems, and use the same system in the bibliography and while citing work of other sources within the text.  

–         Usage of examples – A clear understanding on your assignment’s topic should be provided by comparing different sources and identifying their strengths and weaknesses in an objective manner. This is the part where you should show how the knowledge can be applied into practice.

–         Numbering and bullets – Instead of using numbering and bullets, the academic writing style prefers the usage of paragraphs.

–         Including figures and tables – The figures and tables are an effective way of conveying information to the reader in a clear manner, without disturbing the word count. Each figure and table should have clear headings and you should make sure to mention their sources in the bibliography.

–         Word count – the word count of your assignment mustn’t be far above or far below the required word count. The outline will provide you with help in this aspect, so make sure to plan the work in order to keep it within the boundaries.

The importance of an effective conclusion

The conclusion of your assignment is your ultimate chance to provide powerful arguments that will impress the reader. The conclusion in academic writing is usually expressed through three main parts:

–         Stating the context and aim of the assignment

–         Summarizing the main points briefly

–         Providing final comments with consideration of the future (discussing clear examples of things that can be done in order to improve the situation concerning your topic of discussion).

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Lois Weldon is writer at  Uk.bestdissertation.com . Lives happily at London with her husband and lovely daughter. Adores writing tips for students. Passionate about Star Wars and yoga.

7 comments on “How To Write The Best College Assignments”

Extremely useful tip for students wanting to score well on their assignments. I concur with the writer that writing an outline before ACTUALLY starting to write assignments is extremely important. I have observed students who start off quite well but they tend to lose focus in between which causes them to lose marks. So an outline helps them to maintain the theme focused.

Hello Great information…. write assignments

Well elabrated

Thanks for the information. This site has amazing articles. Looking forward to continuing on this site.

This article is certainly going to help student . Well written.

Really good, thanks

Practical tips on assignment writing, the’re fantastic. Thank you!

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How to Write an Effective Assignment

At their base, all assignment prompts function a bit like a magnifying glass—they allow a student to isolate, focus on, inspect, and interact with some portion of your course material through a fixed lens of your choosing.

The Key Components of an Effective Assignment Prompt

All assignments, from ungraded formative response papers all the way up to a capstone assignment, should include the following components to ensure that students and teachers understand not only the learning objective of the assignment, but also the discrete steps which they will need to follow in order to complete it successfully:

• Preamble.  This situates the assignment within the context of the course, reminding students of what they have been working on in anticipation of the assignment and how that work has prepared them to succeed at it. 
• Justification and Purpose.  This explains why the particular type or genre of assignment you’ve chosen (e.g., lab report, policy memo, problem set, or personal reflection) is the best way for you and your students to measure how well they’ve met the learning objectives associated with this segment of the course.
• Mission.  This explains the assignment in broad brush strokes, giving students a general sense of the project you are setting before them. It often gives students guidance on the evidence or data they should be working with, as well as helping them imagine the audience their work should be aimed at.  
• Tasks.  This outlines what students are supposed to do at a more granular level: for example, how to start, where to look, how to ask for help, etc. If written well, this part of the assignment prompt ought to function as a kind of "process" rubric for students, helping them to decide for themselves whether they are completing the assignment successfully.
• Submission format.  This tells students, in appropriate detail, which stylistic conventions they should observe and how to submit their work. For example, should the assignment be a five-page paper written in APA format and saved as a .docx file? Should it be uploaded to the course website? Is it due by Tuesday at 5:00pm?

For illustrations of these five components in action, visit our gallery of annotated assignment prompts .

For advice about creative assignments (e.g. podcasts, film projects, visual and performing art projects, etc.), visit our  Guidance on Non-Traditional Forms of Assessment .

For specific advice on different genres of assignment, click below:

Response Papers

Problem sets, source analyses, final exams, concept maps, research papers, oral presentations, poster presentations.

• Learner-Centered Design
• Putting Evidence at the Center
• What Should Students Learn?
• Start with the Capstone
• Gallery of Annotated Assignment Prompts
• Scaffolding: Using Frequency and Sequencing Intentionally
• Curating Content: The Virtue of Modules
• Syllabus Design
• Catalogue Materials
• Making a Course Presentation Video
• Teaching Teams
• In the Classroom
• Getting Feedback
• Equitable & Inclusive Teaching
• Advising and Mentoring
• Teaching and Your Career
• Teaching Remotely
• Tools and Platforms
• The Science of Learning
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How Do I Create Meaningful and Effective Assignments?

Prepared by allison boye, ph.d. teaching, learning, and professional development center.

Assessment is a necessary part of the teaching and learning process, helping us measure whether our students have really learned what we want them to learn. While exams and quizzes are certainly favorite and useful methods of assessment, out of class assignments (written or otherwise) can offer similar insights into our students' learning.  And just as creating a reliable test takes thoughtfulness and skill, so does creating meaningful and effective assignments. Undoubtedly, many instructors have been on the receiving end of disappointing student work, left wondering what went wrong… and often, those problems can be remedied in the future by some simple fine-tuning of the original assignment.  This paper will take a look at some important elements to consider when developing assignments, and offer some easy approaches to creating a valuable assessment experience for all involved.

First Things First…

Before assigning any major tasks to students, it is imperative that you first define a few things for yourself as the instructor:

• Your goals for the assignment . Why are you assigning this project, and what do you hope your students will gain from completing it? What knowledge, skills, and abilities do you aim to measure with this assignment?  Creating assignments is a major part of overall course design, and every project you assign should clearly align with your goals for the course in general.  For instance, if you want your students to demonstrate critical thinking, perhaps asking them to simply summarize an article is not the best match for that goal; a more appropriate option might be to ask for an analysis of a controversial issue in the discipline. Ultimately, the connection between the assignment and its purpose should be clear to both you and your students to ensure that it is fulfilling the desired goals and doesn't seem like “busy work.” For some ideas about what kinds of assignments match certain learning goals, take a look at this page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons.
• Have they experienced “socialization” in the culture of your discipline (Flaxman, 2005)? Are they familiar with any conventions you might want them to know? In other words, do they know the “language” of your discipline, generally accepted style guidelines, or research protocols?
• Do they know how to conduct research?  Do they know the proper style format, documentation style, acceptable resources, etc.? Do they know how to use the library (Fitzpatrick, 1989) or evaluate resources?
• What kinds of writing or work have they previously engaged in?  For instance, have they completed long, formal writing assignments or research projects before? Have they ever engaged in analysis, reflection, or argumentation? Have they completed group assignments before?  Do they know how to write a literature review or scientific report?

In his book Engaging Ideas (1996), John Bean provides a great list of questions to help instructors focus on their main teaching goals when creating an assignment (p.78):

1. What are the main units/modules in my course?

2. What are my main learning objectives for each module and for the course?

3. What thinking skills am I trying to develop within each unit and throughout the course?

4. What are the most difficult aspects of my course for students?

5. If I could change my students' study habits, what would I most like to change?

6. What difference do I want my course to make in my students' lives?

What your students need to know

Once you have determined your own goals for the assignment and the levels of your students, you can begin creating your assignment.  However, when introducing your assignment to your students, there are several things you will need to clearly outline for them in order to ensure the most successful assignments possible.

• First, you will need to articulate the purpose of the assignment . Even though you know why the assignment is important and what it is meant to accomplish, you cannot assume that your students will intuit that purpose. Your students will appreciate an understanding of how the assignment fits into the larger goals of the course and what they will learn from the process (Hass & Osborn, 2007). Being transparent with your students and explaining why you are asking them to complete a given assignment can ultimately help motivate them to complete the assignment more thoughtfully.
• If you are asking your students to complete a writing assignment, you should define for them the “rhetorical or cognitive mode/s” you want them to employ in their writing (Flaxman, 2005). In other words, use precise verbs that communicate whether you are asking them to analyze, argue, describe, inform, etc.  (Verbs like “explore” or “comment on” can be too vague and cause confusion.) Provide them with a specific task to complete, such as a problem to solve, a question to answer, or an argument to support.  For those who want assignments to lead to top-down, thesis-driven writing, John Bean (1996) suggests presenting a proposition that students must defend or refute, or a problem that demands a thesis answer.
• It is also a good idea to define the audience you want your students to address with their assignment, if possible – especially with writing assignments.  Otherwise, students will address only the instructor, often assuming little requires explanation or development (Hedengren, 2004; MIT, 1999). Further, asking students to address the instructor, who typically knows more about the topic than the student, places the student in an unnatural rhetorical position.  Instead, you might consider asking your students to prepare their assignments for alternative audiences such as other students who missed last week's classes, a group that opposes their position, or people reading a popular magazine or newspaper.  In fact, a study by Bean (1996) indicated the students often appreciate and enjoy assignments that vary elements such as audience or rhetorical context, so don't be afraid to get creative!
• Obviously, you will also need to articulate clearly the logistics or “business aspects” of the assignment . In other words, be explicit with your students about required elements such as the format, length, documentation style, writing style (formal or informal?), and deadlines.  One caveat, however: do not allow the logistics of the paper take precedence over the content in your assignment description; if you spend all of your time describing these things, students might suspect that is all you care about in their execution of the assignment.
• Finally, you should clarify your evaluation criteria for the assignment. What elements of content are most important? Will you grade holistically or weight features separately? How much weight will be given to individual elements, etc?  Another precaution to take when defining requirements for your students is to take care that your instructions and rubric also do not overshadow the content; prescribing too rigidly each element of an assignment can limit students' freedom to explore and discover. According to Beth Finch Hedengren, “A good assignment provides the purpose and guidelines… without dictating exactly what to say” (2004, p. 27).  If you decide to utilize a grading rubric, be sure to provide that to the students along with the assignment description, prior to their completion of the assignment.

A great way to get students engaged with an assignment and build buy-in is to encourage their collaboration on its design and/or on the grading criteria (Hudd, 2003). In his article “Conducting Writing Assignments,” Richard Leahy (2002) offers a few ideas for building in said collaboration:

• Ask the students to develop the grading scale themselves from scratch, starting with choosing the categories.

• Set the grading categories yourself, but ask the students to help write the descriptions.

• Draft the complete grading scale yourself, then give it to your students for review and suggestions.

A Few Do's and Don'ts…

Determining your goals for the assignment and its essential logistics is a good start to creating an effective assignment. However, there are a few more simple factors to consider in your final design. First, here are a few things you should do :

• Do provide detail in your assignment description . Research has shown that students frequently prefer some guiding constraints when completing assignments (Bean, 1996), and that more detail (within reason) can lead to more successful student responses.  One idea is to provide students with physical assignment handouts , in addition to or instead of a simple description in a syllabus.  This can meet the needs of concrete learners and give them something tangible to refer to.  Likewise, it is often beneficial to make explicit for students the process or steps necessary to complete an assignment, given that students – especially younger ones – might need guidance in planning and time management (MIT, 1999).
• Do use open-ended questions.  The most effective and challenging assignments focus on questions that lead students to thinking and explaining, rather than simple yes or no answers, whether explicitly part of the assignment description or in the  brainstorming heuristics (Gardner, 2005).
• Do direct students to appropriate available resources . Giving students pointers about other venues for assistance can help them get started on the right track independently. These kinds of suggestions might include information about campus resources such as the University Writing Center or discipline-specific librarians, suggesting specific journals or books, or even sections of their textbook, or providing them with lists of research ideas or links to acceptable websites.
• Do consider providing models – both successful and unsuccessful models (Miller, 2007). These models could be provided by past students, or models you have created yourself.  You could even ask students to evaluate the models themselves using the determined evaluation criteria, helping them to visualize the final product, think critically about how to complete the assignment, and ideally, recognize success in their own work.
• Do consider including a way for students to make the assignment their own. In their study, Hass and Osborn (2007) confirmed the importance of personal engagement for students when completing an assignment.  Indeed, students will be more engaged in an assignment if it is personally meaningful, practical, or purposeful beyond the classroom.  You might think of ways to encourage students to tap into their own experiences or curiosities, to solve or explore a real problem, or connect to the larger community.  Offering variety in assignment selection can also help students feel more individualized, creative, and in control.
• If your assignment is substantial or long, do consider sequencing it. Far too often, assignments are given as one-shot final products that receive grades at the end of the semester, eternally abandoned by the student.  By sequencing a large assignment, or essentially breaking it down into a systematic approach consisting of interconnected smaller elements (such as a project proposal, an annotated bibliography, or a rough draft, or a series of mini-assignments related to the longer assignment), you can encourage thoughtfulness, complexity, and thoroughness in your students, as well as emphasize process over final product.

Next are a few elements to avoid in your assignments:

• Do not ask too many questions in your assignment.  In an effort to challenge students, instructors often err in the other direction, asking more questions than students can reasonably address in a single assignment without losing focus. Offering an overly specific “checklist” prompt often leads to externally organized papers, in which inexperienced students “slavishly follow the checklist instead of integrating their ideas into more organically-discovered structure” (Flaxman, 2005).
• Do not expect or suggest that there is an “ideal” response to the assignment. A common error for instructors is to dictate content of an assignment too rigidly, or to imply that there is a single correct response or a specific conclusion to reach, either explicitly or implicitly (Flaxman, 2005). Undoubtedly, students do not appreciate feeling as if they must read an instructor's mind to complete an assignment successfully, or that their own ideas have nowhere to go, and can lose motivation as a result. Similarly, avoid assignments that simply ask for regurgitation (Miller, 2007). Again, the best assignments invite students to engage in critical thinking, not just reproduce lectures or readings.
• Do not provide vague or confusing commands . Do students know what you mean when they are asked to “examine” or “discuss” a topic? Return to what you determined about your students' experiences and levels to help you decide what directions will make the most sense to them and what will require more explanation or guidance, and avoid verbiage that might confound them.
• Do not impose impossible time restraints or require the use of insufficient resources for completion of the assignment.  For instance, if you are asking all of your students to use the same resource, ensure that there are enough copies available for all students to access – or at least put one copy on reserve in the library. Likewise, make sure that you are providing your students with ample time to locate resources and effectively complete the assignment (Fitzpatrick, 1989).

The assignments we give to students don't simply have to be research papers or reports. There are many options for effective yet creative ways to assess your students' learning! Here are just a few:

Journals, Posters, Portfolios, Letters, Brochures, Management plans, Editorials, Instruction Manuals, Imitations of a text, Case studies, Debates, News release, Dialogues, Videos, Collages, Plays, Power Point presentations

Ultimately, the success of student responses to an assignment often rests on the instructor's deliberate design of the assignment. By being purposeful and thoughtful from the beginning, you can ensure that your assignments will not only serve as effective assessment methods, but also engage and delight your students. If you would like further help in constructing or revising an assignment, the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center is glad to offer individual consultations. In addition, look into some of the resources provided below.

Online Resources

“Creating Effective Assignments” http://www.unh.edu/teaching-excellence/resources/Assignments.htm This site, from the University of New Hampshire's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning,  provides a brief overview of effective assignment design, with a focus on determining and communicating goals and expectations.

Gardner, T.  (2005, June 12). Ten Tips for Designing Writing Assignments. Traci's Lists of Ten. http://www.tengrrl.com/tens/034.shtml This is a brief yet useful list of tips for assignment design, prepared by a writing teacher and curriculum developer for the National Council of Teachers of English .  The website will also link you to several other lists of “ten tips” related to literacy pedagogy.

“How to Create Effective Assignments for College Students.”  http:// tilt.colostate.edu/retreat/2011/zimmerman.pdf     This PDF is a simplified bulleted list, prepared by Dr. Toni Zimmerman from Colorado State University, offering some helpful ideas for coming up with creative assignments.

“Learner-Centered Assessment” http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_resources/tips/learner_centered_assessment.html From the Centre for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo, this is a short list of suggestions for the process of designing an assessment with your students' interests in mind. “Matching Learning Goals to Assignment Types.” http://teachingcommons.depaul.edu/How_to/design_assignments/assignments_learning_goals.html This is a great page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons, providing a chart that helps instructors match assignments with learning goals.

Additional References Bean, J.C. (1996). Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fitzpatrick, R. (1989). Research and writing assignments that reduce fear lead to better papers and more confident students. Writing Across the Curriculum , 3.2, pp. 15 – 24.

Flaxman, R. (2005). Creating meaningful writing assignments. The Teaching Exchange .  Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008 from http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Sheridan_Center/pubs/teachingExchange/jan2005/01_flaxman.pdf

Hass, M. & Osborn, J. (2007, August 13). An emic view of student writing and the writing process. Across the Disciplines, 4. 

Hedengren, B.F. (2004). A TA's guide to teaching writing in all disciplines . Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Hudd, S. S. (2003, April). Syllabus under construction: Involving students in the creation of class assignments.  Teaching Sociology , 31, pp. 195 – 202.

Leahy, R. (2002). Conducting writing assignments. College Teaching , 50.2, pp. 50 – 54.

Miller, H. (2007). Designing effective writing assignments.  Teaching with writing .  University of Minnesota Center for Writing. Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008, from http://writing.umn.edu/tww/assignments/designing.html

MIT Online Writing and Communication Center (1999). Creating Writing Assignments. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://web.mit.edu/writing/Faculty/createeffective.html .

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Absent Students: How Teachers Can Keep Track of Make-Up Work in 2024

It’s hard enough to keep track of student work when all your students are in class, never mind when you have a student who is absent. Unfortunately, students being absent is an unavoidable occurrence.  Regardless of if the absence lasts a single afternoon for a dentist appointment or an entire week for a family vacation, you’ll want to have a plan in place so you are not wasting time scrambling around to put together work for them to take home. I suggest developing a policy for make-up work as well as a procedure for handling it. Read below are some tips and ideas about how to manage make-up work for absent students in your classroom.

3 Tips for Managing Make-Up Work for Absent Students

Below are 3 tips for managing make-up work for absent students.

1. Check your school’s policy.

Begin by seeing if your school or district has a policy on absenteeism and missed work. If so, you’ll need to adhere to that. If there is not already a policy in place, then you’ll need to determine what will work best for you and your classroom.

2. Share your policy with your students and their families at the beginning of the year.

We all know that what we do in the classroom can’t be replicated in a packet of worksheets, but parents don’t always understand that. If you don’t share your policy proactively, you’ll run the risk of a parent sending in a note that reads, “We’ll be going out of town tomorrow. He’ll be out of school all next week. Can you please send home all his work so he doesn’t fall behind?”

3. Create a procedure for collecting work when a student is absent.

I have a literature sorter in my classroom that I use for unfinished work. I also use this to collect assignments when students are out. When a student is absent, I place an absent student folder in their box and as work gets passed out throughout the day, a student puts a copy on top of the folder. At the end of the day I staple them all together with a “While You Were Out Note” and slip them into the folder. You can find this note in my managing absent students assignments resource . You could also leave a folder on the student’s desk or in his mailbox. When a folder is prepared for a student, I record the date onto a tracking sheet. When it is returned completed I highlight the date.

What to do When you Know a Student is Going to be Absent

I find it challenging to send work home ahead of time. A lot of what we do in class is based on lessons and activities and not just a self-explainable printable. Also, plans change depending on how quickly students are grasping concepts. Here’s what I recommend doing when you know a child in your class will be absent:

• Look at your plans and give the parents a quick summary of the skills, topics and big ideas that will be covered during the absence. It is easy to find resources and interactive games online and the hope is that the parents’ will take the initiative to do so.
• You may want to consider having some “go to” ideas on hand in advance. You can encourage students to read, practice math facts, etc.
• Send home anything that is already prepared and can be completed independently. I try to keep at least a week’s worth of copies ready and sorted by day in my classroom. If there is anything in there that can be sent home I will attach it to my note.

Related Resources

Below are 2 classroom management resources.

1. Managing Absent Student Assignments Packet

I have created a packet to help organize and manage student make-up work in the classroom. It includes notes to send home when you know in advance that a student will be absent, materials to make “While You Were Out Folders” and tracking sheets to keep records on assignment completion. Learn more about this managing absent student assignments resource !

2. Classroom Management Bundle

Managing assignments when you have students who are absent is just the tip of the iceberg. There are tons of things you need systems for as a teacher. This classroom management resource makes it a lot easier for you to stay on top of things!

• Read more about: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

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How to Deal With Late Work and Makeup Work

Late Work and Make Up Work Policies

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Late work is a teacher housekeeping task that often causes a classroom management nightmare for teachers. Late work can be especially difficult for new educators who do not have a set policy in place or even for a veteran teacher who has created a policy that just is not working.

There are many reasons why makeup or late work should be allowed, but the best reason to consider is that any work that was deemed important enough by a teacher to be assigned, deserves to be completed. If homework or classwork is not important, or are assigned as "busy work," students will notice, and they will not be motivated to complete the assignments. Any homework and/or classwork a teacher assigns and collects should support a student's academic growth.

There may be students returning from excused or unexcused absences who will need to complete makeup work. There also may be students who have not worked responsibly. There may be assignment completed on paper, and now there may be assignments submitted digitally. There are multiple software programs where students may submit homework or classwork. However, there may be students who lack the resources or support they need at home.

Therefore, it is important that teachers create late work and make-up work policies for hard copies and for digital submissions that they can follow consistently and with a minimum of effort. Anything less will result in confusion and further problems.

Questions to Consider When Creating a Late Work and Makeup Work Policy

• Does my school have a set policy for teachers concerning late work? For example, there might be a schoolwide policy that all teachers are to take off a letter grade for each day late.
• What is my school's policy concerning time for makeup work? Many school districts allow students two days to complete late work for each day they were out.
• What is my school's policy for making up work when a student has an excused absence? Does that policy differ for an unexcused absence? Some schools do not allow students to make up work after unexcused absences.
• Collecting homework (hard copies) at the door as they enter the class.
• Digital submissions to a classroom software platform or app (ex: Edmodo, Google Classroom). These will have a digital time stamp on each document.
• Ask students have to turn homework/classwork into a specific location (homework/classwork box) by the bell to be considered on time.
• Use a timestamp to put on homework /classwork to mark when it was submitted. 
• Determine if you will accept partially-completed homework or classwork. If so, then students can be considered on time even if they have not completed their work. If not, this needs to be clearly explained to students.
• Have students write the date they turn in the homework on the top. This saves you time but could also lead to cheating .
• You write the date the homework was turned in on the top as it is turned in. This will only work if you have a mechanism for students to turn in work directly to you each day.
• If you wish to use a homework collection box, then you can mark the day each assignment was turned in on the paper when you grade each day. However, this requires daily maintenance on your part so that you don't get confused.
• Have an assignment book where you write down all classwork and homework along with a folder for copies of any worksheets/handouts. Students are responsible for checking the assignment book when they return and collecting the assignments. This requires you to be organized and to update the assignment book each day.
• Create a "buddy" system. Have students be responsible for writing down assignments to share with someone who was out of class. If you gave notes in class, either provide a copy for the students who missed or you can have them copy notes for a friend. Be aware that students have to on their own time copy notes and they might not get all the information depending on the quality of the notes copied.
• Only give makeup work before or after school. Students have to come to see you when you are not teaching so that they can get the work. This can be hard for some students who do not have the time to come before or after depending on bus/ride schedules.
• Have a separate makeup assignment that uses the same skills, but different questions or criteria.
• Prepare how will you have students makeup tests and/or quizzes that they missed when they were absent. Many teachers require students to meet with them either before or after school. However, if there is an issue or concern with that, you might be able to have them come to your room during your planning period or lunch to try and complete the work. For students who need to make up assessments, you may want to design an alternate assessment, with different questions.
• Anticipate that long-term assignments (ones where students have two or more weeks to work on) will take much more supervision. Break the project up into chunks, staggering the workload when possible. Breaking up one assignment into smaller deadlines will mean that you are not chasing a large assignment with a high percentage grade that is late.
• Decide how you will address late projects or large percentage assignments. Will you allow late submissions? Make sure that you address this issue at the beginning of the year, especially if you are going to have a research paper or other long-term assignment in your class. Most teachers make it a policy that if students are absent on the day a long-term assignment is due that it must be submitted the day that student returns to school. Without this policy, you might find students who are trying to gain extra days by being absent.

If you do not have a consistent late work or makeup policy, your students will notice. Students who turn their work in on time will be upset, and those who are consistently late will take advantage of you. The key to an effective late work and makeup work policy is good recordkeeping and daily enforcement.

Once you decide what you want for your late work and makeup policy, then stick to that policy. Share your policy with other teachers because there is strength in consistency. Only by your consistent actions will this become one less worry in your school day. 

• Teacher Housekeeping Tasks
• Late Work Policy for Teachers Example
• Homework Guidelines for Elementary and Middle School Teachers
• You Missed Class: What Do You Do?
• Write IEP Goals for Healthy Student Work Habits
• 8 Common Questions Parents Ask Teachers
• Essential Strategies to Help You Become an Outstanding Student
• Tardy Policies for Students
• The 10 Things That Worry Math Teachers the Most
• Appropriate Consequences for Student Misbehavior
• 5 Tips to Help the Disorganized Student
• 4 Tips for Completing Your Homework On Time
• Tips for Teachers to Make Classroom Discipline Decisions
• Classroom Rules for High School Students
• 10 Ways to Impress a Teacher
• Why Daily School Attendance Matters

Making the Most of Make-up Work

Chronic absenteeism—missing at least 1 in 10 school days—correlates with low test scores and other achievement deficits. The fact that these measures can reflect negatively on the school is one motivation for building- or district-wide programs aimed at improving attendance. Classroom teachers, however, have a more personal window into the lives of individual students. We know that the more days a student misses the farther behind he is likely to get—and the harder it might become to engage him. We also know the reason for missing class might not be the student's fault. Family disruptions, transportation difficulties and chronic illness (of the student or a family member) may all contribute to absenteeism.

For all these reasons, it’s important to establish systems and routines that support the whole child and set him up for achievement when he returns. The following suggestions address both classroom management and curriculum strategies that can help.

Classroom management: What do students do when they first come into my classroom?

You may have established a bell ringer or warm-up activity that helps students shift into thinking about your content. When students are accustomed to a self-led routine at the beginning of class, teachers can give individual students attention in the first few minutes. During this pre-established time, absent students can find out what was missed, gather needed materials and be ready to rejoin the class community. Set routines also help students who miss class transition back into learning because they know what to expect when they return.

In addition to the designated warm-up activity, establish the communication system so students can find out what material they missed. This system will look different at different grade levels, and many methods will work. Here are a few to try:

In the elementary classroom:

Mailboxes . Mailboxes or cubbies where students keep their materials are standard in most elementary classrooms. Leaving a half-page note is a way to communicate to an absent student what he missed while he was out. To promote social emotional skills, assign your elementary students a class buddy—one peer who can help out by filling in the blanks when her partner is gone.

You may not always know why a student missed class. A friendly heading on the note expressing that the student was missed helps him transition back into the class community in a positive way, regardless of what may have kept him out of class.

In the middle level classroom:

Class calendar . Use a bulletin board or the back of the door to post a large calendar. Write objectives and assignments on the calendar each day and refer to the calendar when returning to objectives and goals during instruction. Keep learning objectives up for three to four weeks, and include a folder near the calendar for any handouts students might have missed.

In the high school classroom:

Daily class journal . Assign a student in each class to record the date, objectives, activities and any assignments in a class notebook. Keep the notebook in the same location in the classroom. Returning students should know to check the class journal during the bell ringer. Rotate which student writes in the journal each week.

Social media . A social media platform provides another method to communicate missing work with absent students. If your district firewalls allow access to Facebook, you can create a private group for each class and post objectives, activities and assignments daily to that group’s wall. Edmodo is another free online platform that allows teachers to populate calendars, upload documents, track student progress and communicate with families, all in one location.

Curriculum: What is the purpose of the assignment?

Graded assignments provide students an opportunity to independently practice skills and demonstrate their progress toward mastery of objectives. They also allow teachers to collect data about student learning for planning future instruction. Because they are rooted in standards, it should matter to student achievement if an assignment is not completed.

Ask yourself: How do students know the value of class assignments?

Share class goals and objectives with your students and keep them posted in a visible location in your classroom. Point out how assignments are explicitly linked to those goals and objectives, and make it clear that students who complete the assignment by the due date move to the next skill or assignment based on mastery. This reinforces the authentic importance of attendance and of making up work when students miss a day.

Students should also understand the distinction between a due date and a drop-dead due date. Drop-dead due dates are driven by the school calendar and marking periods. Reporting midterm and end-of-term grades is mandatory, and students must complete all required work by these dates. Help students understand that assignments are intentionally built into the quarter or semester to help them work toward previously identified goals and objectives. The desired outcome is to master all class objectives within the marking period. Making this connection allows students to see their learning as cumulative and fosters self-monitoring and awareness—skills that become increasingly important as more and more independence is required of them.

Facilitating and tracking student make-up work can feel like a chore, but incorporating strategies designed to maximize student success serves two important purposes. One, it keeps learning on track and kids moving forward academically. And, two, it makes your classroom an environment that welcomes students back rather than heightens their anxieties about being gone in the first place.

Wicht is the senior manager for teaching and learning for Teaching Tolerance.

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Save time distributing and grading classwork

Distribute personalized copies of Google Drive templates and worksheets to students

Grade consistently and transparently with rubrics integrated into student work

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Creating and Adapting Assignments for Online Courses

Online teaching requires a deliberate shift in how we communicate, deliver information, and offer feedback to our students. How do you effectively design and modify your assignments to accommodate this shift? The ways you introduce students to new assignments, keep them on track, identify and remedy confusion, and provide feedback after an assignment is due must be altered to fit the online setting. Intentional planning can help you ensure assignments are optimally designed for an online course and expectations are clearly communicated to students.  

When teaching online, it can be tempting to focus on the differences from in-person instruction in terms of adjustments, or what you need to make up for. However, there are many affordances of online assignments that can deepen learning and student engagement. Students gain new channels of interaction, flexibility in when and where they access assignments, more immediate feedback, and a student-centered experience (Gayten and McEwen, 2007; Ragupathi, 2020; Robles and Braathen, 2002). Meanwhile, ample research has uncovered that online assignments benefit instructors through automatic grading, better measurement of learning, greater student involvement, and the storing and reuse of assignments. 

In Practice

While the purpose and planning of online assignments remain the same as their in-person counterparts, certain adjustments can make them more effective. The strategies outlined below will help you design online assignments that support student success while leveraging the benefits of the online environment. 

Align assignments to learning outcomes. 

All assignments work best when they align with your learning outcomes. Each online assignment should advance students' achievement of one or more of your specific outcomes. You may be familiar with  Bloom's Taxonomy,  a well-known framework that organizes and classifies learning objectives based on the actions students take to demonstrate their learning. Online assignments have the added advantage of flexing students' digital skills, and Bloom's has been revamped for the digital age to incorporate technology-based tasks into its categories. For example, students might search for definitions online as they learn and remember course materials, tweet their understanding of a concept, mind map an analysis, or create a podcast. 

See a  complete description of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy  for further ideas. 

Provide authentic assessments. 

Authentic assessments call for relevant, purposeful actions that mimic the real-life tasks students may encounter in their lives and careers beyond the university. They represent a shift away from infrequent high-stakes assessments that tend to evaluate the acquisition of knowledge over application and understanding. Authentic assessments allow students to see the connection between what they're learning and how that learning is used and contextualized outside the virtual walls of the learning management system, thereby increasing their motivation and engagement. 

There are many ways to incorporate authenticity into an assignment, but three main strategies are to use  authentic audiences, content, and formats . A student might, for example, compose a business plan for an audience of potential investors, create a patient care plan that translates medical jargon into lay language, or propose a safe storage process for a museum collection.  

Authentic assessments in online courses can easily incorporate the internet or digital tools as part of an authentic format. Blogs, podcasts, social media posts, and multimedia artifacts such as infographics and videos represent authentic formats that leverage the online context. 

Learn more about  authentic assessments in Designing Assessments of Student Learning . 

Design for inclusivity and accessibility. 

Adopting universal design principles at the outset of course creation will ensure your material is accessible to all students. As you plan your assignments, it's important to keep in mind barriers to access in terms of tools, technology, and cost. Consider which tools achieve your learning outcomes with the fewest barriers. 

Offering a variety of assignment formats is one way to ensure students can demonstrate learning in a manner that works best for them. You can provide options within an individual assignment, such as allowing students to submit either written text or an audio recording or to choose from several technologies or platforms when completing a project. 

Be mindful of how you frame and describe an assignment to ensure it doesn't disregard populations through exclusionary language or use culturally specific references that some students may not understand. Inclusive language for all genders and racial or ethnic backgrounds can foster a sense of belonging that fully invests students in the learning community.  

Learn more about  Universal Design of Learning  and  Shaping a Positive Learning Environment . 

Design to promote academic integrity online. 

Much like incorporating universal design principles at the outset of course creation, you can take a proactive approach to academic integrity online. Design assignments that limit the possibilities for students to use the work of others or receive prohibited outside assistance.  

Provide   authentic assessments  that are more difficult to plagiarize because they incorporate recent events or unique contexts and formats. 

Scaffold assignments  so that students can work their way up to a final product by submitting smaller portions and receiving feedback along the way. 

Lower the stakes  by providing more frequent formative assessments in place of high-stakes, high-stress assessments. 

In addition to proactively creating assignments that deter cheating, there are several university-supported tools at your disposal to help identify and prevent cheating.  

Learn more about these tools in  Strategies and Tools for Academic Integrity in Online Environments . 

Communicate detailed instructions and clarify expectations. 

When teaching in-person, you likely dedicate class time to introducing and explaining an assignment; students can ask questions or linger after class for further clarification. In an online class, especially in  asynchronous  online classes, you must anticipate where students' questions might arise and account for them in the assignment instructions.  

The  Carmen course template  addresses some of students' common questions when completing an assignment. The template offers places to explain the assignment's purpose, list out steps students should take when completing it, provide helpful resources, and detail academic integrity considerations.  

Providing a rubric will clarify for students how you will evaluate their work, as well as make your grading more efficient. Sharing examples of previous student work (both good and bad) can further help students see how everything should come together in their completed products. 

Technology Tip

Enter all  assignments and due dates  in your Carmen course to increase transparency. When assignments are entered in Carmen, they also populate to Calendar, Syllabus, and Grades areas so students can easily track their upcoming work. Carmen also allows you to  develop rubrics  for every assignment in your course.  

Promote interaction and collaboration. 

Frequent student-student interaction in any course, but particularly in online courses, is integral to developing a healthy learning community that engages students with course material and contributes to academic achievement. Online education has the inherent benefit of offering multiple channels of interaction through which this can be accomplished. 

Carmen  Discussions   are a versatile platform for students to converse about and analyze course materials, connect socially, review each other's work, and communicate asynchronously during group projects. 

Peer review  can be enabled in Carmen  Assignments  and  Discussions .  Rubrics  can be attached to an assignment or a discussion that has peer review enabled, and students can use these rubrics as explicit criteria for their evaluation. Alternatively, peer review can occur within the comments of a discussion board if all students will benefit from seeing each other's responses. 

Group projects  can be carried out asynchronously through Carmen  Discussions  or  Groups , or synchronously through Carmen's  Chat function  or  CarmenZoom . Students (and instructors) may have apprehensions about group projects, but well-designed group work can help students learn from each other and draw on their peers’ strengths. Be explicit about your expectations for student interaction and offer ample support resources to ensure success on group assignments. 

Learn more about  Student Interaction Online .

Choose technology wisely. 

The internet is a vast and wondrous place, full of technology and tools that do amazing things. These tools can give students greater flexibility in approaching an assignment or deepen their learning through interactive elements. That said, it's important to be selective when integrating external tools into your online course.  

Look first to your learning outcomes and, if you are considering an external tool, determine whether the technology will help students achieve these learning outcomes. Unless one of your outcomes is for students to master new technology, the cognitive effort of using an unfamiliar tool may distract from your learning outcomes.  

Carmen should ultimately be the foundation of your course where you centralize all materials and assignments. Thoughtfully selected external tools can be useful in certain circumstances. 

Explore supported tools 

There are many  university-supported tools  and resources already available to Ohio State users. Before looking to external tools, you should explore the available options to see if you can accomplish your instructional goals with supported systems, including the  eLearning toolset , approved  CarmenCanvas integrations , and the  Microsoft365 suite .  

If a tool is not university-supported, keep in mind the security and accessibility implications, the learning curve required to use the tool, and the need for additional support resources. If you choose to use a new tool, provide links to relevant help guides on the assignment page or post a video tutorial. Include explicit instructions on how students can get technical support should they encounter technical difficulties with the tool. 

Adjustments to your assignment design can guide students toward academic success while leveraging the benefits of the online environment.  

Effective assignments in online courses are:  

Aligned to course learning outcomes 

Authentic and reflect real-life tasks 

Accessible and inclusive for all learners 

Designed to encourage academic integrity 

Transparent with clearly communicated expectations 

Designed to promote student interaction and collaboration 

Supported with intentional technology tools 

• Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty (e-book)
• Making Your Course Accessible for All Learners (workshop reccording)
• Writing Multiple Choice Questions that Demand Critical Thinking (article)

Learning Opportunities

Conrad, D., & Openo, J. (2018).  Assessment strategies for online learning: Engagement and authenticity . AU Press. Retrieved from  https://library.ohio-state.edu/record=b8475002~S7 

Gaytan, J., & McEwen, B. C. (2007). Effective online instructional and assessment strategies.  American Journal of Distance Education ,  21 (3), 117–132. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923640701341653   

Mayer, R. E. (2001).  Multimedia learning . New York: Cambridge University Press.  

Ragupathi, K. (2020). Designing Effective Online Assessments Resource Guide . National University of Singapore. Retrieved from  https://www.nus.edu.sg/cdtl/docs/default-source/professional-development-docs/resources/designing-online-assessments.pdf  

Robles, M., & Braathen, S. (2002). Online assessment techniques.  Delta Pi Epsilon Journal ,  44 (1), 39–49.  https://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eft&AN=507795215&site=eds-live&scope=site  

Swan, K., Shen, J., & Hiltz, S. R. (2006). Assessment and collaboration in online learning.  Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks ,  10 (1), 45.  

TILT Higher Ed. (n.d.).  TILT Examples and Resources . Retrieved from   https://tilthighered.com/tiltexamplesandresources  

Tallent-Runnels, M. K., Thomas, J. A., Lan, W. Y., Cooper, S., Ahern, T. C., Shaw, S. M., & Liu, X. (2006). Teaching Courses Online: A Review of the Research.  Review of Educational Research ,  76 (1), 93–135.  https://www-jstor-org.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/stable/3700584  

Walvoord, B. & Anderson, V.J. (2010).  Effective Grading : A Tool for Learning and Assessment in College: Vol. 2nd ed . Jossey-Bass.  https://library.ohio-state.edu/record=b8585181~S7

Related Teaching Topics

Designing assessments of student learning, strategies and tools for academic integrity in online environments, student interaction online, universal design for learning: planning with all students in mind, related toolsets, carmencanvas, search for resources.

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• Managing Time During School Years

How to Catch Up on Missed Schoolwork Quickly

Last Updated: May 12, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 117,505 times.

When you miss class, the work can start to pile up quickly. All those assignments and deadlines can be pretty overwhelming, but don’t panic. Talk to your teachers and friends about what you missed. Then, make a plan for tackling your workload, prioritizing the most pressing assignments. Take breaks, reward yourself, and stay positive to boost your productivity. Catching up on missed schoolwork isn’t easy, but with a little organization and strategy, you’ll be better equipped to handle the challenges that come your way.

Talking to Teachers and Friends

• Say something like, “I’m sorry, but I’ll be out of class tomorrow for a family reunion. Please let me know what I need to do to stay on top of my work.”
• You may need to provide a note from a doctor or parent. Check with your school administration to find out.

• Say something like, “I’m so sorry I was out yesterday with the flu. I’m doing my best to get back on schedule. Is there anything important that I missed?”

• You might say, “I’m sorry, I’ve been really busy with soccer lately and I’ve fallen behind on some assignments. I want to do everything I can to catch up. What would you recommend that I do?”

• While talking to students is helpful, it shouldn’t be a substitute for communicating with your teacher. Ideally, you should do both.

• You may be able to meet with your teacher before or after class for extra help.
• Keep in mind that your teacher probably won’t have time to re-explain the entire lecture. Look over all your notes and materials beforehand so you’re as prepared as possible. It may be helpful to come in with a list of questions.

Making a Plan

• Break down big assignments into smaller sub-steps, and nest these under the big assignments on your checklist.
• Don’t forget to check off items when you complete them! It’ll feel super satisfying.

• Put a star next to your top items or highlight them.
• You can color code by priority, underlining the most pressing items in red, the moderately pressing ones in yellow, and the least urgent ones in green.
• If you’re having trouble determining a top priority, ask yourself, “If I only had time to complete one assignment, which one would it be?”

• If you need even more structure, you might schedule your workload by time of day (morning, afternoon, and evening) or even by the hour.
• Input your schedule into a planner or online calendar and refer to it regularly.
• Consider turning a weekend into a “Homework Retreat”. Schedule out an entire weekend to do the assignments you missed. However, don’t overstretch yourself, and make sure to schedule breaks, snacks and other things to keep you energized.

Being Productive

• Say to yourself, “I’ve got this. I’ve caught up on work in the past, and I can do it again.”
• It may help to do something fun before you buckle down, like going for ice cream with friends or taking your dog on a walk.

• You should do something completely unrelated to your work during your breaks. Look at funny memes, take a walk, grab a snack, or chat with a friend. [9] X Research source

• Make sure your rewards are appropriate. Don’t give yourself a huge reward for finishing a relatively small task, and don’t select an insignificant reward for a major task.
• Make your rewards meaningful, specific, and immediate. For example, you might reward yourself with a quick trip to your favorite restaurant for lunch.

• It's fun to laugh and joke with friends, but do your best not to get distracted. Take turns reminding each other to stay focused.

• Teens need around eight to ten hours of sleep each night. For better sleep , try to go to bed around the same time everyday. Staying up late on the weekends can hurt sleep quality. [13] X Research source
• Eat a balanced diet containing lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins, like chicken. Always eat breakfast, and drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated. [14] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source

• Do your best to balance your social life, extracurriculars, and schoolwork.

Expert Q&A

• Be honest with your teacher if you think a deadline is unreasonable. They may give you an extension once you explain your situation. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• If you have a ton of work to finish, it’s easy to get paralyzed. However, remember that it’s always better to work on something than nothing. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• If this missed work was avoidable, think about ways you can stay on top of your work in the future. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

• Cutting class can be tempting, especially for college students, but it can lead to hours of missed school work and stress down the line. Thanks Helpful 26 Not Helpful 2

You Might Also Like

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about catching up on school, check out our in-depth interview with Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. .

• ↑ http://www.students.org/2013/09/25/miss-day-school/
• ↑ https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/tips-help-child-get-back-track-missing-school/#.WXpe4DYqteB
• ↑ http://www.parents.com/kids/education/homework/catch-up-on-homework/
• ↑ http://time.com/2933971/how-to-motivate-yourself-3-steps-backed-by-science/
• ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-rule-of-52-and-17-its-random-but-it-ups-your-productivity
• ↑ https://hbr.org/2011/05/the-power-of-small-wins
• ↑ http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042814050009
• ↑ https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep
• ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/healthy-eating.htm

About This Article

If you’re behind on schoolwork and need to catch up quickly, start by creating a chart or checklist of the assignments you need to accomplish including their due dates. Next, use highlighters to color code the assignments by priority by underlining the most pressing items in red, moderately pressing ones in yellow, and the least urgent ones in green. Once you know what needs to be done, create a detailed schedule you can follow. Just don’t forget to give yourself time for a 20-minute break every hour or so. It might seem counter-intuitive, but rest actually increases productivity! For more tips on catching up on missed schoolwork, including how to approach the situation with a positive attitude, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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• Teaching Tips

Dealing With Students Missing Exams and In-Class Graded Assignments

Teachers often become more aware of students’ out-of-class activities than they might wish. Announcements and memos from the dean of students inform about sporting teams and their games and tournaments, forensics, service learning conferences, community-based work, and the like. And teachers quickly become familiar with student lifestyles and illnesses ¾ mono, strep throat, hangovers, the opening of deer and fishing seasons, quilting bees, family vacations, and their family mortality statistics. The relationship between exams and mandatory in-class work and the death of students’ cousins and grandparents is so high it should be a concern of the National Center for Disease Control. Given all this, it is a certainty that students will miss exams and other required activities. What is a teacher to do?

If you want to hear colleagues express frustration, ask them about make-up exams and assignments. Despite knowing intellectually that such absences will occur, teachers hope and pray, even in public institutions, that all of their students will take exams as scheduled. Alas, such prayers are rarely answered, and teachers are faced with the practical issues of keeping track of students who miss exams and assignments, as well as managing make-ups.

All of our advice, except that related to ethics, should be read through the filter of the type of institution where you teach, and the types of courses you teach and how large they are. For example, at a small liberal arts school, where teaching is a faculty member’s primary responsibility, more time may be spent with students who miss exams or assignments, and more creative (time consuming) alternatives may be practical as compared with someone teaching classes of 300 or 500 or more in a Research I institution.

Ethics Teachers are not to cause students harm; we must treat them fairly and equitably, and they must be allowed to maintain their dignity (Keith-Spiegel, Whitley, Balogh, Perkins, & Wittig, 2002). Whatever your procedures are for students who miss exams and required in-class work, they must be equitable, providing students equal chances to earn a good grade by demonstrating equal knowledge. The hard part may be balancing academic rigor and accountability for what students are to learn with a fair and manageable process for those who miss required exams and assignments.

Make-up Exams These should not be more difficult than the original test but must be, as best as you can design, alternate forms of the same exam. Exam banks that accompany texts make designing such alternate forms of multiple-choice tests relatively easy, and colleagues teaching two or more sections of the same course in a semester, who give alternate forms of exams, are often a good source of advice on this matter. Be thoughtful about the following:

• An essay make-up exam may be unethical if regular exams are multiple choice or short answer (or vice versa), since students must study differently and they may be more difficult.
• An oral exam may “punish” students who do not think well on their feet, or are more socially anxious.
• Scheduling make-up exams at inconvenient or undesirable times may express your frustration, but you or someone else will have to be there at the “inconvenient” time also, and such arrangements raise issues of foul play.
• It may be inequitable to students who meet all course requirements to allow their peers to do extra credit or drop their lowest grade instead of making up a missed exam.

In-class Assignments The same considerations exist for students who miss in-class required presentations, or other graded work. If possible, students who were to present should be given opportunities to make up the assignment using the same grading criteria.

Planning Ahead

Spell-out Missed Exam Procedure in Course Policies No matter how well you teach or what inducements or penalties you impose, some students will miss exams and required class activities. Good educational practice argues that you plan for this reality as you design your course, not two days before (or after) your first exam. You want as few surprises as possible once the course begins.

Put your policies in your syllabus. Have a section in your syllabus on exams and other graded work. Specify your policies and procedures if students know in advance they will be absent, or how to notify you if, for whatever reason, they were absent, and any effect, if any, absences will have on their grade.

Keep your policy clear and simple. Before finalizing your syllabus, ask a few students to read your make-up policy to determine if it can be easily understood. If your explanation of what students are to do in the case of missing an exam, and how their grade is affected, is not easily understood, revise it. In developing your policy, do you want students to:

• Notify you if they know they will miss, preferably at least 24 hours in advance, and give you the reason? Talking with you before or after class offers the best opportunity to provide feedback if the reason is questionable, to work out alternatives, and so forth. E-mail also can be useful.
• Notify you as soon as possible after missing an exam or required assignment and give the reason? Again, in person or e-mail work best.
• Present a letter from an authority (e.g., physician) documenting the reason? Keep in mind any student can “forge” such documentation or manipulate it in other ways, e.g., “Fred came to see me complaining of a severe headache.”
• Have their grades lowered if their absence is not “acceptable” (e.g., overslept versus seriously ill)? How will you decide what is acceptable? Our experience suggests that “legitimate” reasons for absence include, but are not limited to: illness of the student or a close relative, accident, court appearance, military duty, broken auto, hazardous weather, and university activities (e.g., athletics, forensics).

Policies should reflect the nature of the exam or graded assignment. If you are teaching an introductory course and each module largely stands alone, it may be appropriate for students to make up a missed exam late in the semester. But if you want students to demonstrate knowledge or competency on an exam or assignment because future course material builds on that which comes earlier, you want to give the students much less time to make up the missed work.

Common policies. A common procedure is for the teacher, teaching assistant, or departmental secretary to distribute and proctor make-up exams during prearranged times (Perlman&McCann, in press). You might also consider allowing students to take make-up exams during exam periods in other courses you are teaching.

Make your policies easy to implement. To maintain your sanity and keep your stress level manageable, you must be able to easily implement your policies. For example, even if you, a secretary, or a graduate student distribute and proctor make-up exams, problems can arise. For example:

• The secretary is ill or on vacation, or you are ill or have a conference to attend. You never want to change the time make-ups are available to students once these are listed in the course syllabus. Have backups available who know where make-up exams are stored, can access them, and can administer and proctor them.
• Too many students for the make-up space. Investigate room sizes and number of rooms available. You may need more than one room if some students have readers because of learning disabilities.
• Students often forget there is a common make-up the last week of the semester. Remind them often and announce this policy on class days when students are taking an exam, as this may be the only time some students who have missed a previous exam come to class.

Encourage appropriate, responsible, mature behaviors. Take the high road and let students know how they “should” behave. For example, one colleague includes this statement in the syllabus:

I expect students to make every effort to take required exams and make course presentations as scheduled. If you know in advance you will miss such a requirement, please notify me. If you are ill or other circumstances cause you to miss a required graded activity, notify me as soon as possible.

One of our colleagues states in her syllabus for a psychology of aging class, “It is very bad form to invent illnesses suffered by grandparents!” By giving students exemplars on how to behave appropriately, you can then thank them for their courtesy and maturity if they follow through, positively reinforcing such behaviors.

God lives in the details. Always err on the side of being “concrete.” If a make-up exam is at the university testing center, tell students where the testing center is. If you or a secretary hold make-up exams in an office, you may want to draw a map on how to get there. It is not uncommon for students to fail to find the office at the time of the exam, and wander around a large university building.

Students Who Miss Exams You have a variety of alternatives available on how to treat students who miss a scheduled exam. Select those that fit your course and the requirements of learning students must demonstrate.

Requiring make-up exams. If you collect all copies of your multiple choice or short answer exams, you may be able to use the same exam for make-ups. Our experience is that it is extremely rare that students deliberately miss an exam to have more time to study, whereas asking peers about specific exam questions more commonly occurs. Your experiences may be different. However, if you put exams on file at the university testing center, and students can take them weeks apart, you may want different forms. If you have concerns, you will need to prepare an equivalent, alternative form of the regular exam, as is often the case for essay tests.

Using procedures other than a make-up exam. Some faculty have students outline all text chapters required for an exam, use daily quiz scores to substitute for a missed exam, use the average of students’ exams to substitute for the one missed, score relevant questions on the comprehensive final to substitute for the missed test, or use a weighted score from the entire comprehensive final substituted for missed exam. Some teachers just drop one test grade without penalty (Buchanan&Rogers, 1990; Sleigh&Ritzer, 2001). Consider whether students will learn what you want from various alternatives and whether this work is equal to what students must demonstrate on exams before adopting such procedures. If your course contains numerous graded assignments of equal difficulty, and if it is equitable for students to choose to ignore a course module by not studying or taking the exam, you should consider this process.

Other teachers build extra credit into the course. They allow all students opportunities to raise their grades, offering a safety net of sorts for those who need to “make-up” a missed exam by doing “additional” assignments such as outlining unassigned chapters in the text.

Scheduling make-ups. Pick one or two times a week that are convenient for you, a department secretary, or teaching assistant, and schedule your make-ups then. Some faculty use a common time midway through the semester and at the end of the semester as an alternative.

Students Who Miss Other In-Class Assignments Allowing students to demonstrate learning on non-exam graded assignments can be tricky. Such assignments often measure different kinds of learning than exams: the ability to work in groups, critical thinking as demonstrated in a poster, or an oral presentation graded in part on professional use of language. But you do have some alternatives.

Keeping the required assignment the same. If the assignment is a large one and due near the end of the semester, consider using an “incomplete” grade for students who miss it. Alternatively, students can present their oral work or poster in another course you are teaching if the content is relevant and time allows it. The oral required assignment also can be delivered just to the teacher or videotaped or turned in on audiotape.

Alternative assignments. As with missed exams, you can weigh other assignments disproportionately to substitute for in-class graded work — by doubling a similar assignment if you have more than one during the semester, for example. The dilemma, of course, is not allowing students easy avenues to avoid a required module or assignment without penalty. For example, oral assignments can be turned in as written work, although this may negate some of the reasons for the assignment.

When we asked colleagues about alternatives for missed in-class graded assignments (as compared with exams), almost everyone cautioned against listing them in the course syllabus. They felt that students could then weigh the make-up assignment versus the original and choose the one that gave them the greatest chance of doing well, and also the least amount of anxiety (in-class presentations often make students nervous). They recommended simply telling students that arrangements would be made for those missing in-class required graded work on a case-by-case basis.

Students Who Miss the “Make-Up” On occasion, students will miss a scheduled make-up. Say something about this event in your syllabus, emphasizing the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor. We recommend that instructors reserve the right to lower a student’s grade by “x” number of points, or “x” letter grades. If you place exams at a university testing center, you may not find out the work has not been made up until the course is over, leaving you little choice but to give the student an “F” on that exam or assignment.

When the Whole Class Misses a Required Exam or Assignment On rare, but very memorable, occasions the entire class may miss an exam or assignment. For example, both authors have had the fire alarm go off during an exam. After a bomb threat cleared the building during his exam, the campus police actually contacted one author to identify whether a person caught on camera at a service station was a student calling in the bomb scare. (It was not.) The other author experienced the bomb squad closing a classroom building during finals week due to the discovery of old, potentially explosive, laboratory chemicals. Of course, the blizzard of the century or a flood might occur the night before your exam. What is a teacher to do?

The exam or graded assignment must be delayed. Prepare beforehand. Always build a make-up policy into your syllabus for the last exam or student presentation in a course. Talk with your department chair or dean about college or university policy. State that if weather or other circumstances force a make-up, it will occur at a certain time and place. This forethought is especially important if you teach at a northern institution where bad winter weather is not unusual. For exams and assignments during the semester, the policy that works best is to reschedule them (again, stating this in your syllabus) for the next regular class period. Call attention to this policy early in the semester, and post it on your course Web site. The last thing you want to do is call or e-mail everyone in the class to tell them an exam has been cancelled.

An exam or graded assignment is interrupted. Graded assignments such as oral presentations are easily handled. If time allows, continue after the interruption; if not, continue the next class period or during your designated “make-up” time.

If something interrupts an exam, ask students to leave their exams and answers on their desks or hand them in to you, take all personal materials, and leave immediately. A teacher can easily collect everything left in most classes in a few moments. Leave materials on desks if the class is large, or be the first person back to the room after the interruption. Fire alarms, bomb scares, and the like usually cause a lot of hubbub. Only if you have a lengthy two- or three-hour class, with time to allow students to collect themselves and refocus, and no concern about their comparing answers to questions during the delay, should the exam be continued that same day or evening.

If the interruption occurs late in the class period, you might tell students to turn in their work as they leave. You can then determine how you want to grade exams or the assignment, using pro-rated points or percentages, and assign grades accordingly.

If the interruption is earlier in the hour, the exam will have to be delayed, usually until the next class period. With a multiple-choice exam, we advise giving students the full (next) class period to finish their exams. If you are concerned about students comparing questions they have already answered, you will have to quickly develop an alternate exam.

A teacher’s decisions are more complicated if the exam is short answer or essay. Students may have skimmed all essay or short answer questions before an interruption. Will they prepare for those questions before the next class period? What if some students only read the first essay question but do not know the others they must answer? Preparing an alternate exam may be feasible, but students need to know you will do so, so they do not concentrate their studying on specific topics you will not ask about.

We know that such class interruptions are rare, but they can wreak havoc with students and teachers, be stressful, and raise issues of fairness that echo throughout the rest of the course. We advise teachers to talk with colleagues, and we have found a department brown bag on the topic fascinating. Your colleagues may have some creative and sound advice.

Summary A teacher needs to plan ahead. Take some time to think about what it means for you and students who miss required in-class work. A little preparation can save a lot of time and hassle later in the semester. Students deserve and will appreciate policies that are equitable and manageable.

Author’s Note: The authors are interested how teachers deal with missed or interrupted graded in-class work (and their horror stories). Contact us with your ideas and experiences at [email protected] .

References and Recommended Reading

• Buchanan, R. W., & Rogers, M. (1990). Innovative assessment in large classes. College Teaching, 38 , 69-74.
• Carper, S. W. (1995). Make-up exams: What’s a professor to do? Journal of Chemical Education, 72 , 883.
• Davis, B. G. (1993). Tools for teaching . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Keith-Spiegel, P., Whitley, B.G. E. Jr., Balogh, D. W., Perkins, D. V., & Wittig, A. F. (2002). The ethics of teaching: A casebook (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
• McKeachie, W. J. (2001). Teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (11th ed.) Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• Nilson, L. B. (2003). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors (2nd ed). Bolton, MA: Anker.
• Perlman, B., & McCann, L. I. (in press). Teacher evaluations of make-up exam procedures. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 3 (2).
• Sleigh, M. J., & Ritzer, D. R. (2001). Encouraging student attendance. APS Observer, 14 (9), pp. 19-20, 32.

Do you know of any research related to taking points off an exam for students who take a make-up for whatever reason? It is mentioned in this article but I’m interested in evidence to back up that it is fair and/or punitive in a college setting with adult learners. Thank you. Gerri Russell, MS, RN

I teach introductory nutrition and other biology classes. If a student can prove that they missed an exam or assignment for a verifiable reason, even if they let me know ahead of time (usually technology related reasons), I let them make it up without taking points off. If they can’t prove it I take off points as follows: 10% off per day late during the first week after the assignment is due. Half credit earned after that. Even if they know there are always students who just miss things for no apparent good reason. I feel like this is fair because it gives them the responsibility for making it up, and I’d rather people become familiar with the material, rather than just not do it at all.

I think that the mid semester tests must be abolished from all colleges/universities in order to let them prepare for the final exams without any pressure of getting grades,this will not give rise to any decompetition then,so I personally feel that my suggestion will be very useful I want everyone to obey that

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About the Author

BARON PERLMAN is editor of "Teaching Tips." A professor in the department of psychology, distinguished teacher, and University and Rosebush Professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in the department of psychology, he has taught psychology for 29 years. He continues to work to master the art and craft of teaching. LEE I. MCCANN is co-editor of "Teaching Tips." A professor in the department of psychology and a University and Rosebush Professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, he has taught psychology for 38 years. He has presented numerous workshops on teaching and psychology curricula, his current research interests.

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Privacy Overview

Make up Assignment: Understanding, Guidelines, and Ethical Considerations

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Did you know that nearly 40% of students miss assignments at some point during their academic journey? Falling behind in coursework can be overwhelming, but fear not! If you’re searching for a solution to catch up on missed work, look no further. We have the perfect remedy: make-up assignments. Whether you’re a student seeking guidance or an educator looking for strategies to support your students, this article has got you covered.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding makeup assignments is crucial for students who have missed assignments due to various reasons, as it allows them to catch up on their work and maintain their academic progress.
• Correct usage of terms related to makeup assignments, such as “makeup work” or “alternative assignments,” helps ensure clear communication between students and teachers.
• Ethical considerations should be taken into account when assigning makeup work, such as ensuring fairness and avoiding penalizing students for circumstances beyond their control.
• Critical thinking skills play a vital role in designing effective makeup assignments that encourage students to engage with the material and demonstrate their understanding.
• Following guidelines for makeup assignments, such as setting reasonable deadlines and providing necessary resources, can help both students and teachers navigate the process smoothly.
• Managing missed assignments requires open communication between students and teachers, as well as proactive planning to prevent further delays or disruptions in learning.
• Specialized makeup assignments can be tailored to meet the unique needs of individual students, taking into account their strengths, weaknesses, and learning preferences.
• Digital and virtual makeup assignments offer flexible alternatives for students to complete missed work, leveraging technology to bridge the gap between in-person and remote learning environments.

Understanding Makeup Assignments

Makeup assignments are additional tasks given to students who have missed or failed a previous assignment. These assignments provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the material they missed and catch up on any missed work.

The importance of makeup assignments cannot be overstated. They allow students to make up for missed work and avoid falling behind in their studies. By completing makeup assignments, students can learn from their mistakes and improve their understanding of the subject matter. This can positively impact their overall academic performance.

In academic settings, such as schools and universities, makeup assignments are commonly used to ensure that students have a chance to complete missed work. Academic institutions often have specific policies and guidelines regarding makeup assignments, including deadlines and requirements. The format of these assignments may vary, ranging from written essays to presentations or practical demonstrations.

Physical education classes also utilize makeup assignments when students miss classes due to illness or other reasons. In these cases, makeup assignments may involve completing physical exercises or participating in alternative activities that focus on specific skills covered during the missed class.

Similarly, in music performance classes, makeup assignments may involve practicing and performing a piece of music that was missed during a scheduled rehearsal or lesson. Music teachers assign these tasks to help students catch up on practice time and continue developing their musical skills.

Correct Usage of Terms

Makeup vs make-up vs make up.

It’s important to understand the differences between “makeup,” “make-up,” and “make up.” Each spelling has its own meaning and usage.

Firstly, “makeup” is the correct spelling when referring to cosmetics or the act of applying cosmetics. For example, when talking about a person’s beauty routine or discussing different types of makeup products, we use this term.

Secondly, “make-up” is an alternative spelling for “makeup.” It can also refer to cosmetics or the act of applying them. The only difference here is that there is a hyphen between “make” and “up.” This form is more commonly used in British English.

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Lastly, “make up” without a hyphen is a verb phrase that means to reconcile, compensate, or create something. For instance, if two friends have an argument but later make amends and become friends again, they have made up.

Contextual Differences

The context in which these spellings are used determines their meaning and usage. While American English tends to use the closed form “makeup,” with no space or hyphen between the words, British English often uses “make-up.”

Understanding these contextual differences is crucial for accurate communication. Using the wrong spelling can lead to confusion or misinterpretation.

Ethical Considerations

Make up assignments are an important tool that promotes fairness in education. They provide students with the opportunity to make up for missed work due to valid reasons, such as illness or personal circumstances. By offering make up assignments, educators ensure that all students have equal chances to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

Fairness in make up assignments also involves setting clear guidelines and deadlines for completion. This ensures that students understand what is expected of them and have a fair chance to catch up on missed work. For example, if a student misses a test due to illness, they can be given the opportunity to take the test at a later date.

Accountability

Make up assignments play a crucial role in fostering accountability among students. When students miss work, it is their responsibility to communicate with their teachers about the missed assignments and make arrangements for completing make-up tasks.

By holding students accountable for completing missed work, educators teach them valuable life skills such as time management and organizational skills. Students learn how to prioritize their responsibilities and meet deadlines even when faced with challenges or setbacks.

For instance, if a student misses several class sessions due to an extracurricular commitment, they are still responsible for catching up on the material covered during those sessions through assigned readings or additional assignments.

Completing make-up assignments requires integrity from students. They are expected to approach these tasks honestly and independently without resorting to plagiarism or any form of academic dishonesty.

Upholding integrity in make-up assignments ensures that the work submitted by students reflects their true understanding and abilities. It allows educators to assess each student’s individual progress accurately while maintaining academic standards across the board.

Critical Thinking in Assignments

Analyzing tasks.

Students need to approach them with critical thinking skills. The first step is to carefully review the instructions and requirements provided by their teachers. By analyzing the tasks, students can identify the key concepts or skills covered in the missed assignment.

Analyzing tasks involves determining the best approach to complete the make up task. For example, if a student missed a math assignment on fractions, they would need to understand the basic concepts of fractions and apply them correctly in their make up work. This requires careful analysis and understanding of what was taught during that particular lesson.

Sometimes, analyzing make up tasks may require additional clarification or guidance from teachers or classmates. If there are any doubts or uncertainties about how to proceed with a make up assignment, students should not hesitate to seek help from their teacher or ask for further explanation from their peers who attended the original class.

Creative Solutions

In addition to analytical thinking, creative solutions can also play a role when designing make up assignments . Teachers have the flexibility to offer alternative formats or methods for completing these assignments based on individual student needs.

For instance, if a student has difficulty expressing themselves through written essays but excels in visual arts, an alternative option could be creating an artwork that demonstrates their understanding of a specific topic covered in class. This allows students with different learning styles and abilities to showcase their knowledge effectively.

Encouraging creative solutions in make up assignments fosters flexibility among students as they are given opportunities beyond traditional assessment methods. It promotes engagement by allowing each student’s unique strengths and interests to shine through while still meeting educational objectives.

Guidelines for Makeup Assignments

Submission rules.

Make up assignments often come with specific submission rules that students need to follow. These rules may include deadlines, file formats, or platforms for submission. It is crucial for students to carefully read and understand the submission guidelines provided by their teachers. By doing so, they can ensure that their make up assignments are accepted without any issues.

Failure to adhere to the submission rules may result in penalties or even disqualification of the make up assignment. For example, if a student misses the deadline or submits their work in an incorrect format, it could lead to a deduction in marks or rejection of the assignment altogether.

To avoid such consequences, students should take note of important details like due dates and preferred file formats when submitting their make up assignments. They should also double-check if there are any additional instructions regarding where and how to submit their work.

For instance, let’s say a student missed an exam due to illness and needs to complete a makeup assignment instead. The teacher might specify that the assignment must be submitted via email as a PDF document within 48 hours of receiving it. In this case, following these specific instructions becomes essential for successfully completing the makeup assignment.

Grading Criteria

The grading criteria for make up assignments typically align with the requirements and rubrics of the original assignment. Students should familiarize themselves with these grading criteria provided by their teachers so they can understand how their makeup assignments will be evaluated.

Clear grading criteria help students focus on meeting necessary expectations and improving their performance on makeup assignments. By understanding what aspects will be assessed—such as content knowledge, critical thinking skills, organization—they can tailor their efforts accordingly.

For example, if an original essay required strong evidence from credible sources as part of its grading criteria, then this requirement would likely carry over into its makeup version as well. Students would need to demonstrate research skills by incorporating reliable sources into both versions of the essay.

Managing Missed Assignments

Students can employ various strategies to ensure they complete the tasks effectively and efficiently. One helpful strategy is creating a schedule. By breaking down the assignment into smaller parts and setting achievable goals, students can better manage their time and avoid feeling overwhelmed. For example, if a student has missed multiple assignments in different subjects, they can allocate specific time slots for each task throughout the week.

Another strategy is seeking clarification from teachers. If students have any questions or uncertainties about the make up assignment, it’s important to reach out to their teachers for guidance. Teachers are there to support their students and provide necessary explanations or additional resources that may be needed.

Peer support can also play a significant role in managing make up assignments. Collaborating with classmates who have completed similar tasks or forming study groups can help alleviate stress and promote learning through shared knowledge and experiences.

Developing effective study habits is another valuable strategy for successfully completing make up assignments. This includes finding a quiet and comfortable study environment, minimizing distractions, taking regular breaks, and utilizing effective note-taking techniques.

Seeking feedback from teachers is essential as well. By submitting drafts or progress updates of their make up assignments, students can receive constructive criticism that will guide them towards improvement.

Specialized Makeup Assignments

Makeup assignments are not limited to just academic subjects; they can also be found in various specialized fields. Let’s explore some examples of specialized makeup assignments in different areas.

Beauty and Fashion

In beauty and fashion courses, makeup assignments go beyond simply applying cosmetics. Students may be tasked with creating unique makeup looks, analyzing current trends, or researching different cosmetic products. These assignments allow students to showcase their understanding of various makeup techniques, color theory, and historical influences within the beauty and fashion industry. By completing these tasks, students not only develop their creativity but also acquire skills that are highly relevant to the field.

Sports and Health

Makeup assignments in sports and health classes focus on a wide range of topics related to physical fitness, nutrition, injury prevention, and sports psychology. For instance, students might design personalized fitness plans tailored to specific individuals or analyze dietary habits for optimal performance. These assignments encourage students to apply theoretical knowledge from class into practical situations while promoting a holistic approach to well-being.

Arts and Music

In arts and music classes, makeup assignments offer opportunities for creative expression through various mediums such as visual art or music composition. Students may create artworks that demonstrate technical skills or compose original pieces of music that reflect their interpretive abilities. They might analyze artistic movements or engage in critical thinking exercises related to the arts. These make up tasks enable students to nurture their creativity while catching up on missed artistic experiences.

Overall, specialized makeup assignments provide valuable learning experiences by allowing students to delve deeper into specific subject areas outside traditional academic coursework.

Digital and Virtual Assignments

Online activity logs.

Online activity logs serve as a convenient platform for tracking and documenting make up assignments completed by students. These logs allow teachers to monitor the progress of students who are catching up on missed work. By requiring students to submit evidence of their completed make up assignments through online activity logs, teachers can verify that the tasks have been properly completed.

For example, if a student misses a class due to illness or other reasons, they can use an online activity log to record their completion of the assigned work. This could include submitting written responses, completing quizzes or tests, or even participating in online discussions related to the missed material.

Not only do online activity logs provide an efficient way for teachers to keep track of make up assignments, but they also offer accountability for students. By having their work documented in an online log, students are more likely to stay on top of their make up assignments and complete them in a timely manner.

Digital Submission Platforms

Digital submission platforms streamline the process of submitting make up assignments electronically. Students can easily upload their completed tasks onto these designated platforms chosen by their teachers.

These digital submission platforms not only simplify the assignment submission process but also facilitate efficient communication between teachers and students regarding make up assignment submissions. Teachers can provide feedback directly on submitted work through these platforms, making it easier for both parties involved.

For instance, if a student has questions about how to complete a specific task for his/her makeup assignment, he/she can reach out directly to the teacher via these digital submission platforms without any hassle.

In conclusion, understanding makeup assignments is crucial for both students and educators. By correctly using the terms and considering ethical implications, you can foster a fair and inclusive learning environment. Encouraging critical thinking in assignments helps students develop valuable skills that will benefit them beyond the classroom. Following the guidelines for makeup assignments ensures consistency and fairness, while managing missed assignments effectively supports student success.

Specialized makeup assignments provide opportunities for individualized learning, while digital and virtual assignments offer flexibility and accessibility. By implementing these strategies, you can enhance the learning experience and cater to diverse student needs. Remember, makeup assignments are not just about catching up on missed work; they are an opportunity for growth and development.

So, take charge of your learning journey and embrace the power of makeup assignments. By doing so, you’ll not only improve your academic performance but also cultivate essential skills that will serve you well in the future. Keep exploring new ways to engage with makeup assignments and make the most out of every opportunity to learn and grow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i understand makeup assignments better.

Makeup assignments are a way to catch up on missed work. To comprehend them better, read the blog post “Understanding Makeup Assignments.” It provides insights into their purpose, benefits, and how they differ from regular assignments.

What should I consider when using terms related to makeup assignments?

To ensure accurate communication, refer to the blog post “Correct Usage of Terms.” It outlines key terminology associated with makeup assignments and explains their proper usage. This will help avoid confusion and promote clear understanding among students and instructors.

Are there ethical considerations regarding makeup assignments?

Yes, ethical considerations play an important role in implementing makeup assignments. The blog post “Ethical Considerations” dives deeper into this topic by discussing fairness, integrity, and guidelines for both students and educators when dealing with makeup work.

How can critical thinking be incorporated into makeup assignments?

Critical thinking is essential for academic growth. The blog post “Critical Thinking in Assignments” explores strategies for integrating critical thinking skills within makeup tasks. By doing so, you can enhance your analytical abilities while completing these alternative assessments.

Where can I find guidelines for handling missed assignments effectively?

For comprehensive guidance on managing missed work efficiently, refer to the blog post titled “Guidelines for Makeup Assignments.” It offers practical tips such as setting deadlines, communicating with instructors promptly, and organizing your priorities effectively.

Can specialized fields benefit from customized makeup assignments?

Absolutely! Specialized fields require tailored approaches to address missed coursework adequately. Discover more about this topic by reading the blog post called “Specialized Makeup Assignments,” which highlights examples of subject-specific alternatives designed to meet unique learning objectives.

How do digital and virtual platforms facilitate makeup assignment completion?

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Sample Email To Professor To Request Make Up Exam

• January 17, 2023
• Academic Emails

You missed that important exam due to an emergency and would like to ask the professor for the opportunity to take a make-up test.

This is your first time, and hopefully last time, you’re making such a request and you aren’t sure how to phrase it, to hopefully increase your chances of a positive response.

But don’t worry as we’ve got you covered. This article provides some templates that you can easily modify for the purpose as well as a few tips to keep in mind when emailing a professor.

Use Proper Title

Use school email, formal tone, correct grammar, identify yourself, clear and brief, explain your situation, don’t forget attachment, wait patiently, clear subject line, end formally, school website, course overview (lms), course syllabus, other students, template 1: request make-up exam for already completed exam, template 2: requesting make-up exam for already completed exam, template 3: requesting make-up for an exam you will miss, tips for emailing professors.

Let’s first take a look at a few things to keep in mind when you’re contacting your professor.

Find out their official titles before you send the email. If they don’t yet have the title “professor” you should use the appropriate title “Dr”.

On the other hand, if they have the title “professor”, you should use the appropriate title. Professors go through a lot of trouble to acquire their titles. They would appreciate that you’re appreciating their titles.

Examples: Dear Professor {{ Last name }} Dear Dr. {{ Last name }}

Every tertiary institution provides its faculty and students with official email addresses. If you don’t know the professor’s email address, we’ll show you how to find it later.

Keep in mind that your professor may not respond if you send them an email using your personal email or if you simply send it to their personal emails.

Using your school email also ensures that the professor will get the mail as your personal email may end up blocked by spam filters.

Some professors also try to ensure there’s a balance between their personal lives and work. Any work-related emails, especially from students, to their personal emails would simply be ignored.

So, if you want them to receive and read your email, you should make sure that you use your school email.

When emailing your professor, it’s important to keep it professional. No matter how close you are to someone, you should avoid using any kind of informal language.

Emojis and other terminology that you typically use with friends should be avoided. The professor would merely become irritated.

The professor might interpret it as a sign of disrespect. You should be aware that this email is accessible to the school, and that they control it.

Therefore, any signs of overfriendliness between faculty and students could raise red flags. Unless the professor specifically instructs you to use informal language, always use formal language in any official email discussion between yourself and the professor.

If you are aware that your writing isn’t the best, ask a fellow student for assistance or use software like Grammarly to help you.

Since it’s just an email, professors anticipate that tertiary students will have basic writing abilities.

Your email will become difficult to read if there are too many grammatical errors, which will only irritate your readers.

Using tools like Grammarly would be helpful but you should keep in mind that they aren’t perfect. It is advisable to review your email once more before sending it.

Professors dislike entitled students and would most likely just ignore any emails from them. So, you should always strive to be polite in your email to the professor.

It doesn’t matter how you may feel about the professor, you should be polite in your emails. Do not presume that they would stop everything they’re doing just to accommodate you.

Students sometimes believe professors are being paid by their school fees so they’re entitled to certain things. Avoid sounding like that, if you don’t want to get on the professor’s bad side.

The professor may not remember every one of their students. Don’t take it personal. Professors may teach multiple classes and may not be able to remember every student.

You don’t want to give them additional work to do by not identifying yourself. No professor wants to spend the next 30 minutes looking through their student list to identify who you may be.

Either identify yourself in the introduction of the email or include it in the email signature. You can also do both to make things easier.

This isn’t the time to show the professor how verbose you may be. You may have the time to do that but that doesn’t mean the professor does. Avoid writing long emails to the professor if you want them to read through it all.

Professors receive multiple emails from students, other staff members, publications, and more. Don’t make things difficult for them by writing lengthy emails. Shorten the email as much as possible while also maintaining a polite tone.

If you need them to do something for you, ensure that you specify this in the email. You don’t want them to spend the next 30 minutes thinking about all the other options and whether it’ll be convenient for you.

Any back-and-forth emails may end up making them lose interest. So, if you have an idea what you need from them, politely explain it in the email. Try not to sound entitled in any way.

If you’ve already discussed what you need with the professor, you can simply remind them of the discussion in a few words.

Don’t forget to attach any necessary documents if necessary. Confirm this before you send the email. I can’t tell the number of times I’ve sent an email simply to receive a response that I neglected to attach the necessary documents.

The professor may simply ignore the email if you don’t include any necessary attachments. So, it’s advisable to always double-check to ensure that the email has successfully been attached before pressing the send button.

Avoid bombarding them with reminders or you can get blocked. If it has been more than 24 hours since they responded, you can send them a reminder.

Remember that some professors might not check their work emails on weekends and holidays. You must therefore be patient.

If you haven’t heard from them in a while, you can also go to their office. If you are going to give them reminders, you should be careful how frequently you do so.

Don’t wait till the last minute to contact the professor. If you know beforehand that you won’t be able to make it for the exam, you should bring this to their attention.

If you miss the exam, you can alert them as soon as you can. Don’t wait till weeks after the exams to request a makeup test. They’d most likely ignore you if you wait too long.

Don’t forget to include a subject in your email if you want a response. Professors receive loads of emails daily and subject lines help them identify urgent emails so they can quickly respond.

It makes it easy for them to understand the content of your email without spending too much time reading the full body of your email, which saves them a lot of time.

Example: Request for Make-Up Exam

Thank them for their time and consideration as you close the email. If you didn’t specify them in the email’s introduction, provide your full name, class, and section information.

Example : Thank you Sincerely {{ Your full name }} {{ Class and Section }}

How To Find Your Professor’s Email

So how do you find the professor’s email address if this is the first time, you’re reaching out to them?

Check your faculty page on the school website. These pages usually include information about professors including their official contact information.

If your school uses some form of learning management system (LMS) you can check the course overview page for the professor’s assigned course.

You’ll find the professor’s official contact details on the course overview pages.

You can also check out the professor’s syllabus for their contact information. You’ll usually find the professor’s contact information as well as their attendance policies on the course syllabus.

You’re most likely not the only student who had to email the professor at some point. So, you can ask your classmates for the professor’s email.

Even if none of them has it, you can be sure that someone will provide some advice on where they may have seen it along the line.

Sample Email To Professor Asking For Make-Up Exam

Email Subject Request For Make-Up Exam

Email Subject  Request For Make-Up Exam

Hi there and welcome to UnitWriter. My name's Chris, an expert in crafting effective email templates for all occasions. I created this blog to share my knowledge, by offering tips and templates to help get you started on your emails. Hope it's been helpful

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• Create assignments

Create an assignment

This article is for teachers.

When you create an assignment, you can post it immediately, save a draft or schedule it to post at a later date. After students have completed and handed in their work, you can mark and return it to the students.

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Create and post assignments

When you create an assignment, you can:

• Select one or more classes

Select individual students

Add a mark category, add a marking period, change the point value, add a due date or time, add a topic, add attachments, add a rubric.

• Turn on originality reports

Go to classroom.google.com  and click Sign in.

Sign in with your Google Account. For example,  [email protected] or [email protected] .  Learn more .

• Enter the title and any instructions.

You can continue to edit and customise your assignment. Otherwise, if you're ready, see below to post, schedule or save your assignment .

Select additional classes

Assignments to multiple classes go to all of the students in those classes.

• Create an assignment (details above).

Unless you're selecting multiple classes, you can select individual students. You can't select more than 100 students at a time.

• Click a student's name to select them.

Use mark categories to organise assignments. With mark categories, you and your students can see the category an assignment belongs to, such as Homework or Essays . Teachers also see the categories on the Marks page.

For more information on mark categories, go to Add a mark category to posts or Set up marking .

To organise assignments and marks into your school or district's marking structure, create marking periods, such as quarters or terms.

• From the menu, select a marking period.

Tip: Before adding a marking period to an assignment, create a marking period for the class first. Learn how to create or edit marking periods .

You can change the point value of an assignment or make the assignment unmarked. By default, assignments are set at 100 points.

• Under Points , click the value.
• Enter a new point value or select Unmarked .

By default, an assignment has no due date. To set a due date:

• Click a date on the calendar.
• To create a topic, click Create topic and enter a topic name.
• Click a topic in the list to select it.

Note : You can only add one topic to an assignment.

Learn more about how to add topics to the Classwork page .

• Create an assignment.

• Important: Google Drive files can be edited by co-teachers and are view-only for students. To change these share options, you can stop, limit or change sharing .

• To add YouTube videos, an admin must turn on this option. Learn about access settings for your Google Workspace for Education account .
• You can add interactive questions to YouTube video attachments. Learn how to add interactive questions to YouTube video attachments .

• Tip: When you attach a practice set to an assignment, you can't edit it.

• If you see a message stating that you don't have permission to attach a file, click Copy . Classroom makes a copy of the file to attach to the assignment and saves it to the class Drive folder.
• Students can view file – All students can read the file, but not edit it.
• Students can edit file – All students share the same file and can make changes to it.

Note : This option is only available before you post an assignment.

Use an add-on

For instructions, go to Use add-ons in Classroom

For instructions, go to Create or reuse a rubric for an assignment .

For instructions, go to Turn on originality reports .

You can post an assignment immediately or schedule it to be posted later. If you don't want to post it yet, you can save it as a draft. To see scheduled and drafted assignments, click Classwork .

Post an assignment

• Follow the steps above to create an assignment.
• Click Assign to immediately post the assignment.

Schedule the assignment to be posted later

Scheduled assignments might be delayed by up to five minutes after the post time.

• To schedule the same assignment across multiple classes, make sure that you select all of the classes that you want to include.
• When you enter a time, Classroom defaults to p.m. unless you specify a.m.
• (Optional) Select a due date and topic for each class.
• (Optional) To replicate your selected time and date for the first class into all subsequent classes, click Copy settings to all .
• Click Schedule . The assignment will automatically post on the scheduled date, at the scheduled time.

After scheduling multiple assignments at once, you can still edit assignments later by clicking into each class and changing them individually.

Save an assignment as a draft

• Follow the steps above to create an assignment

You can open and edit draft assignments on the Classwork page.

Manage assignments

Edits affect individual classes. For multi-class assignments, make edits in each class.

Note : If you change an assignment's name, the assignment's Drive folder name isn't updated. Go to Drive and rename the folder.

Edit a posted assignment

• Enter your changes and click Save .

Edit a scheduled assignment

• Enter your changes and click Schedule .

Edit a draft assignment

Changes are automatically saved.

• Assign it immediately (details above).
• Schedule it to be posted on a specific date, at a specific time (details above).
• Click a class.

You can only delete an assignment on the Classwork page.

If you delete an assignment, all of the marks and comments related to the assignment are deleted. However, any attachments or files created by you or the students are still available in Drive.

Related articles

• Create or reuse a rubric for an assignment
• Create a quiz assignment
• Create a question
• Use add-ons in Classroom
• Create, edit, delete or share a practice set
• Learn about interactive questions for YouTube videos in Google Classroom

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