difference between a homework and assignment

Homework vs Assignments: Key Differences and How to Effectively Manage Them

Homework is tasks or exercises assigned to students to complete outside of class. It is often used to reinforce or practice the material covered in class and may be graded or ungraded.

Table of Contents

Purpose of homework and assignments

The purpose of homework is to allow students to practice and reinforce the material covered in class. It helps students to solidify their understanding of the material and prepares them for exams and other assessments.

Importance of understanding the difference between homework and assignments

Understanding the difference between homework and assignments is important because it can help students to manage their time more effectively and prioritize their tasks.

Differences between homework and assignments – Definition and examples of homework

1. Typically given to students to be completed outside of class: Homework is usually assigned outside of class, often to reinforce the material covered in class.

For example, a student might be assigned math problems as homework to practice solving equations.

Definition and examples of assignments

2. Typically completed in class or under the instructor’s guidance: Assignments are usually completed in class or under the instructor’s guidance. This allows the teacher to provide guidance and support as the student works on the assignment.

For example, a student’s final research paper in a history class might count for 30% of the student’s final grade.

Similarities between homework and assignments

Teachers or instructors usually assign both: Homework and assignments by teachers or instructors responsible for creating and grading the tasks.

How to effectively manage homework and assignments

Time management strategies.

1. Setting aside dedicated time for homework and assignments: One of the most important things students can do to effectively manage their homework and assignments is to set aside dedicated time to work on them.

This means focusing on the most important tasks and working on them before moving on to less important ones.

Study Strategies

Flashcards are also useful for memorizing definitions, formulas, and other important information.

Tips for staying motivated

2. Breaking up long study sessions with short breaks: Breaking up long study sessions with short breaks can help students to stay focused and motivated.

Final thoughts on the importance of understanding the difference between homework and assignments:

Understanding the difference between homework and assignments is essential for students because it can help them to manage their time more effectively and prioritize their tasks.

By using effective time management techniques, study strategies, and tips for staying motivated, students can improve their ability to complete tasks and achieve academic goals.

Homework V/s. Assignment

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Assignment vs. Homework

What's the difference.

Assignment and homework are both tasks given to students by teachers to reinforce learning and assess understanding. However, there are some key differences between the two. Assignments are typically larger projects or tasks that require more time and effort to complete, while homework is usually smaller, daily tasks that can be completed in a shorter amount of time. Assignments often involve more critical thinking and creativity, while homework is more focused on practicing and applying concepts learned in class. Overall, both assignments and homework play an important role in the learning process and help students develop their skills and knowledge.

Further Detail

Assignments and homework are both tasks given to students by teachers to reinforce learning. Assignments are typically more formal and structured tasks that are given to students to complete outside of class. Homework, on the other hand, is a broader term that encompasses any work that students are expected to complete outside of class time.

Assignments are usually given less frequently than homework. They are often larger tasks that require more time and effort to complete. Homework, on the other hand, is typically given on a daily or weekly basis and is meant to be completed in a shorter amount of time.

Assignments tend to cover a broader scope of material than homework. They may require students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of a topic or to apply concepts in a more complex way. Homework, on the other hand, is usually more focused and may involve practicing specific skills or reviewing material covered in class.

Assignments can come in a variety of formats, including essays, research papers, projects, presentations, and more. They often require students to engage in higher-order thinking skills and to demonstrate their understanding in a creative or analytical way. Homework, on the other hand, is typically more straightforward and may involve completing worksheets, answering questions, or reading assigned material.

Assignments are usually graded more rigorously than homework. They may account for a larger portion of a student's overall grade and may be assessed based on specific criteria or rubrics. Homework, on the other hand, is often graded on completion or effort and may not carry as much weight in terms of a student's final grade.

Time Management

Assignments often require more advanced time management skills than homework. Students may need to plan ahead and break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps in order to complete assignments on time. Homework, on the other hand, is usually more straightforward and can be completed in a shorter amount of time, making it easier for students to fit into their daily schedules.

The purpose of assignments is to deepen students' understanding of a topic, to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and to provide opportunities for creativity and self-expression. Homework, on the other hand, is meant to reinforce learning, to practice skills, and to provide feedback to both students and teachers on the progress of learning.

Collaboration

Assignments may involve more opportunities for collaboration than homework. Students may be asked to work in groups or pairs to complete assignments, which can help them develop teamwork and communication skills. Homework, on the other hand, is usually completed independently, although students may seek help from peers or parents if needed.

Assignments often provide more detailed feedback to students than homework. Teachers may offer comments, suggestions, and grades on assignments to help students understand their strengths and areas for improvement. Homework, on the other hand, may be graded quickly and may not always include detailed feedback, although teachers may use homework completion as a way to monitor student progress.

In conclusion, assignments and homework both play important roles in the education system. While assignments tend to be more formal, structured, and in-depth tasks that require advanced skills and knowledge, homework is typically more frequent, focused, and practice-oriented. Both assignments and homework provide valuable opportunities for students to learn, practice, and demonstrate their understanding of course material.

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Homework vs Assignment: Difference and Comparison

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The most significant aspect of a school is learning a subject and implementing what the students have learned. Assignments and homework are required for learning any subject from the ground up.

These procedures aid in the improvement of educated people’s skills and knowledge. Students may be confused by both terms at times, but they are not interchangeable.

Assignments and homework are both crucial for students’ development.

Key Takeaways Homework is assigned work completed outside of class time, while assignments encompass both in-class and out-of-class tasks. Homework reinforces and extends classroom learning, while assignments may include presentations, group projects, or quizzes. Teachers assign homework to help students develop study habits and time management skills, while assignments can assess a broader range of learning objectives.

Homework vs Assignment

Homework means any work that students are expected to do at home, including reading assignments, practice exercises, and studying for tests. Assignment is a specific task or job that is allocated to someone as part of a job or course of study, to complete and submit by a given deadline.

Homework is the work that is assigned by the school teachers or educators to their students to complete. The work given is meant to be completed by the student after school hours, mainly at home.

The origin of the word homework came into existence back in 1350-1400 years. And the benefits behind this practice are that students get prepared for their exams, understand the concepts, can recognize different difficult topics, etc.

Assignments include the tasks that are to be completed by the students or children within a certain amount of time. This work may also be known as work assignments for the students as part of their education.

Assignments can be given or prepared in different ways, and they may be – written assignments, practical assignments, art assignments, fieldwork assignments, online assignments, and many others.

Their main motive is to guarantee that students must comprehend the topic or concept completely.

Comparison Table

What is Homework?

Homework is defined as the duties that are assigned to children by their teachers at school. Students are expected to complete the job outside of school hours.

Teachers frequently assign homework for pupils to perform at home for them to put what they’ve learned into practice. They are designed to reinforce learning and make mastering specific competencies and skills easier.

As homework, a student may be given preparation assignments. The objective of assigning homework is to introduce the student to the study material that will be presented in future lessons by the teacher.

Furthermore, if the new content is taught in class, it will assist pupils in getting the most out of it.

In addition, homework can be used to build up proper communication between parents and children, which makes the parents aware of what is happening in school.

What is Assignment?

As a student, you may have believed that it is the teacher’s role or responsibility to teach the students rather than the student’s responsibility to learn on their own.

However, we must recognize that teachers are unable to explain every detail of a unit or subject to their students. A spoon-feeding approach of transferring knowledge can harm a student’s learning ability and academic career .

Teachers, particularly in academic institutions such as colleges and universities, expect students to conduct some research to grasp untaught topics and to explore the subject on their own rather than lecturing them on everything.

The goal of assigning such tasks is to improve the students learning abilities. This allows students to keep their minds occupied for longer periods.

Students’ creativity is enhanced by academic assignments because they naturally absorb and learn a lot when they read or practice a subject or art on their own.

As a result, the major purpose of assigning assignments is to provide students with a chance to exercise and explore information about a subject on their own.

Main Differences Between Homework and Assignment

• If homework is to be defined in a sentence, then this can be stated that the type of work which is given to the students and is to be completed outside the traditional classroom setting or at their home whereas comparatively, on the other hand, the assignments can be stated as the work prescribed or assigned to be completed during the course duration time.
• The word homework came into existence back in 1350-1400 and is derived from French phrases that are ‘Middle English Assignment’ or ‘Medieval Latin assignamentum’ while comparatively, on the other hand, the word assignment came into existence after the late Middle English .
• The purpose of giving homework to students is to improvise the skills of the students while comparatively, on the other hand, the purpose of giving assignments to students is to explore the content and topic beyond the textbook knowledge and also understand the learning process.
• The main function behind homework is to find out the difficulties that might be faced by the students while comparatively, on the other hand, the main function behind the assignment is to retrieve or check the knowledge gained by the students.
• The main advantages of giving homework are that it helps to prepare for the examination, and makes the concepts easy to understand whereas comparatively, on the other hand, the main advantages of assigning assignments to students are that it helps in revision , gaining extra knowledge sometimes, boosts self-confidence within the child.

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S027277571000083X
• https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-01936-006
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15430421tip4303_6
• https://www.clutejournals.com/index.php/TLC/article/view/7751

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By Emma Smith

Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page .

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“Assignment” vs. “Homework”: What’s the Difference?

The difference between “assignment” and “homework”

• Assignments are typically more complex and involve more preparation and work than homework.
• Assignments can be given to test a student's knowledge and understanding of a specific topic, while homework is meant to reinforce what was already learned in class.
• Homework can be given on a daily basis, while assignments often have specific due dates and may account for a larger portion of a student's grade than homework.

What is the definition of “assignment” and “homework”?

• An assignment is a task or project given to a student by a teacher or professor.
• It is often given to test a student's understanding and knowledge of a particular topic or subject.
• Assignments are typically scheduled and have specific due dates for completion.
• Homework refers to work assigned by a teacher to be completed outside of the classroom.
• It is typically given to reinforce a student's understanding and practice of concepts learned in class.
• Homework can be given on a daily basis.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

• My professor gave us an assignment to research the effects of climate change on the polar bear population.
• I struggled with the programming assignment and had to ask my friend for help.
• The deadline for the assignment is next Wednesday.
• I always try to finish my homework on Friday night so that I can enjoy the weekend.
• My son has a lot of homework to complete tonight so he won't have time to watch TV.
• The teacher assigned a chapter to read for homework.

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Assignment And Homework Difference

In education, students often encounter the terms "assignments" and "homework." Although these words are sometimes used interchangeably, they actually refer to different concepts. Every student, parent, and teacher in Australia needs to understand these differences. This article will explore the distinctions between assignments and homework, clarifying how they differ from each other.

What Is Homework?

"Homework" means tasks that teachers give you outside of class time. The purpose of these jobs is to help you learn and give you practice. They help students understand the things we've talked about in class better. Most homework is short-term and mostly about reviewing and learning specific ideas.

Types Of Homework

Here are the various types of homework teachers give students:

Practice Homework: It includes activities that help you remember things or improve your skills. Some of these are math tasks and writing tests.

Preparatory Homework: This is homework that prepares students for lessons or activities that are coming up. One example is reading a chapter before a talk in class.

Extension Homework: Students can use what they've learned in new scenarios while doing these tasks. These help students learn how to think critically and solve problems.

Benefits Of Homework

Learning Reinforcement: Helping pupils retain what they learn in class mostly depends on homework. Students who practice outside of class will better recall and comprehend what they have studied.

Creation of Study Habits: You get solid study habits from daily assignments. Students learn control, duty, and how to use their time well when doing their homework daily.

Parental Involvement: As a link between school and home, homework is also helpful. It gives parents a way to get involved in their child's schooling. Because of this, there may be more help and motivation at home.

What Is An Assignment?

An assignment is a more general term for several different school jobs. Often, assignments are harder and take more time than tasks. Most of the time, assignments have longer due dates. They could be study papers, articles, presentations, or projects. Assignments help gauge a student's comprehension, promote self-study, and foster the development of research and critical thinking.

Types Of Assignments

Here are the various types of assignments teachers give students:

Research Papers: These are in-depth analyses of specific topics that need a lot of study and critical thought.

Essays: These are organized pieces of writing that make a case, describe, or discuss a topic.

Projects: You can do these tasks alone or with others to make a product or demonstrate.

Presentations: These are spoken or visual talks on topics given. They help you improve your communication skills and public speaking.

Benefits Of Assignments

In-Depth Learning: Assignments help students learn more about a subject and gain a complete understanding of it. Students get a deeper understanding of a topic than just knowing the basics when they do a lot of study and analysis.

Skill Development: Research papers, projects, and similar work help kids learn essential skills. Some of these are thinking critically, writing clearly, and giving good presentations.

Preparation for the Future: The difficulty and breadth of the tasks prepare students for the needs of college and the workplace. Their goal is to help students learn how to handle big projects, meet deadlines, and do good work.

Critical Differences Between Homework And Assignments

Scope And Complexity: Most of the time, homework is easier and doesn't cover as much. It depends on specific tasks that build on what you learn every day. On the other hand, assignments are more general. They usually need a lot of study, planning, and work over a longer period.

Timeframe: Most of the time, homework is due the next day or in a few days. It encourages instant repetition of what you have learned. Most of the time, assignments have longer due dates. It gives students much time to study, write, and research.

Purpose And Objectives: Homework's primary goal is to help students remember what they've learned and improve their skills. Assignment goals are to test students' knowledge and encourage them to learn independently. It also helps them build higher-order thinking skills.

Knowing the difference between projects and homework is essential if you want to do well in school. There are two essential parts of learning: activities and tasks. Activities need more thought and time. It is an area where Digi Assignment can be helpful. Digi Assignment gives students a lot of help tailored to their needs. They ensure that every assignment meets the school's requirements and helps you learn. Let them help you do well in school using their professional and dependable assignment help services .  

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Homework vs. Assignment — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Homework and Assignment

Table of contents, key differences, comparison chart, compare with definitions, common curiosities, can homework be considered an assignment, can assignments be collaborative, do all assignments count towards final grades, what is an assignment, are assignments only given for completion outside of class, is homework effective in improving academic performance, how much time should be spent on homework, why are assignments important in education, how does homework differ from classwork, what is homework, what role does feedback play in assignments, do assignments help in learning beyond the classroom, how can students manage homework effectively, why might some students struggle with assignments, what strategies can teachers use to make assignments more effective, share your discovery.

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What is the Difference Between Homework and Assignments? A Complete Guide

Let’s face it, we’ve all been through school and college and have taken up classes that have assignments and homework. But have you ever wondered what the difference is between homework and assignments? Many assume that they are two interchangeable terms that mean the same thing, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Homework is often a term that we relate to school assignments that we receive to finish at home. These tasks usually involve repetition and familiarization with a particular subject or topic. Homework assignments are also simpler and smaller in scale and are usually completed in a short time frame. On the other hand, assignments are a broader term where students have to engage in more critical thinking, research, and analysis.

Assignments are tasks that require more effort and are complex, requiring long hours of work and multiple stages of progress. These can range from writing essays and projects to conducting experiments and presentations. The main objective of assignments is to develop a more in-depth understanding of a subject by expanding the scope of knowledge. Homework and assignments may be similar in nature, but they differ in terms of scale, depth, and complexity. Definitions of Homework and Assignments

When it comes to academics, the terms ‘homework’ and ‘assignments’ are often used interchangeably. However, there are subtle differences between the two that are worth understanding.

Homework generally refers to tasks given to students to complete at home after a lesson has been taught in class. The intention behind homework is to reinforce concepts learned and improve retention. Homework can be in the form of reading, writing, problem-solving, research-based, or any other kind of activity that enhances the learning process.

In contrast, assignments refer to any tasks given to students to complete independently, either individually or in groups, within a stipulated timeframe. Assignments can be short-term or long-term, and they usually require students to demonstrate their understanding of a topic by applying it to a specific scenario. Examples of assignments include writing a term paper, making a presentation, or creating a project proposal.

• Pros of Assignments
• Encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Helps students apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios
• Allows students to work collaboratively and develop teamwork skills
• Cons of Assignments
• Can be time-consuming and require a substantial amount of effort
• May lead to plagiarism if students do not cite their sources correctly
• May be unfair to students who lack resources or are unable to complete tasks due to personal circumstances

It is important to note that while homework and assignments have different definitions, they both serve the goal of enhancing learning and promoting academic success. It is up to educators and students to strike a balance that maximizes the benefits of both without overwhelming students with an unmanageable workload.

Purposes of Homework and Assignments

In the world of education, homework and assignments are two terms that are often used interchangeably. However, these two words have distinct meanings that can impact the way students learn and teachers instruct. In this article, we’ll explore the difference between homework and assignments, and discuss their purposes in education.

• Homework: Homework is an extension of classroom learning that students are expected to complete outside of school hours. It’s usually assigned by teachers and can take the form of reading, writing, problem-solving, or research activities. Homework can be ongoing or short-term, and is typically due within the same week it’s assigned.
• Assignments: Assignments are broader in scope than homework, and refer to any type of work that students are asked to complete as part of their academic coursework. Unlike homework, assignments can be completed in-class or at home, and can vary in length and complexity. Assignments can include reading, writing, project-based work, and assessments such as tests or quizzes. They are often due at a later date than homework assignments, and usually have a higher point value.

While homework and assignments may seem interchangeable, they serve different purposes in education. Let’s take a closer look at these purposes.

Homework is primarily used to reinforce the concepts and skills that students learn in the classroom. It’s designed to help students practice and apply new knowledge on their own, and to help them develop effective study habits. Homework can also encourage students to become more independent learners, as they have to take responsibility for their own progress.

Assignments

Assignments have a broader purpose than homework, and are intended to assess a student’s comprehension and mastery of course material. They provide teachers with a way to evaluate how well students understand what they’ve learned, and to identify areas where students may need additional support. Assignments are often designed to help students develop critical thinking skills, and to prepare them for more complex academic work in the future.

In summary, while homework and assignments serve distinct purposes in education, both are important components of the learning process. By understanding their differences, educators can create more effective instructional strategies that support student success.

Types of Homework

Homework and assignments are two terms that are often used interchangeably. However, they are not the same. Homework is a broad term used to describe any task assigned to a student to complete outside of regular class hours. Assignments, on the other hand, are a specific type of homework intended to assess the student’s comprehension of a particular subject.

There are different types of homework given to students. Below are the three common types of homework:

• Practice Homework: This type of homework is given to students to practice or review what they have learned in class. Practice homework can be simple exercises like solving math problems or more complex ones like writing essays.
• Preparation Homework: This type of homework prepares the student for a future class. Preparation homework can include reading assignments or research projects to give the student background knowledge before entering the class.
• Extension Homework: Extension homework is given to students to extend or apply what they have learned in class to real-world situations. For example, science students may have to conduct experiments outside of class and report their findings to the class.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Homework

Homework has its benefits and drawbacks. Proponents of homework argue that it reinforces the lessons learned in class and helps students develop self-discipline and study skills. Opponents of homework argue that it can cause stress and fatigue in students, which can negatively impact their performance in class.

Research has shown that the benefits of homework outweigh the drawbacks if homework is done in moderation. In an ideal scenario, homework should be assigned in such a way that it benefits the student’s learning without causing undue stress.

The Homework-Assignment Spectrum

As mentioned earlier, assignments are a specific type of homework. Assignments are tasks given to students to test their learning, either through a written report, an oral presentation, or a test. Assignments can be described as falling on a spectrum between homework and tests.

The difference between homework and assignments is that homework is usually optional and meant to reinforce learning, whereas assignments are compulsory and intend to evaluate the student’s knowledge or understanding in a particular subject.

Assignments can take various formats, ranging from group projects to individual written reports. They provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learned and apply their knowledge to new situations.

In conclusion, understanding the difference between homework and assignments is crucial for students to maximize their learning experience. Homework helps students reinforce their lessons, while assignments evaluate their knowledge. Teachers should consider both the benefits and drawbacks of homework and find a balance that works well for students.

Types of Assignments

Assignments are a set of tasks or activities that teachers give to their students as a part of their study program. These assignments are designed to evaluate student’s knowledge, skills, and understanding of specific subjects. Here are some types of assignments that students might receive during their academic years:

• Essays: Essays are a common type of assignment that usually consists of a certain number of words or pages. Students are required to research and write about a specific topic or subject. Essays assess student’s critical thinking, research, and writing skills.
• Research Papers: Research papers are a type of assignment where students have to conduct in-depth research about a particular subject. They must gather information from various sources, analyze it, and present their findings in a well-written format. Research papers evaluate the student’s ability to conduct research, synthesize and analyze information, and present it logically.
• Presentations: Presentations are a type of assignment that requires students to prepare and present information about a particular topic or subject in front of an audience. Presentations assess student’s public-speaking skills, ability to organize information, and use of visual aids.

However, there are other types of assignments that students might receive such as case studies, book reviews, lab reports, reflection papers, and more. These assignments might differ from one subject to another and from one educational level to another.

Assignments vs Homework

Although the terms assignments and homework are often used interchangeably, there is a significant difference between them. While assignments are designed to be completed outside of classroom hours, homework is usually a classwork that has not been finished in class. Homework is an extension of the lesson that a teacher has taught in class, while assignments are meant to help students in applying what they have learned in class.

Moreover, assignments are typically more complex and require more time and effort than homework. Homework is usually assigned on a daily or weekly basis, while assignments are given much less frequently and with ample time for students to complete it.

Grading Assignments

Assignments contribute significantly to a student’s final grade and thus, must be graded accurately. Grading assignments can be tricky, especially if there are no guidelines or rubrics provided with the assignment. Teachers must ensure that they give a fair and accurate evaluation of student’s work. They can use different grading techniques such as:

Overall, teachers must ensure that their grading techniques are consistent and fair for all students. Students must be informed of the grading criteria in advance to help them prepare and submit quality assignments.

Advantages of Homework

Homework is gaining popularity in schools as a method of reinforcing the concepts taught in class. As students are required to complete the homework on their own, it allows them to develop independent thinking and problem-solving skills. Additionally, homework has the following advantages:

• Improves time management skills: Homework teaches students to manage their time effectively and prioritize tasks. This skill comes in handy later in life when students are juggling multiple responsibilities.
• Encourages self-discipline and responsibility: Homework requires students to take responsibility for their learning and complete assigned tasks on time. This fosters a sense of responsibility and self-discipline in students.
• Reinforces learning: Homework helps students to reinforce the concepts taught in class by providing them with additional practice.

Moreover, research has shown that homework can have positive effects on students’ academic achievement. A study conducted by the University of Michigan found a positive correlation between the amount of homework completed and students’ grades. The study concluded that students who completed their homework regularly were more likely to achieve higher grades.

Overall, homework serves as a valuable tool for reinforcing learning, developing independent thinking and problem-solving skills, and improving academic achievement.

Advantages of Assignments Assignments are academic tasks given to students by their teachers to be completed outside of the classroom. Unlike homework, assignments are not necessarily due the next day or have a deadline in the immediate future. Assignments are usually more complex and require deeper thinking and research. Some of the advantages of assignments are:

• Encourages independent learning: Assignments require students to research, analyze, and comprehend information on their own. This can foster independent learning, which is a valuable skill for students to develop as they progress in their academic and professional career.
• Allows for creativity: Assignments often require students to apply their knowledge creatively to solve a problem. This can help them develop their critical thinking and analytical skills which are essential in the 21st century workforce where creative problem-solving is highly valued.
• Boosts retention: Assignments help students retain the knowledge learned in class by providing opportunities for application and review. Engaging with the material in a meaningful way can help students better remember the content.

Assignments can come in various forms such as essays, reports, research papers, and project-based assignments. They often require a higher level of engagement and are designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Below is a comparison table that highlights some of the differences between homework and assignments:

In conclusion, assignments offer unique advantages that can benefit students in multiple ways. They promote independent learning, creativity, and retention of knowledge. Assignments are typically longer, more complex, and require deeper thinking and research compared to homework. Teachers should incorporate more assignments into their teaching strategies to provide students with a richer, more meaningful learning experience.

Disadvantages of Homework

While homework has long been a staple in the education system, it’s not without its drawbacks. Let’s take a closer look at some of the disadvantages of homework:

• Excessive workload: One of the biggest complaints about homework is that it can be overwhelming, especially for students who have multiple assignments from multiple classes. Younger students in particular may struggle to manage their time and prioritize their homework assignments.
• Not always effective: Homework can be a valuable tool for reinforcing classroom lessons and helping students practice skills they’ve learned. However, the effectiveness of homework can be hampered by a lack of guidance or understanding from students, or by outdated or irrelevant assignments.
• Can lead to cheating: With the rise of the internet and online resources, it’s easier than ever for students to cheat on their homework. While many teachers attempt to deter cheating by assigning unique tasks or restricting the resources students can use, the temptation to cheat is still present.

However, one of the most significant disadvantages of homework is the toll it can take on students’ mental and physical health.

According to a study by the Stanford Graduate School of Education, excessive homework can lead to increased stress, sleep deprivation, and other health problems. Students who spend multiple hours each night on homework are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

The table below shows some of the negative effects of excessive homework:

While homework can be a valuable tool for learning and practicing new skills, it’s important to recognize the potential for harm and take steps to minimize it. Teachers and parents should work together to ensure that students are getting the right amount and type of homework, and that it’s not causing undue stress or taking a toll on students’ health.

FAQs about What is the Difference Between Homework and Assignments

1. What exactly is homework? Homework refers to out-of-classroom tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed at home. It could be reading, writing, problem-solving, or any other form of academic activity.

2. What are assignments? Assignments, on the other hand, are similar to homework, but they are not limited to academic work. They could include community service, internships, creative projects, or anything else assigned by a teacher or an instructor.

3. What is the most notable difference between homework and assignments? Homework is primarily focused on reinforcing the concepts taught in class. Assignments, on the other hand, are designed to give students the opportunity to apply the concepts they have learned to real-life situations.

4. Can homework and assignments be interchangeable? Not exactly. Although some teachers may use the terms interchangeably, they usually refer to different types of work. Homework is often assigned on a regular basis, while assignments may be given at any time to supplement classwork.

5. Why is it important to differentiate between homework and assignments? Knowing the difference between homework and assignments can help students understand the purpose of the task at hand and manage their time more effectively.

The Bottom Line

Thanks for reading! Understanding the difference between homework and assignments can help students stay on top of their academic responsibilities and personal goals. It is crucial to follow your instructor’s guidelines and seek clarification when needed. Stay curious and always keep learning. Come back soon for more insights and informative articles!

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Homework vs Schoolwork: In-Depth Comparison

Speaking of academic tasks, the terms homework and schoolwork are often used interchangeably. However, there is a subtle distinction between the two that is worth exploring. In essence, both words refer to assignments given to students to complete outside of regular class time. While homework and schoolwork can be used interchangeably in some contexts, it is important to note that homework typically refers to assignments that are completed at home, while schoolwork encompasses a broader range of tasks completed at school or outside of the home environment.

Homework, as the name suggests, primarily involves assignments that students are expected to complete at home. These tasks are usually given by teachers to reinforce the concepts learned in class, promote independent learning, and develop time management skills. Homework can take various forms, such as reading assignments, problem sets, essays, or research projects. It serves as a means for students to apply what they have learned in class and deepen their understanding of the subject matter.

On the other hand, schoolwork encompasses a wider scope of assignments and activities that are completed within the school setting. It includes tasks that students work on during class time, such as in-class exercises, group projects, presentations, and quizzes. Additionally, schoolwork may also refer to assignments that students are required to complete outside of regular class hours but within the school premises, such as attending study groups or participating in extracurricular activities. Schoolwork is designed to foster collaboration, critical thinking, and hands-on learning experiences.

Understanding the distinction between homework and schoolwork is vital for students, parents, and educators alike. By recognizing the specific characteristics and purposes of each, students can effectively manage their time and prioritize their tasks. Parents can provide appropriate support and guidance, while educators can tailor their assignments to enhance student learning. In the following sections, we will delve deeper into the benefits and challenges associated with homework and schoolwork, providing valuable insights for all stakeholders in the educational process.

Analyzing The Definitions

In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the nuances between homework and schoolwork, it is essential to establish clear definitions for both terms. By delving into their distinct characteristics, we can discern the subtle disparities that set them apart.

Define Homework

Homework, in its essence, refers to the academic tasks assigned to students outside the confines of the classroom. It serves as a means for educators to reinforce the concepts taught during class time and promote independent learning. Typically, homework encompasses a wide array of activities, including but not limited to problem-solving exercises, reading assignments, research projects, and written essays.

Homework is designed to extend the learning experience beyond the school premises, allowing students to delve deeper into the subject matter and apply their newfound knowledge in a practical manner. It encourages self-discipline, time management, and critical thinking skills, as students are required to allocate their own time and resources to complete the assigned tasks.

Furthermore, homework serves as a valuable tool for educators to assess students’ comprehension and progress, providing them with insights into individual strengths and areas that require further attention. It promotes a sense of responsibility, as students are accountable for completing the assigned tasks within specified deadlines.

Define Schoolwork

On the other hand, schoolwork encompasses a broader scope, encompassing all academic activities that occur within the school environment. It encompasses not only the tasks assigned by teachers but also the collaborative projects, classroom discussions, presentations, and examinations that take place during regular school hours.

Schoolwork can be seen as the collective efforts exerted by students and educators within the structured educational setting. It includes classwork, which refers to the immediate assignments and activities completed during class time, as well as any supplementary tasks or projects assigned by teachers to be completed within the school premises.

Unlike homework, schoolwork often involves interactive and collaborative elements, fostering peer-to-peer learning, engagement, and active participation. It allows students to interact with their classmates, engage in discussions, and benefit from the guidance and expertise of their teachers in real-time.

Moreover, schoolwork is integral to the overall evaluation of students’ academic performance, as it encompasses assessments, quizzes, tests, and examinations that are conducted within the school setting. It provides educators with a comprehensive view of students’ aptitude, progress, and areas that require further attention or improvement.

In summary, while homework primarily focuses on independent learning and tasks completed outside the classroom, schoolwork encompasses all academic activities that occur within the school environment, including both individual and collaborative efforts.

How To Properly Use The Words In A Sentence

In order to effectively communicate and express ideas, it is crucial to understand how to use the words “homework” and “schoolwork” correctly in a sentence. This section will provide guidance on the proper usage of these terms, ensuring clarity and precision in your writing.

How To Use “Homework” In A Sentence

When incorporating the term “homework” into a sentence, it is essential to consider its meaning as assigned tasks or assignments to be completed outside of the classroom. Here are a few examples showcasing the correct usage of “homework”:

• After a long day at school, Sarah diligently completed her math homework before taking a well-deserved break.
• The teacher assigned a challenging homework assignment that required extensive research and critical thinking.
• Despite the distractions at home, Jack managed to concentrate and finish his homework on time.

By using “homework” in these sentences, the focus is on tasks or assignments that students are expected to complete independently, reinforcing the learning objectives outside of the classroom environment.

How To Use “Schoolwork” In A Sentence

Unlike “homework,” the term “schoolwork” encompasses a broader range of academic activities and tasks that take place within the school setting. Here are a few examples illustrating the appropriate usage of “schoolwork” in a sentence:

• Emily excelled in all her subjects, consistently producing high-quality schoolwork that impressed her teachers.
• The students eagerly participated in group discussions, enhancing their understanding of the topic covered in their schoolwork .
• The school’s curriculum emphasizes the importance of hands-on schoolwork to foster practical skills alongside theoretical knowledge.

By using “schoolwork” in these sentences, the focus is on academic tasks, projects, or activities that occur within the school environment. It encompasses a broader scope than “homework” and encompasses various forms of learning, such as classwork, projects, presentations, and collaborative activities.

Understanding the distinction between “homework” and “schoolwork” allows for precise and accurate communication, ensuring that the intended meaning is conveyed effectively.

More Examples Of Homework & Schoolwork Used In Sentences

In order to further illustrate the distinction between homework and schoolwork, let’s delve into some practical examples of how these terms can be used in sentences. By exploring various contexts, we can gain a clearer understanding of the subtle nuances that differentiate these two educational concepts.

Examples Of Using Homework In A Sentence

• After a long day at school, Mary diligently completed her homework, ensuring she understood the material thoroughly.
• The teacher assigned a hefty amount of homework to the students, expecting them to apply what they had learned in class.
• John spent hours working on his math homework, grappling with complex equations and striving for accuracy.
• As a responsible student, Sarah always managed to complete her homework on time, allowing her to review the concepts before the next class.
• Despite his initial reluctance, Tim realized the importance of homework in reinforcing the lessons taught in school.

Examples Of Using Schoolwork In A Sentence

• Lucy dedicated herself to her schoolwork, devoting countless hours to research, writing essays, and studying for exams.
• The teacher emphasized the significance of completing schoolwork promptly, as it directly contributed to the students’ overall academic performance.
• Tom struggled to balance his extracurricular activities with his demanding schoolwork, often staying up late to meet deadlines.
• Emily approached her schoolwork with a meticulous mindset, consistently striving for excellence in every assignment.
• Adam’s parents encouraged him to prioritize his schoolwork, recognizing its role in shaping his future opportunities.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

When it comes to discussing academic assignments, it is crucial to distinguish between homework and schoolwork. Unfortunately, many individuals tend to use these terms interchangeably, which can lead to confusion and miscommunication. To shed light on this matter, let’s explore some common mistakes people make when using homework and schoolwork incorrectly.

Mistake 1: Using Homework And Schoolwork Synonymously

One of the most prevalent errors is using homework and schoolwork as synonyms, assuming they refer to the same thing. However, this is far from accurate. Homework specifically refers to assignments given to students to complete outside of regular class hours, typically to reinforce concepts learned in class or to prepare for upcoming lessons. On the other hand, schoolwork encompasses a broader range of academic tasks performed during school hours, including in-class assignments, projects, presentations, and exams.

It is important to note that while all homework is considered schoolwork, not all schoolwork is classified as homework. By using these terms interchangeably, individuals overlook the distinct nature of these assignments and fail to convey their intended meaning effectively.

Mistake 2: Assuming Homework And Schoolwork Have The Same Purpose

Another common mistake is assuming that homework and schoolwork serve the same purpose within the realm of education. While both types of assignments contribute to a student’s learning and academic growth, they differ in their objectives.

Homework is designed to provide students with opportunities for independent practice and application of the concepts covered in class. It allows students to reinforce their understanding, develop critical thinking skills, and cultivate self-discipline. Homework assignments typically require students to complete exercises, problem sets, readings, or research tasks outside of the classroom environment.

On the other hand, schoolwork encompasses a broader scope of activities that extend beyond individual practice. It includes collaborative projects, group discussions, classroom presentations, and other assignments that require active participation during school hours. Schoolwork aims to foster teamwork, communication skills, and the ability to apply knowledge in real-time situations.

Mistake 3: Overlooking The Timing And Context Of Assignments

One mistake that often arises when using homework and schoolwork interchangeably is overlooking the timing and context in which these assignments are given. Homework is typically assigned by teachers to be completed outside of regular class time, allowing students to work at their own pace and schedule. It provides an opportunity for students to review and reinforce what they have learned in class.

Conversely, schoolwork assignments are usually completed during class time, under the supervision of the teacher. These tasks are often intended to assess students’ understanding of the material covered in class, encourage active participation, and facilitate immediate feedback.

By failing to acknowledge the timing and context of assignments, individuals may misinterpret the expectations and requirements associated with homework and schoolwork, leading to confusion and potential academic setbacks.

Mistake 4: Neglecting The Role Of Teachers In Assigning And Evaluating

Lastly, a common mistake is overlooking the role of teachers in assigning and evaluating homework and schoolwork. Teachers play a crucial role in designing and assigning appropriate tasks to enhance students’ learning experiences.

When it comes to homework, teachers carefully select assignments that align with the curriculum, ensuring they are relevant, meaningful, and tailored to students’ needs. They also establish clear guidelines and expectations for completing and submitting homework, providing necessary resources and support along the way.

Similarly, teachers play a pivotal role in assigning and evaluating schoolwork. They design in-class activities, projects, and assessments that align with learning objectives and instructional goals. Teachers provide guidance, assess students’ progress, and offer feedback to promote growth and improvement.

By recognizing the essential role of teachers in assigning and evaluating both homework and schoolwork, individuals can appreciate the distinct purposes and expectations associated with these assignments.

It is crucial to avoid the common mistakes of using homework and schoolwork interchangeably. By understanding the differences between these terms and acknowledging their unique characteristics, individuals can effectively communicate their intentions and expectations regarding academic assignments.

Context Matters

When it comes to education, the terms “homework” and “schoolwork” are often used interchangeably. However, it is important to recognize that the choice between these two forms of academic tasks can depend on the context in which they are used. Understanding the nuances of each term and how they are applied in different situations can help students, educators, and parents make informed decisions about the most suitable approach to enhance learning.

Homework: Reinforcing Learning Beyond The Classroom

Homework typically refers to assignments given to students to be completed outside of regular school hours. It serves as a means to reinforce and consolidate the knowledge and skills acquired during classroom instruction. The purpose of homework is to provide students with an opportunity to practice what they have learned independently, allowing them to apply concepts, develop problem-solving skills, and deepen their understanding of the subject matter.

For instance, in a mathematics class, students may be assigned homework that involves solving a set of equations or working through word problems. By doing so, students can reinforce their understanding of mathematical concepts and improve their problem-solving abilities. Similarly, in a language arts class, homework might involve reading a novel or writing a short essay, enabling students to enhance their reading comprehension and writing skills.

Schoolwork: Engaging In Learning Within The Classroom

On the other hand, schoolwork refers to academic tasks that are completed during regular school hours, under the guidance and supervision of teachers. Unlike homework, which is intended to be completed independently, schoolwork allows students to engage in learning within the structured classroom environment.

During school hours, students may participate in various activities that involve hands-on learning, group discussions, experiments, or presentations. These activities not only promote active learning but also foster collaboration and critical thinking skills. For example, in a science class, students might conduct experiments or engage in group discussions to explore scientific concepts and principles. In an art class, students might work on creative projects or participate in critiques to develop their artistic skills and express their ideas.

Examples Of Different Contexts

The choice between homework and schoolwork can vary depending on the specific context in which they are used. Here are a few examples:

1. Elementary School:

In elementary school, teachers often assign more schoolwork than homework. This is because younger students benefit from hands-on activities, interactive lessons, and immediate feedback provided by teachers. Schoolwork in this context might involve engaging in group projects, participating in classroom discussions, or completing worksheets under the guidance of the teacher.

2. High School:

In high school, the balance between homework and schoolwork might shift. As students become more independent learners, homework assignments become more prevalent. Students are expected to take responsibility for their own learning and manage their time effectively. Schoolwork in high school may still involve collaborative projects, but it often focuses on individual assignments, research papers, or presentations that require more independent work.

3. Online Learning:

In the era of online learning, the distinction between homework and schoolwork can become blurred. With the flexibility of virtual classrooms, students may engage in a combination of independent work and interactive activities during scheduled online sessions. Homework in this context could involve watching instructional videos, completing online quizzes, or participating in virtual discussions, while schoolwork might include live video conferences, group projects, or online simulations.

Understanding the context in which homework and schoolwork are applied can help educators tailor their teaching strategies and assignments to meet the specific needs of their students. It also enables students and parents to approach learning with a clear understanding of the purpose and expectations associated with each type of academic task.

Exceptions To The Rules

While the terms “homework” and “schoolwork” are commonly used interchangeably, there are a few key exceptions where the rules for using these terms might not apply. Let’s explore these exceptions and provide brief explanations and examples for each case:

1. Independent Study Projects

In some educational settings, students are given the opportunity to engage in independent study projects. These projects are often self-directed and allow students to explore a topic of interest in-depth. In this case, the work assigned to students is not considered traditional homework or schoolwork.

For example, a high school student passionate about marine biology might choose to research and write a comprehensive report on the impact of climate change on coral reefs. This project would fall under the category of independent study rather than regular homework or schoolwork.

2. Fieldwork And Experiential Learning

Another exception to the traditional definitions of homework and schoolwork arises when students participate in fieldwork or experiential learning activities. These activities involve hands-on experiences outside the classroom and often require students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings.

For instance, a biology class might take a field trip to a local nature reserve to study different ecosystems and collect samples for analysis. The tasks assigned during such fieldwork would not be classified as homework or schoolwork but rather as practical learning experiences.

3. Collaborative Projects

Collaborative projects offer yet another exception to the conventional understanding of homework and schoolwork. These projects involve students working together in groups to complete a task or solve a problem. The emphasis is on teamwork, communication, and the integration of diverse perspectives.

For instance, a group of students in a history class might be assigned a project to create a documentary on a specific historical event. Each student would have a unique role, such as researching, scriptwriting, filming, or editing. The work involved in this collaborative project would not be categorized as individual homework or schoolwork.

4. Special Assignments Or Projects

Occasionally, teachers may assign special projects or assignments that do not fit neatly into the homework or schoolwork categories. These assignments often require students to think creatively, apply critical thinking skills, or engage with topics outside the regular curriculum.

For example, a literature teacher might ask students to write a short story inspired by a classic novel they have read. This assignment goes beyond the typical homework or schoolwork and encourages students to showcase their imagination and writing abilities.

Overall, while the terms “homework” and “schoolwork” generally encompass the tasks assigned to students outside of regular class time, there are exceptions to these definitions. Independent study projects, fieldwork and experiential learning, collaborative projects, and special assignments or projects all fall outside the traditional boundaries of homework and schoolwork, offering students unique opportunities for growth and exploration.

The debate between homework and schoolwork is multifaceted and requires a careful examination of various factors. Both homework and schoolwork play crucial roles in a student’s academic journey, but they differ in their purpose, scope, and impact on learning.

Homework, typically assigned outside of school hours, serves as a reinforcement tool that allows students to practice and apply what they have learned in the classroom. It fosters independent thinking, self-discipline, and time management skills. However, excessive homework can lead to burnout, stress, and a lack of work-life balance.

On the other hand, schoolwork encompasses all the tasks and assignments completed during school hours. It provides immediate feedback, promotes collaboration, and allows teachers to assess students’ understanding in real-time. Nevertheless, relying solely on schoolwork may limit students’ opportunities for self-directed learning and personal growth.

To strike a balance between homework and schoolwork, educators and parents must consider the individual needs and abilities of students. By tailoring the amount and type of assignments to each student, they can optimize the learning experience and ensure that both homework and schoolwork contribute positively to their academic development.

R.J. is the new owner of GrammarBeast.com. Having worked in bookstores, libraries, and more, his passion for grammar and writing are pivotal. As a ghostwriter for books that have sold tens of thousands of copies, he wants to help others find the right words and understand the differences.

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Homework vs. Assignment: What's the Difference?

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Does homework really work?

by: Leslie Crawford | Updated: December 12, 2023

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You know the drill. It’s 10:15 p.m., and the cardboard-and-toothpick Golden Gate Bridge is collapsing. The pages of polynomials have been abandoned. The paper on the Battle of Waterloo seems to have frozen in time with Napoleon lingering eternally over his breakfast at Le Caillou. Then come the tears and tantrums — while we parents wonder, Does the gain merit all this pain? Is this just too much homework?

However the drama unfolds night after night, year after year, most parents hold on to the hope that homework (after soccer games, dinner, flute practice, and, oh yes, that childhood pastime of yore known as playing) advances their children academically.

But what does homework really do for kids? Is the forest’s worth of book reports and math and spelling sheets the average American student completes in their 12 years of primary schooling making a difference? Or is it just busywork?

Homework haterz

Whether or not homework helps, or even hurts, depends on who you ask. If you ask my 12-year-old son, Sam, he’ll say, “Homework doesn’t help anything. It makes kids stressed-out and tired and makes them hate school more.”

Nothing more than common kid bellyaching?

Maybe, but in the fractious field of homework studies, it’s worth noting that Sam’s sentiments nicely synopsize one side of the ivory tower debate. Books like The End of Homework , The Homework Myth , and The Case Against Homework the film Race to Nowhere , and the anguished parent essay “ My Daughter’s Homework is Killing Me ” make the case that homework, by taking away precious family time and putting kids under unneeded pressure, is an ineffective way to help children become better learners and thinkers.

One Canadian couple took their homework apostasy all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. After arguing that there was no evidence that it improved academic performance, they won a ruling that exempted their two children from all homework.

So what’s the real relationship between homework and academic achievement?

How much is too much?

To answer this question, researchers have been doing their homework on homework, conducting and examining hundreds of studies. Chris Drew Ph.D., founder and editor at The Helpful Professor recently compiled multiple statistics revealing the folly of today’s after-school busy work. Does any of the data he listed below ring true for you?

• 45 percent of parents think homework is too easy for their child, primarily because it is geared to the lowest standard under the Common Core State Standards .

• 74 percent of students say homework is a source of stress , defined as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss, and stomach problems.

• Students in high-performing high schools spend an average of 3.1 hours a night on homework , even though 1 to 2 hours is the optimal duration, according to a peer-reviewed study .

Not included in the list above is the fact many kids have to abandon activities they love — like sports and clubs — because homework deprives them of the needed time to enjoy themselves with other pursuits.

Conversely, The Helpful Professor does list a few pros of homework, noting it teaches discipline and time management, and helps parents know what’s being taught in the class.

The oft-bandied rule on homework quantity — 10 minutes a night per grade (starting from between 10 to 20 minutes in first grade) — is listed on the National Education Association’s website and the National Parent Teacher Association’s website , but few schools follow this rule.

Do you think your child is doing excessive homework? Harris Cooper Ph.D., author of a meta-study on homework , recommends talking with the teacher. “Often there is a miscommunication about the goals of homework assignments,” he says. “What appears to be problematic for kids, why they are doing an assignment, can be cleared up with a conversation.” Also, Cooper suggests taking a careful look at how your child is doing the assignments. It may seem like they’re taking two hours, but maybe your child is wandering off frequently to get a snack or getting distracted.

Less is often more

If your child is dutifully doing their work but still burning the midnight oil, it’s worth intervening to make sure your child gets enough sleep. A 2012 study of 535 high school students found that proper sleep may be far more essential to brain and body development.

For elementary school-age children, Cooper’s research at Duke University shows there is no measurable academic advantage to homework. For middle-schoolers, Cooper found there is a direct correlation between homework and achievement if assignments last between one to two hours per night. After two hours, however, achievement doesn’t improve. For high schoolers, Cooper’s research suggests that two hours per night is optimal. If teens have more than two hours of homework a night, their academic success flatlines. But less is not better. The average high school student doing homework outperformed 69 percent of the students in a class with no homework.

Many schools are starting to act on this research. A Florida superintendent abolished homework in her 42,000 student district, replacing it with 20 minutes of nightly reading. She attributed her decision to “ solid research about what works best in improving academic achievement in students .”

More family time

A 2020 survey by Crayola Experience reports 82 percent of children complain they don’t have enough quality time with their parents. Homework deserves much of the blame. “Kids should have a chance to just be kids and do things they enjoy, particularly after spending six hours a day in school,” says Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth . “It’s absurd to insist that children must be engaged in constructive activities right up until their heads hit the pillow.”

By far, the best replacement for homework — for both parents and children — is bonding, relaxing time together.

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What Is The Difference Between Homework and Assignment?

• Are Homework and Assignment the Same?

Every student needs homework and assignment to progress. Do you not know the difference between homework and assignment ? You can read the difference between the two below.

According to Herbert Spencer, the most important goal is not the teaching of knowledge but its practice. It is more important to use the knowledge learned than just learning homework as an extracurricular activity and continuing to complete classwork Herbert Spencer

The student has three types of homework: practice, preparation, and continuing and completing homework. Practice reinforces newly learned skills. For example, students who have learned a new way of solving a math problem should be given sample problems to solve independently. Preparation assignments help students prepare for classroom activities, such as when students are on a topic, which is to be presented later in the class to do research.

Table of contents

1. definition of homework and assignment, 2. what’s the purpose of homework and assignment, 3. the main function of homework and assignment, 4. history of homework and assignment, 5. benefits of assignment for students, 6. benefits of homework for students, the difference between homework and assignment.

The difference between homework and assignment is determined by definition, purpose, main functions, history, and benefits . In the following, we will discuss the differences between homework and assignment using the elements mentioned.

 An assignment is a project or task assigned to a student during his or her studies. The assignment is the subject of Wu or a topic of content from a particular class. But the homework is the task assigned by the teacher so that the students can do it outside the classroom environment. Read more about homework meaning

Homework and assignment both have different goals. Homework helps the student study process well. The student can experience good learning by researching a topic and learning a specific topic well. Assignments can meet specific goals and, if followed regularly, can help learners in this regard.

• Students can improve their skills with the help of homework. By doing homework daily, students will be prepared for the exam.
• Students can understand and learn certain topics by doing homework.
• Homework can help create group discussions and group work to interact with each other and share information.
• Homework helps to increase students’ self-confidence because other students will not easily forget what they have learned.
• It is a great tool for interpersonal communication between students, teachers’ friends, and their parents.

Read here: What Is The Purpose And Benefits of Homework?

The assignment’s main function is to use the source of motivation to do a particular task and examine the difficulties and obstacles that exist when doing a task. Homework is also a solution to overcome such problems.

Homework primarily identifies the challenges and problems that students face when learning a subject. After identifying these obstacles, it proposes appropriate solutions to these challenges and helps students prepare for exams.

 The words homework and assignment have different origins, and the word assignment originated from a French word that entered the English language in the late Middle Ages. And the word homework can be s traced back to the years 1350 to 1400. The term homework is derived from the ” Medieval Latin assignment ” and “Middle English assignment.”

Read here Who Invented Homework?

 The assignment has many benefits, and by knowing these benefits, homework and assignment can be distinguished. Some of the benefits of the assignment include:

• It helps students reconsider a particular topic
• It gives the student the ability to understand and solve a specific problem
• The assignment brings initiative and responsibility to the student and meets the expectations of students, families, and the general public. It helps increase students’ confidence
• The assignment is useful when engaging a student
• Useful when understanding a particular topic
• Doing homework gives the student insight into researching topics related to a particular assignment.

Students should not expect homework to be always enjoyable. Still, if the homework is presented with the right purpose and the parents pursue it by their child, they will benefit by getting a higher grade for better study habits and a more positive school and education view. The homework gives parents a good idea of ​​the school’s teaching materials and performance and provides more opportunities for them to learn. That’s why our homework payment service is affordable to meet every student’s needs.

Prices start from $4.99

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How to Do Homework: 15 Expert Tips and Tricks

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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The terms �studying� and �doing homework� are often used synonymously. Especially in upper level education, they both mean essentially the same thing -- learning and preparing for school done outside of class time. But there are some important differences in what they mean to your child and how they should be approached.

Studying goes above and beyond what the teacher provides for the student. It necessitates self-starting. Your student should understand that what the teacher assigns, while good for reinforcing and expanding knowledge, is not enough for most students to fully prepare for tests. Every student has different strengths and weaknesses. Each student should identify their own weaknesses, with your help or a teacher's, and use this knowledge to focus their efforts and energy when it comes time to study. This tactic will also help them understand the difference between studying and doing homework, as well as the value of spending their own time outside of school and homework, studying .

About the author

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Students' achievement and homework assignment strategies.

• 1 Department of Education Sciences, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
• 2 Department of Education, Principality of Asturias Government, Oviedo, Spain
• 3 Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain

The optimum time students should spend on homework has been widely researched although the results are far from unanimous. The main objective of this research is to analyze how homework assignment strategies in schools affect students' academic performance and the differences in students' time spent on homework. Participants were a representative sample of Spanish adolescents ( N = 26,543) with a mean age of 14.4 (±0.75), 49.7% girls. A test battery was used to measure academic performance in four subjects: Spanish, Mathematics, Science, and Citizenship. A questionnaire allowed the measurement of the indicators used for the description of homework and control variables. Two three-level hierarchical-linear models (student, school, autonomous community) were produced for each subject being evaluated. The relationship between academic results and homework time is negative at the individual level but positive at school level. An increase in the amount of homework a school assigns is associated with an increase in the differences in student time spent on homework. An optimum amount of homework is proposed which schools should assign to maximize gains in achievement for students overall.

The role of homework in academic achievement is an age-old debate ( Walberg et al., 1985 ) that has swung between times when it was thought to be a tool for improving a country's competitiveness and times when it was almost outlawed. So Cooper (2001) talks about the battle over homework and the debates and rows continue ( Walberg et al., 1985 , 1986 ; Barber, 1986 ). It is considered a complicated subject ( Corno, 1996 ), mysterious ( Trautwein and Köller, 2003 ), a chameleon ( Trautwein et al., 2009b ), or Janus-faced ( Flunger et al., 2015 ). One must agree with Cooper et al. (2006) that homework is a practice full of contradictions, where positive and negative effects coincide. As such, depending on our preferences, it is possible to find data which support the argument that homework benefits all students ( Cooper, 1989 ), or that it does not matter and should be abolished ( Barber, 1986 ). Equally, one might argue a compensatory effect as it favors students with more difficulties ( Epstein and Van Voorhis, 2001 ), or on the contrary, that it is a source of inequality as it specifically benefits those better placed on the social ladder ( Rømming, 2011 ). Furthermore, this issue has jumped over the school wall and entered the home, contributing to the polemic by becoming a common topic about which it is possible to have an opinion without being well informed, something that Goldstein (1960) warned of decades ago after reviewing almost 300 pieces of writing on the topic in Education Index and finding that only 6% were empirical studies.

The relationship between homework time and educational outcomes has traditionally been the most researched aspect ( Cooper, 1989 ; Cooper et al., 2006 ; Fan et al., 2017 ), although conclusions have evolved over time. The first experimental studies ( Paschal et al., 1984 ) worked from the hypothesis that time spent on homework was a reflection of an individual student's commitment and diligence and as such the relationship between time spent on homework and achievement should be positive. This was roughly the idea at the end of the twentieth century, when more positive effects had been found than negative ( Cooper, 1989 ), although it was also known that the relationship was not strictly linear ( Cooper and Valentine, 2001 ), and that its strength depended on the student's age- stronger in post-compulsory secondary education than in compulsory education and almost zero in primary education ( Cooper et al., 2012 ). With the turn of the century, hierarchical-linear models ran counter to this idea by showing that homework was a multilevel situation and the effect of homework on outcomes depended on classroom factors (e.g., frequency or amount of assigned homework) more than on an individual's attitude ( Trautwein and Köller, 2003 ). Research with a multilevel approach indicated that individual variations in time spent had little effect on academic results ( Farrow et al., 1999 ; De Jong et al., 2000 ; Dettmers et al., 2010 ; Murillo and Martínez-Garrido, 2013 ; Fernández-Alonso et al., 2014 ; Núñez et al., 2014 ; Servicio de Evaluación Educativa del Principado de Asturias, 2016 ) and that when statistically significant results were found, the effect was negative ( Trautwein, 2007 ; Trautwein et al., 2009b ; Lubbers et al., 2010 ; Chang et al., 2014 ). The reasons for this null or negative relationship lie in the fact that those variables which are positively associated with homework time are antagonistic when predicting academic performance. For example, some students may not need to spend much time on homework because they learn quickly and have good cognitive skills and previous knowledge ( Trautwein, 2007 ; Dettmers et al., 2010 ), or maybe because they are not very persistent in their work and do not finish homework tasks ( Flunger et al., 2015 ). Similarly, students may spend more time on homework because they have difficulties learning and concentrating, low expectations and motivation or because they need more direct help ( Trautwein et al., 2006 ), or maybe because they put in a lot of effort and take a lot of care with their work ( Flunger et al., 2015 ). Something similar happens with sociological variables such as gender: Girls spend more time on homework ( Gershenson and Holt, 2015 ) but, compared to boys, in standardized tests they have better results in reading and worse results in Science and Mathematics ( OECD, 2013a ).

On the other hand, thanks to multilevel studies, systematic effects on performance have been found when homework time is considered at the class or school level. De Jong et al. (2000) found that the number of assigned homework tasks in a year was positively and significantly related to results in mathematics. Equally, the volume or amount of homework (mean homework time for the group) and the frequency of homework assignment have positive effects on achievement. The data suggests that when frequency and volume are considered together, the former has more impact on results than the latter ( Trautwein et al., 2002 ; Trautwein, 2007 ). In fact, it has been estimated that in classrooms where homework is always assigned there are gains in mathematics and science of 20% of a standard deviation over those classrooms which sometimes assign homework ( Fernández-Alonso et al., 2015 ). Significant results have also been found in research which considered only homework volume at the classroom or school level. Dettmers et al. (2009) concluded that the school-level effect of homework is positive in the majority of participating countries in PISA 2003, and the OECD (2013b) , with data from PISA 2012, confirms that schools in which students have more weekly homework demonstrate better results once certain school and student-background variables are discounted. To put it briefly, homework has a multilevel nature ( Trautwein and Köller, 2003 ) in which the variables have different significance and effects according to the level of analysis, in this case a positive effect at class level, and a negative or null effect in most cases at the level of the individual. Furthermore, the fact that the clearest effects are seen at the classroom and school level highlights the role of homework policy in schools and teaching, over and above the time individual students spend on homework.

From this complex context, this current study aims to explore the relationships between the strategies schools use to assign homework and the consequences that has on students' academic performance and on the students' own homework strategies. There are two specific objectives, firstly, to systematically analyze the differential effect of time spent on homework on educational performance, both at school and individual level. We hypothesize a positive effect for homework time at school level, and a negative effect at the individual level. Secondly, the influence of homework quantity assigned by schools on the distribution of time spent by students on homework will be investigated. This will test the previously unexplored hypothesis that an increase in the amount of homework assigned by each school will create an increase in differences, both in time spent on homework by the students, and in academic results. Confirming this hypothesis would mean that an excessive amount of homework assigned by schools would penalize those students who for various reasons (pace of work, gaps in learning, difficulties concentrating, overexertion) need to spend more time completing their homework than their peers. In order to resolve this apparent paradox we will calculate the optimum volume of homework that schools should assign in order to benefit the largest number of students without contributing to an increase in differences, that is, without harming educational equity.

Participants

The population was defined as those students in year 8 of compulsory education in the academic year 2009/10 in Spain. In order to provide a representative sample, a stratified random sampling was carried out from the 19 autonomous regions in Spain. The sample was selected from each stratum according to a two-stage cluster design ( OECD, 2009 , 2011 , 2014a ; Ministerio de Educación, 2011 ). In the first stage, the primary units of the sample were the schools, which were selected with a probability proportional to the number of students in the 8th grade. The more 8th grade students in a given school, the higher the likelihood of the school being selected. In the second stage, 35 students were selected from each school through simple, systematic sampling. A detailed, step-by-step description of the sampling procedure may be found in OECD (2011) . The subsequent sample numbered 29,153 students from 933 schools. Some students were excluded due to lack of information (absences on the test day), or for having special educational needs. The baseline sample was finally made up of 26,543 students. The mean student age was 14.4 with a standard deviation of 0.75, rank of age from 13 to 16. Some 66.2% attended a state school; 49.7% were girls; 87.8% were Spanish nationals; 73.5% were in the school year appropriate to their age, the remaining 26.5% were at least 1 year behind in terms of their age.

Test application, marking, and data recording were contracted out via public tendering, and were carried out by qualified personnel unconnected to the schools. The evaluation, was performed on two consecutive days, each day having two 50 min sessions separated by a break. At the end of the second day the students completed a context questionnaire which included questions related to homework. The evaluation was carried out in compliance with current ethical standards in Spain. Families of the students selected to participate in the evaluation were informed about the study by the school administrations, and were able to choose whether those students would participate in the study or not.

Instruments

Tests of academic performance.

The performance test battery consisted of 342 items evaluating four subjects: Spanish (106 items), mathematics (73 items), science (78), and citizenship (85). The items, completed on paper, were in various formats and were subject to binary scoring, except 21 items which were coded on a polytomous scale, between 0 and 2 points ( Ministerio de Educación, 2011 ). As a single student is not capable of answering the complete item pool in the time given, the items were distributed across various booklets following a matrix design ( Fernández-Alonso and Muñiz, 2011 ). The mean Cronbach α for the booklets ranged from 0.72 (mathematics) to 0.89 (Spanish). Student scores were calculated adjusting the bank of items to Rasch's IRT model using the ConQuest 2.0 program ( Wu et al., 2007 ) and were expressed in a scale with mean and standard deviation of 500 and 100 points respectively. The student's scores were divided into five categories, estimated using the plausible values method. In large scale assessments this method is better at recovering the true population parameters (e.g., mean, standard deviation) than estimates of scores using methods of maximum likelihood or expected a-posteriori estimations ( Mislevy et al., 1992 ; OECD, 2009 ; von Davier et al., 2009 ).

Homework Variables

A questionnaire was made up of a mix of items which allowed the calculation of the indicators used for the description of homework variables. Daily minutes spent on homework was calculated from a multiple choice question with the following options: (a) Generally I don't have homework; (b) 1 h or less; (c) Between 1 and 2 h; (d) Between 2 and 3 h; (e) More than 3 h. The options were recoded as follows: (a) = 0 min.; (b) = 45 min.; (c) = 90 min.; (d) = 150 min.; (e) = 210 min. According to Trautwein and Köller (2003) the average homework time of the students in a school could be regarded as a good proxy for the amount of homework assigned by the teacher. So the mean of this variable for each school was used as an estimator of Amount or volume of homework assigned .

Control Variables

Four variables were included to describe sociological factors about the students, three were binary: Gender (1 = female ); Nationality (1 = Spanish; 0 = other ); School type (1 = state school; 0 = private ). The fourth variable was Socioeconomic and cultural index (SECI), which is constructed with information about family qualifications and professions, along with the availability of various material and cultural resources at home. It is expressed in standardized points, N(0,1) . Three variables were used to gather educational history: Appropriate School Year (1 = being in the school year appropriate to their age ; 0 = repeated a school year) . The other two adjustment variables were Academic Expectations and Motivation which were included for two reasons: they are both closely connected to academic achievement ( Suárez-Álvarez et al., 2014 ). Their position as adjustment factors is justified because, in an ex-post facto descriptive design such as this, both expectations and motivation may be thought of as background variables that the student brings with them on the day of the test. Academic expectations for finishing education was measured with a multiple-choice item where the score corresponds to the years spent in education in order to reach that level of qualification: compulsory secondary education (10 points); further secondary education (12 points); non-university higher education (14 points); University qualification (16 points). Motivation was constructed from the answers to six four-point Likert items, where 1 means strongly disagree with the sentence and 4 means strongly agree. Students scoring highly in this variable are agreeing with statements such as “at school I learn useful and interesting things.” A Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed using a Maximum Likelihood robust estimation method (MLMV) and the items fit an essentially unidimensional scale: CFI = 0.954; TLI = 0.915; SRMR = 0.037; RMSEA = 0.087 (90% CI = 0.084–0.091).

As this was an official evaluation, the tests used were created by experts in the various fields, contracted by the Spanish Ministry of Education in collaboration with the regional education authorities.

Data Analyses

Firstly the descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations between the variables were calculated. Then, using the HLM 6.03 program ( Raudenbush et al., 2004 ), two three-level hierarchical-linear models (student, school, autonomous community) were produced for each subject being evaluated: a null model (without predictor variables) and a random intercept model in which adjustment variables and homework variables were introduced at the same time. Given that HLM does not return standardized coefficients, all of the variables were standardized around the general mean, which allows the interpretation of the results as classical standardized regression analysis coefficients. Levels 2 and 3 variables were constructed from means of standardized level 1 variables and were not re-standardized. Level 1 variables were introduced without centering except for four cases: study time, motivation, expectation, and socioeconomic and cultural level which were centered on the school mean to control composition effects ( Xu and Wu, 2013 ) and estimate the effect of differences in homework time among the students within the same school. The range of missing variable cases was very small, between 1 and 3%. Recovery was carried out using the procedure described in Fernández-Alonso et al. (2012) .

The results are presented in two ways: the tables show standardized coefficients while in the figures the data are presented in a real scale, taking advantage of the fact that a scale with a 100 point standard deviation allows the expression of the effect of the variables and the differences between groups as percentage increases in standardized points.

Table 1 shows the descriptive statistics and the matrix of correlations between the study variables. As can be seen in the table, the relationship between the variables turned out to be in the expected direction, with the closest correlations between the different academic performance scores and socioeconomic level, appropriate school year, and student expectations. The nationality variable gave the highest asymmetry and kurtosis, which was to be expected as the majority of the sample are Spanish.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation matrix between the variables .

Table 2 shows the distribution of variance in the null model. In the four subjects taken together, 85% of the variance was found at the student level, 10% was variance between schools, and 5% variance between regions. Although the 10% of variance between schools could seem modest, underlying that there were large differences. For example, in Spanish the 95% plausible value range for the school means ranged between 577 and 439 points, practically 1.5 standard deviations, which shows that schools have a significant impact on student results.

Table 2. Distribution of the variance in the null model .

Table 3 gives the standardized coefficients of the independent variables of the four multilevel models, as well as the percentage of variance explained by each level.

Table 3. Multilevel models for prediction of achievement in four subjects .

The results indicated that the adjustment variables behaved satisfactorily, with enough control to analyze the net effects of the homework variables. This was backed up by two results, firstly, the two variables with highest standardized coefficients were those related to educational history: academic expectations at the time of the test, and being in the school year corresponding to age. Motivation demonstrated a smaller effect but one which was significant in all cases. Secondly, the adjustment variables explained the majority of the variance in the results. The percentages of total explained variance in Table 2 were calculated with all variables. However, if the strategy had been to introduce the adjustment variables first and then add in the homework variables, the explanatory gain in the second model would have been about 2% in each subject.

The amount of homework turned out to be positively and significantly associated with the results in the four subjects. In a 100 point scale of standard deviation, controlling for other variables, it was estimated that for each 10 min added to the daily volume of homework, schools would achieve between 4.1 and 4.8 points more in each subject, with the exception of mathematics where the increase would be around 2.5 points. In other words, an increase of between 15 and 29 points in the school mean is predicted for each additional hour of homework volume of the school as a whole. This school level gain, however, would only occur if the students spent exactly the same time on homework as their school mean. As the regression coefficient of student homework time is negative and the variable is centered on the level of the school, the model predicts deterioration in results for those students who spend more time than their class mean on homework, and an improvement for those who finish their homework more quickly than the mean of their classmates.

Furthermore, the results demonstrated a positive association between the amount of homework assigned in a school and the differences in time needed by the students to complete their homework. Figure 1 shows the relationship between volume of homework (expressed as mean daily minutes of homework by school) and the differences in time spent by students (expressed as the standard deviation from the mean school daily minutes). The correlation between the variables was 0.69 and the regression gradient indicates that schools which assigned 60 min of homework per day had a standard deviation in time spent by students on homework of approximately 25 min, whereas in those schools assigning 120 min of homework, the standard deviation was twice as long, and was over 50 min. So schools which assigned more homework also tended to demonstrate greater differences in the time students need to spend on that homework.

Figure 1. Relationship between school homework volume and differences in time needed by students to complete homework .

Figure 2 shows the effect on results in mathematics of the combination of homework time, homework amount, and the variance of homework time associated with the amount of homework assigned in two types of schools: in type 1 schools the amount of homework assigned is 1 h, and in type 2 schools the amount of homework 2 h. The result in mathematics was used as a dependent variable because, as previously noted, it was the subject where the effect was smallest and as such is the most conservative prediction. With other subjects the results might be even clearer.

Figure 2. Prediction of results for quick and slow students according to school homework size .

Looking at the first standard deviation of student homework time shown in the first graph, it was estimated that in type 1 schools, which assign 1 h of daily homework, a quick student (one who finishes their homework before 85% of their classmates) would spend a little over half an hour (35 min), whereas the slower student, who spends more time than 85% of classmates, would need almost an hour and a half of work each day (85 min). In type 2 schools, where the homework amount is 2 h a day, the differences increase from just over an hour (65 min for a quick student) to almost 3 h (175 min for a slow student). Figure 2 shows how the differences in performance would vary within a school between the more and lesser able students according to amount of homework assigned. In type 1 schools, with 1 h of homework per day, the difference in achievement between quick and slow students would be around 5% of a standard deviation, while in schools assigning 2 h per day the difference would be 12%. On the other hand, the slow student in a type 2 school would score 6 points more than the quick student in a type 1 school. However, to achieve this, the slow student in a type 2 school would need to spend five times as much time on homework in a week (20.4 weekly hours rather than 4.1). It seems like a lot of work for such a small gain.

Discussion and Conclusions

The data in this study reaffirm the multilevel nature of homework ( Trautwein and Köller, 2003 ) and support this study's first hypothesis: the amount of homework (mean daily minutes the student spends on homework) is positively associated with academic results, whereas the time students spent on homework considered individually is negatively associated with academic results. These findings are in line with previous research, which indicate that school-level variables, such as amount of homework assigned, have more explanatory power than individual variables such as time spent ( De Jong et al., 2000 ; Dettmers et al., 2010 ; Scheerens et al., 2013 ; Fernández-Alonso et al., 2015 ). In this case it was found that for each additional hour of homework assigned by a school, a gain of 25% of a standard deviation is expected in all subjects except mathematics, where the gain is around 15%. On the basis of this evidence, common sense would dictate the conclusion that frequent and abundant homework assignment may be one way to improve school efficiency.

However, as noted previously, the relationship between homework and achievement is paradoxical- appearances are deceptive and first conclusions are not always confirmed. Analysis demonstrates another two complementary pieces of data which, read together, raise questions about the previous conclusion. In the first place, time spent on homework at the individual level was found to have a negative effect on achievement, which confirms the findings of other multilevel-approach research ( Trautwein, 2007 ; Trautwein et al., 2009b ; Chang et al., 2014 ; Fernández-Alonso et al., 2016 ). Furthermore, it was found that an increase in assigned homework volume is associated with an increase in the differences in time students need to complete it. Taken together, the conclusion is that, schools with more homework tend to exhibit more variation in student achievement. These results seem to confirm our second hypothesis, as a positive covariation was found between the amount of homework in a school (the mean homework time by school) and the increase in differences within the school, both in student homework time and in the academic results themselves. The data seem to be in line with those who argue that homework is a source of inequity because it affects those less academically-advantaged students and students with greater limitations in their home environments ( Kohn, 2006 ; Rømming, 2011 ; OECD, 2013b ).

This new data has clear implications for educational action and school homework policies, especially in compulsory education. If quality compulsory education is that which offers the best results for the largest number ( Barber and Mourshed, 2007 ; Mourshed et al., 2010 ), then assigning an excessive volume of homework at those school levels could accentuate differences, affecting students who are slower, have more gaps in their knowledge, or are less privileged, and can make them feel overwhelmed by the amount of homework assigned to them ( Martinez, 2011 ; OECD, 2014b ; Suárez et al., 2016 ). The data show that in a school with 60 min of assigned homework, a quick student will need just 4 h a week to finish their homework, whereas a slow student will spend 10 h a week, 2.5 times longer, with the additional aggravation of scoring one twentieth of a standard deviation below their quicker classmates. And in a school assigning 120 min of homework per day, a quick student will need 7.5 h per week whereas a slow student will have to triple this time (20 h per week) to achieve a result one eighth worse, that is, more time for a relatively worse result.

It might be argued that the differences are not very large, as between 1 and 2 h of assigned homework, the level of inequality increases 7% on a standardized scale. But this percentage increase has been estimated after statistically, or artificially, accounting for sociological and psychological student factors and other variables at school and region level. The adjustment variables influence both achievement and time spent on homework, so it is likely that in a real classroom situation the differences estimated here might be even larger. This is especially important in comprehensive education systems, like the Spanish ( Eurydice, 2015 ), in which the classroom groups are extremely heterogeneous, with a variety of students in the same class in terms of ability, interest, and motivation, in which the aforementioned variables may operate more strongly.

The results of this research must be interpreted bearing in mind a number of limitations. The most significant limitation in the research design is the lack of a measure of previous achievement, whether an ad hoc test ( Murillo and Martínez-Garrido, 2013 ) or school grades ( Núñez et al., 2014 ), which would allow adjustment of the data. In an attempt to alleviate this, our research has placed special emphasis on the construction of variables which would work to exclude academic history from the model. The use of the repetition of school year variable was unavoidable because Spain has one of the highest levels of repetition in the European Union ( Eurydice, 2011 ) and repeating students achieve worse academic results ( Ministerio de Educación, 2011 ). Similarly, the expectation and motivation variables were included in the group of adjustment factors assuming that in this research they could be considered background variables. In this way, once the background factors are discounted, the homework variables explain 2% of the total variance, which is similar to estimations from other multilevel studies ( De Jong et al., 2000 ; Trautwein, 2007 ; Dettmers et al., 2009 ; Fernández-Alonso et al., 2016 ). On the other hand, the statistical models used to analyze the data are correlational, and as such, one can only speak of an association between variables and not of directionality or causality in the analysis. As Trautwein and Lüdtke (2009) noted, the word “effect” must be understood as “predictive effect.” In other words, it is possible to say that the amount of homework is connected to performance; however, it is not possible to say in which direction the association runs. Another aspect to be borne in mind is that the homework time measures are generic -not segregated by subject- when it its understood that time spent and homework behavior are not consistent across all subjects ( Trautwein et al., 2006 ; Trautwein and Lüdtke, 2007 ). Nonetheless, when the dependent variable is academic results it has been found that the relationship between homework time and achievement is relatively stable across all subjects ( Lubbers et al., 2010 ; Chang et al., 2014 ) which leads us to believe that the results given here would have changed very little even if the homework-related variables had been separated by subject.

Future lines of research should be aimed toward the creation of comprehensive models which incorporate a holistic vision of homework. It must be recognized that not all of the time spent on homework by a student is time well spent ( Valle et al., 2015 ). In addition, research has demonstrated the importance of other variables related to student behavior such as rate of completion, the homework environment, organization, and task management, autonomy, parenting styles, effort, and the use of study techniques ( Zimmerman and Kitsantas, 2005 ; Xu, 2008 , 2013 ; Kitsantas and Zimmerman, 2009 ; Kitsantas et al., 2011 ; Ramdass and Zimmerman, 2011 ; Bembenutty and White, 2013 ; Xu and Wu, 2013 ; Xu et al., 2014 ; Rosário et al., 2015a ; Osorio and González-Cámara, 2016 ; Valle et al., 2016 ), as well as the role of expectation, value given to the task, and personality traits ( Lubbers et al., 2010 ; Goetz et al., 2012 ; Pedrosa et al., 2016 ). Along the same lines, research has also indicated other important variables related to teacher homework policies, such as reasons for assignment, control and feedback, assignment characteristics, and the adaptation of tasks to the students' level of learning ( Trautwein et al., 2009a ; Dettmers et al., 2010 ; Patall et al., 2010 ; Buijs and Admiraal, 2013 ; Murillo and Martínez-Garrido, 2013 ; Rosário et al., 2015b ). All of these should be considered in a comprehensive model of homework.

In short, the data seem to indicate that in year 8 of compulsory education, 60–70 min of homework a day is a recommendation that, slightly more optimistically than Cooper's (2001) “10 min rule,” gives a reasonable gain for the whole school, without exaggerating differences or harming students with greater learning difficulties or who work more slowly, and is in line with other available evidence ( Fernández-Alonso et al., 2015 ). These results have significant implications when it comes to setting educational policy in schools, sending a clear message to head teachers, teachers and those responsible for education. The results of this research show that assigning large volumes of homework increases inequality between students in pursuit of minimal gains in achievement for those who least need it. Therefore, in terms of school efficiency, and with the aim of improving equity in schools it is recommended that educational policies be established which optimize all students' achievement.

Ethics Statement

This study was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the University of Oviedo with written informed consent from all subjects. All subjects gave written informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The protocol was approved by the University of Oviedo.

Author Contributions

RF and JM have designed the research; RF and JS have analyzed the data; MA and JM have interpreted the data; RF, MA, and JS have drafted the paper; JM has revised it critically; all authors have provided final approval of the version to be published and have ensured the accuracy and integrity of the work.

This research was funded by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad del Gobierno de España. References: PSI2014-56114-P, BES2012-053488. We would like to express our utmost gratitude to the Ministerio de Educación Cultura y Deporte del Gobierno de España and to the Consejería de Educación y Cultura del Gobierno del Principado de Asturias, without whose collaboration this research would not have been possible.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Keywords: homework time, equity, compulsory secondary education, hierarchical modeling, adolescents

Citation: Fernández-Alonso R, Álvarez-Díaz M, Suárez-Álvarez J and Muñiz J (2017) Students' Achievement and Homework Assignment Strategies. Front. Psychol . 8:286. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00286

Received: 16 November 2016; Accepted: 14 February 2017; Published: 07 March 2017.

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Copyright © 2017 Fernández-Alonso, Álvarez-Díaz, Suárez-Álvarez and Muñiz. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Javier Suárez-Álvarez, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Home » Education » What is the Difference Between Assignment and Assessment

What is the Difference Between Assignment and Assessment

The main difference between assignment and assessment is that assignments refer to the allocation of a task or set of tasks that are marked and graded while a ssessment refers to methods for establishing if students have achieved a learning outcome, or are on their way toward a learning objective.  

Assignments and assessment are two important concepts in modern education. Although these two words are similar, they have different meanings. Assignments are the pieces of coursework or homework students are expected to complete. Assessment, on the other hand, refer to the method of assessing the progress of students. Sometimes, assignments can act as tools of assessment.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is an Assignment       – Definition, Goals, Characteristics 2. What is an Assessment      – Definition, Characteristics 3. Difference Between Assignment and Assessment      – Comparison of Key Differences

What is an Assignment

Assignments are the pieces of coursework or homework given to the students by teachers at school or professors at university. In other words, assignments refer to the allocation of a task or set of tasks that are marked and graded. Assignments are essential components in primary, secondary and tertiary education.

Assignments have several goals, as described below:

– gives students a better understanding of the topic being studied

– develops learning and understanding skills of students

– helps students in self-study

– develops research and analytical skills

– teaches students time management and organization

– clear students’ problems or ambiguities regarding any subject

– enhance the creativity of students

Generally, educators assign such tasks to complete at home and submit to school after a certain period of time. The time period assigned may depend on the nature of the task. Essays, posters, presentation, annotated bibliography, review of a book, summary, charts and graphs are some examples of assignments. Writing assignments develop the writing skills of students while creative assignments like creating posters, graphs and charts and making presentation enhance the creativity of students. Ultimately, assignments help to assess the knowledge and skills, as well as the students’ understanding of the topic.

What is an Assessment

Assessment refers to methods for establishing if students have achieved a learning outcome, or are on their way toward a learning objective. In other words, it is the method of assessing the progress of students. Assessment helps the educators to determine what students are learning and how well they are learning it, especially in relation to the expected learning outcomes of a lesson. Therefore, it helps the educator to understand how the students understand the lesson, and to determine what changes need to be made to the teaching process. Moreover, assessment focuses on both learning as well as teaching and can be termed as an interactive process. Sometimes, assignments can act as tools of assessment.

There are two main types of assessment as formative and summative assessment . Formative assessments occur during the learning process, whereas summative assessments occur at the end of a learning unit. Quizzes, discussions, and making students write summaries of the lesson are examples of formative assessment while end of unit tests, term tests and final projects are examples of summative assessment. Moreover, formative assessments aim to monitor student learning while summative assessments aim to evaluate student learning.

Difference Between Assignment and Assessment

Assignments refer to the allocation of a task or set of tasks that are marked and graded while assessment refers to methods for establishing if students have achieved a learning outcome, or are on their way toward a learning objective. 

Assignments are the pieces of coursework or homework students have to complete while assessment is the method of assessing the progress of students

Goal                

Moreover, assignments aim to give students a more comprehensive understanding of the topic being studied and develop learning and understanding skills of students. However, the main goal of assessment is monitoring and evaluating student learning and progress.

Assignments are the pieces of coursework or homework students have to complete while assessment refers to the method of assessing the progress of students. This is the main difference between assignment and assessment. Sometimes, assignments can also act as tools of assessment.

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1. “Focused schoolgirl doing homework and sitting at table” (CC0) via Pexels 2. “Assessment” By Nick Youngson (CC BY-SA 3.0) Alpha Stock Images

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Hasanthi is a seasoned content writer and editor with over 8 years of experience. Armed with a BA degree in English and a knack for digital marketing, she explores her passions for literature, history, culture, and food through her engaging and informative writing.

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The Difference between an Essay and an Assignment

While most essays are assigned, not all assignments are essays. Your math homework may include word problems, but you aren't likely to write an essay your math teacher will be interested in reading. The differences lie in the what is included under the individual definitions and who will be doing the assigning.

What is an Essay?

An essay is a written piece of work that analyzes or describes a particular topic. Essays traditionally include an introductory paragraph, three or more body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The purpose of an essay is to inform readers on a chosen subject, and that information can be written as a description, a narrative story, a well-reasoned argument, or just a presentation of facts. No matter what type of essay you write, you'll need to do at least some research and organize your thoughts before putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

What is an Assignment?

An assignment is any work you're asked to do and usually comes with a required structure and questions to answer. For a math assignment, those questions will usually be written in numbers and symbols in equation form that need to be solved. For an assignment in a science class, experiments and reports may be required. For an assignment that requires writing, you may need to write an essay, a thesis, a book report, or even a poem.

Who's Assigning This?

It is almost always a teacher or professor who assigns an essay, but you may be given an assignment at work, too. Work assignments will not usually include essays unless you're a writer by trade.

For example, a journalist is assigned news stories to research and write, although they usually won't submit their writing in essay form. A lawmaker may be assigned to specific committees and required to do certain types of work for those committees. A nurse working in a hospital is assigned patients and a teacher is assigned students to teach. Any work can be assigned, and only some of those assignments require essay writing.

The assignments you'll be given throughout both your academic and employment career should always be clarified by reviewing the specific requirements involved and asking questions of the assigner to ensure that you're meeting their expectations. Successfully completing any assignment takes some amount of work, but that work will be even more successful when you know what is expected of you.