Projects or school assignments take different forms and the detailed process of how to create a successful school assignment varies depending on the type of assignment and the class you are taking. However, there are general steps that you can follow in order to complete the task successfully. You need to choose a topic and plan your project then do your research. At the end, put them all together to produce a final project.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Determining the Project Type
Step 1. Start early
Do your homework as soon as the teacher asks you to do it. The teacher gives a long time because the task does require a lot of time. When you start well in advance, you'll have enough time to finish. That way, you don't have to rush things the night before.
Step 2. Read your assignment
Your assignment will give you detailed instructions on what to do. Get rid of things that distract you and read your assignments well. If your teacher hasn't done so already, break through the project components to better understand your teacher's requests.
- For example, your assignment might be “Making a visual depiction of the Civil War in the United States. Choose a war, an idea, a speech, an important event, or describe the war as a whole. Include relevant dates and figures in your assignment.”
- You can divide this task into several parts: 1) Create a visual display of the Civil War. 2) Select a specific focus. 3) Enter the relevant date. 4) Include relevant figures.
Step 3. Share your ideas
Brainstorming or brainstorming is a way to write down ideas. In essence, you take the time to write down what you want to do and connect ideas to stimulate your creativity. This will help you concentrate on what you want to do and come up with new ideas. You can brainstorm using several techniques.
- Try free-writing. Take a piece of paper. At the top, write “Civil War Project.” Start writing about your project. Don't stop or throw ideas away. Let any ideas come. For example, you might write, “In my opinion, one of the most important moments in the Civil War was the Gettysburg Address or the Gettysburg Speech. It's pretty obvious that fighting is all about equality, but I now have to convey it in a visual way. “Fourscore and seven years ago …” Maybe I could use speech lines? Connecting ideas in speech to events in war…”
- Try using a map. Start with a circle in the middle of the page that says “Civil War Project”. Make circles containing facts or ideas and connect them with lines. Keep coming up with related ideas, no need to think too deep. Group closely related ideas together. When you're done, look at the largest group and let this group of ideas direct your focus.
Step 4. Select a specific focus
Choosing a broad topic, such as the Civil War as a whole, is interesting, but it's easier if you choose a narrower topic. A broad topic will immerse you in too much detail.
- The best way to choose a topic is to choose the focus you found in the brainstorming process. For example, you might find the Gettysburg Speech a good focal point.
- However, if your chosen topic is still too broad, such as “battles in the Civil War”, try selecting one aspect of the topic. You can choose a battle that you consider important or a specific aspect of the battle, such as soldier fatigue during the war.
Step 5. Decide how you want to present your project
If your project is visual, like the example in this article, think about the best way to convey your idea. If you want to tell about important events, a visual timeline might be the best choice. If your topic has to do with geographic location, such as where a battle takes place, a map with additional details is a good choice. Use the most appropriate visual tool to tell your topic.
- You can even create three-dimensional objects instead of choosing a two-dimensional project. Create a three-dimensional battle map that tells the movement of troops.
- Or, you can make props using paper pulp. Make a statue of Abraham Lincoln and use the writing that comes out of his body to write your story.
Part 2 of 4: Planning a Project
Step 1. Make a sketch
After deciding how you will create your project, sketch the project. Decide where you will place your ideas and how you will use props for each idea you have. Also determine what information you need to complete your project as this will make the research process easier. Outline the things you need to find.
- To make an outline, start with the topic you choose. Maybe your choice is the Gettysburg Speech. Write at the top.
- After that, create a subtitle. Your subtitles include “Background of the Speech”, “Location of the Speech”, and “Impact of the Speech.”
- Under the subtitle, write the general information you need. For example, under “Background for Speech”, you need information about the date, the battles that took place before the speech, and why Lincoln delivered the speech.
Step 2. Make a list of the ingredients you need
Before starting, make a list of the materials you need, from research materials to craft materials. Group them by where you're looking for them, such as your home, library, and shop.
Step 3. Divide your time
Set small targets in completing the project. Break up your project into smaller parts, such as “gathering materials,” “performing speech research,” writing project text,” and “completing the project as a whole.”
- Make allocations and deadlines for each section. Countdown from the deadline given by the teacher. For example, if you have 4 weeks to complete your project, let's say you spend the last week painting and finishing the whole project. The week before, write the text for your project. The week before again, do some research. In the first week, make your plan and gather the materials needed.
- If needed, divide again into smaller parts. For example, “doing speech research” might have to be divided into days.
Step 4. Gather the required materials
Take the time to gather the materials you need from various places. Ask your parents to drive you if you are not allowed to drive. Place the materials where you will create your project.
Part 3 of 4: Doing Research
Step 1. Determine what kind of research material you need
Determine the most appropriate data type for your project. For historical projects, for example, scientific books and articles are appropriate. You can read newspaper articles that can give you an idea of what happened at that time as well as the writings of famous people.
Step 2. Determine how many resources you need
If you're doing an in-depth project at university, you'll need more resources than when you were doing a project in middle school. For a college project, you may need eight to ten resources or more while for a junior high school project, one or two books will suffice.
Step 3. Use the library
The librarian can guide you in finding the most appropriate electronic database to get the material you need. For example, you can use a book catalog to find the right books. However, you may have to use the article database to find scientific articles. This search is performed on a different page.
- When using an article database, limit your search by selecting only relevant databases. For example, platforms like EBSCOhost have various databases built into them and you can limit your search by selecting databases that are relevant to the topic you are working on, such as databases that have a focus on history.
- You can also do research using the archives of certain newspapers. Some newspapers provide free access, others may charge a fee.
Step 4. Narrow down your material
After getting the material, you have to choose which material is really relevant. Sometimes an article or book that sounds relevant doesn't actually have as much benefit as you think.
Step 5. Record and cite sources
Make notes related to your topic. Take notes in detail, but try to use your own words. As you take notes, don't forget to write down the bibliographical information of the source.
- Write down the full name of the author, title of the book, edition, date of publication, city of publication, title and author of the chapters in the book if any, and the page number where you found the information.
- For articles, note the full name of the author, the title of the article and journal, the volume and issue number (if applicable), the page number of the entire article, the page number where you found the information, and the digital identification number (DOI) which is usually listed on the catalog description page.
Part 4 of 4: Creating Projects
Step 1. Write your text
There will be some text in your project to represent your idea. In your sketch, identify where you want the text to be. Use your research to write the text, but write it in your own words. Make sure you cite your sources which means you tell where you got your information from.
- Your teacher should give you instructions on how to quote and what guidelines you should follow.
- If you don't know how to write using the guide, try using an online resource like Purdue's Online Writing Lab. This site provides information on commonly used citation styles.
Step 2. Paint or draw your project
If you are making art, start painting or drawing parts of it. If you're using papier-mâché, start making your sculpture. If you're designing using a computer, start creating your work by collecting the images you'll be using.
Step 3. Complete your project
Write or type your text. Do the finishing touches for the visual parts. Glue the project parts together if needed to form a complete project. Use the sketch to guide you through the project.
- Before handing it in, make sure you've done everything the teacher asked you to do.
- If you missed something, try adding it even if you have a little time left.
