Why Am I Struggling with My Assignments? 5 Common Problems and Solutions

Struggling with Assignments? 5 Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Struggling with your assignment? We already know this. Given that assignments are a crucial part of your academic journey, you struggle with them.

Why has this become a common problem among students?

• Time issues
• Procrastination
• Lack of interest

Other than this, many major problems are available. Some of these are discussed. Along with that, solutions by experts are also being provided.

Lack of conceptual knowledge

Is your conceptual knowledge weak? Don't worry, it is a major problem being faced by every second student. As we know, different subjects have distinct difficult topics. Every topic has its own difficulties that need varied skills to solve the problem. But due to a lack of understanding of the topic and conceptual knowledge, you find it challenging to do so.

Some topics include real-world applications. This is the situation when you have to think outside the box and find solutions to such intricate work. They would need strong analytical skills and critical thinking power. You are not professionals, of course, and you are in your learning process, so you often lack these skills.

How do you overcome this?

As we discussed above, one of the major issues you face while working on your assignment is a lack of conceptual knowledge. So, to get a grip on the same, ask yourself which topics are troubling you the most. Then, try to break the problem into smaller parts and simplify it. Honestly, this is the best way to understand difficult concepts.

When you break the problem into simplified examples, it becomes easier for you to deal with the concepts. Also, you can relate them to real-life situations to know how it is practically used. Besides this, you can use visuals and diagrams to make learning more enjoyable.

So now you have several ways through which you can improve your conceptual understanding. Don't simply sit and read; use them and enhance your knowledge for completing your assignment.

Poor research skills

We know research is something that is troubling you, as collecting information and then analysing it demands a lot of effort. You might get confused and end up landing on sources that are not relevant to you. That's why research becomes an obstacle when you start preparing your project.

Moreover, finding relevant and credible information from thousands of available sources is a challenging thing. It is even more difficult to pick the best of the bunch. There are a vast number of references available, and you do not have the key to reliable sources like journals, articles, academic books, etc. You are not even aware of how to use an academic database for your research.

How do you strengthen your research?

To cope with this issue, first develop a research strategy document. In that document, mention all the key elements, like:

• Research goals
• Research deadline
• Findings of your research
• Outline of the major outcome
• Another thing that you can use is to try to avoid doing research from search engines and rather use library resources. This ensures the quality of information.
• To conduct good research, develop analytical skills for analysing and synthesising the information.
• Always try to mention related facts and information that adheres to the topic of your assignment. Also, avoid confirmation bias.

Time management

Managing time is obviously an issue that leaves you overwhelmed. Handling assignments while studying is tough. Various activities like lectures, extracurriculars, training programs, and personal commitments leave no time for any other task.

Creating a balance between them is a tricky part that you may find challenging to deal with. This makes ‘deadlines turn progress into pressure.’ Mentioned below are some major reasons that students face due to which they are unable to manage their time.

Now, how do you manage time?

Managing time is a difficult task, so to make it easier, some time management techniques are being introduced. Commonly used techniques are:

• Prioritization: This is a very useful technique for managing your time. In this, you have to identify the most important task on which you have to focus more. Make sure to categorise the task based on its urgency and importance.
• Time blocking: Time blocking is a commonly used technique in which you divide your day into time slots. Each slot is dedicated to a specific task. This practice ensures that you pay attention to each activity.
• Pomodoro technique: In line with this technique, working is generally focused on taking regular intervals. Complete each task in 25 minutes and then take short breaks. This encourages sustained concentration.

Besides these time management techniques, scheduling is also one of the powerful tools that can be used for managing your tasks according to your daily needs.

Limited academic writing skills

One of the significant barriers that you often come across is limited writing skills. Due to a lack of vocabulary and proficiency in the language, you end up writing low-quality content for your assignment. It's not just you; around 50% of students in the UK face the same problem.

Adding more to this, the students lack writing practice, which decreases their confidence. Because of this, they get discouraged and fail to write content that satisfies their requirements. Academic writing skills include various things like concise data, formal tone, etc. Also, grammar and punctuation are the main parts of academic writing, which have a lot of significance.

How do I present improved academic writing?

Presenting a high-quality assignment is very important. So here we discuss some of the solutions through which you can improve your academic writing.

Use data visuals ( if needed): The use of visuals in your writing increases its understandability. Such visuals include

• Tables: Tables help in presenting complex data in a structured way.
• Charts: Present trends and comparisons in a visual format.
• Heatmaps: Used to highlight patterns and transitions.
• Radars: A radial grid is used to present multiverse data.

They make the content more engaging and give clarity to the information.

Flawless grammar and language: Grammar and language are the heart of any content. Using proper punctuation and articles makes the content more refined. To help with these, read books and articles on a daily basis to make your grammar strong.

Proofreading and editing: Thoroughly going through your assignment will help you to identify your mistakes. Also, if you have missed any important point, you will come to know about it. Proofreading is the best way to spot errors and ensure improved writing for your content. After spotting your errors, you have to edit them to make the assignment more refined.

Avoid repetition: In order to have good academic writing, make sure that you don't repeat the same sentence or words often. This reduces the effectiveness of the content. Instead of repeating words, use their synonyms to show some uniqueness.

Formatting and plagiarism issues

Proper structuring of the assignment is what a professor expects from you. Formatting includes various elements like fonts, text size, style, alignment, and much more. Students who are new to the course do not have proficiency in formatting. Dealing with such formatting complexities leaves students intimidated and can even result in the work being rejected.

Furthermore, plagiarism is another aspect that increases the chances that your project can be rejected. Providing original and unique work is a complex task. The reason behind it is the incapability of giving proper citations. Also, wrongly rephrasing any information without quoting it also leads to such issues.

How do I avoid plagiarism and formatting issues?

• For correct formatting, carefully read your guidelines. Then, according to the requirement, use proper font, size, and elements. With this, do not forget to use alignments and spacing.
• Try to create an appealing presentation to make your content more readable. Use formatting tools in your academic writing to adjust different elements. This makes your content more organised and structured.
• In order to avoid the issue of plagiarism, you can paraphrase. When you use information from another source, try to present it in a different style to avoid copying. Also, if you are using the same sentence in some places, use quotations.
• Another tip you can use is to mention proper citations. Various citation styles are available, like APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, etc.; you can use them in preparing your project.
• You can also use online plagiarism checker websites like Grammarly, QuillBot, New Assignment Help UK, and many more. They scan the content from various databases and detect errors when the content is copied.

Need assignment help? Contact us today!

So, in the above blog, we have mentioned the five major problems that students face while working on their assignments. Along with the problem, we have discussed the solutions of how to overcome these issues. Whenever you face any of these issues, just go through the solutions that are mentioned and use them while completing your project.

After making all the efforts and utilising all the solutions, if you are still facing challenges, then you can get help from our experts. At New Assignment Help UK, we provide complete assistance to students. We take care of all your concerns, from high-quality content to delivering your project before the deadline. So you can trust us completely. To resolve your queries, connect with us today.

Author Bio

Kennedy Watson   5+ | MBA

Hey, students, I am Kennedy Watson. I have pursued a master's in management. The above blog was crafted by me to guide students in completing their assignments when they feel overwhelmed. I completely understand that students are not able to prepare foolproof assignments to present to their professors. That's why I have suggested 10 effective tips through which you can complete your project. With 5+ years of experience in this field, I can assure guaranteed results for you.