Your first assignment

We asked academics at the University of Melbourne... “Why is the first assessment so important?”

Crystal Legacy (Senior Lecturer, Urban Planning)

So why is the first assessment so important? Well, as a lecturer I think that first assignment is, is critical because it basically sets you up in terms of understanding what the, what the expectations are. And when you receive your feedback on your first assignment, it's really an opportunity for you to learn and to grow in that instance. So that first assignment, typically in some classes is never worth a whole lot because it's really just 'getting your feet wet' and getting a sense for what the, the tutors and the lecturers are really looking for.

Sarah Frankland (Lecturer, Agricultural Science)

I think that there are quite a few reasons why first assessment can be important. It teaches-- it will give you a guide to the other sorts of assessments that might be coming up in the subject and also gives you a bit of an understanding about the expectations of your lecturer or your Subject Coordinator because they often sit inside that first assessment. Subsequent assessments will build, generally will build on the knowledge that you display in that first assessment. So it gives you a broad sort of overview of what the subject will be about, the types of questions that your lecturer will ask you and the ways that that particular person expects you to display your knowledge to them to show that you understand the content.

Julia Steenkamp (Lecturer, Food Sciences)

I feel like the first assessment really gives you an opportunity to get feedback. And usually that feedback that you receive is applicable across all your subjects. So if you submitted an essay and receive feedback for it, then I highly recommend that you read that feedback and you can apply it anywhere for for your subsequent assignments. If it says that there's issues with your referencing style, then you can take that and you can look up how you should be referencing properly. And you can apply that to other assignments across all of your subjects.

Signe Ravn (Senior Lecturer,  Sociology)

I guess the first assessment is important for you as a student to try and test out some of your ideas and see how your understandings of the subject resonate in that context. And, and I guess it can be really daunting to start writing something for the first uni assignment. And it feels like a really big thing, but it's just one assessment of so many that are to come, so I would say that.

But so maybe treat it like that. It's the first one it is not going to be the end of your studies. And it's a learning experience and it's the first time you're writing. So, so it's not, it is not going to be fantastic because nothing we do the first time is fantastic. But this is the first time and your start. You're on a learning trajectory here.

Julia Steenkamp

And it gives you a little bit of an idea with how you are going in the subject. So you could be cruising along thinking that everything is going great with the subject. And you don't really know how your going with things until you do that first assignment and that kind of goes--it says to you, well, okay, am I going okay or do I need to put in a little bit more work with the subject? Maybe I'm not doing all the reading that I need to be doing to keep up with the subject. Or maybe I'm I'm at the right pace and it gives you that confidence to go. Yeah, I'm I'm going okay, keep going. Things are going well.

So, why is the first assessment so important?

1. Helps you to understand expectations
2. Provides an opportunity for you to test ideas and check your understanding
3. Feedback offers an opportunity to learn and grow
4. Remember that this is just the beginning! You are on a learning journey]