Step 1 of 7 · About 5% of your time
Break down the brief
Most marks are lost before the writing starts, when the brief is skimmed. Mark what it asks you to do, what it’s about, the rules, how it’s marked and what must be in it. An example brief is loaded so you can try it first; paste your own when you’re ready.
The brief marker needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser. The same questions are in step 1: underline the command words, circle the topic and its limits, note how it’s marked and what must be included.
What you’ll take away
Mark a few words above, then press Let Pip help you with this. Each mark becomes a checklist item on an assignment in KanBananza.
After step 1
Your brief becomes the first thing on your plan
Send your marks to KanBananza and they arrive as a checklist on an assignment, beside the board on every new tab until it’s handed in. Then step 2 uses the deadline to date the rest.
The whole route
Each step has a full guide, plus short lessons on the skills inside it. Read them in order the first time; after that, dip in where you’re stuck. Steps 3 to 6 overlap: you’ll keep finding sources while you plan and write. Step 4 links to the referencing guides for every style, on the website of Peel, our referencing app.
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5% · Day 1
Step 1: Break down the brief
Find what the question asks you to do, what it’s about, the rules, how it’s marked and what must be in it.
You finish with: a brief in your Assignments stack, with every mark as a checklist item.
Read the full step 1 guide →Lessons in this step- Command words, explained27 words
- How to read marking criteriaSoon
- Questions to ask your tutorSoon
In KanBananza: The brief lives in the Assignments stack beside the board, with its due date and marks.
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Under 5% · Day 1
Step 2: Plan back from the deadline
Count back from the hand-in date and give every stage its own date, with spare days kept free.
You finish with: a dated card for each stage.
Read step 2 →Lessons in this step- Working back from a deadline5 min
- How much time each stage takesSoon
- Planning an essay in a week4 min
In KanBananza: Pip’s Plan an assignment suggests the milestones; you check them first.
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With 4: 25 to 30%
Step 3: Find and save sources
Search where the good sources are, judge each one, and save it the moment you find it.
You finish with: a Sources stack with every book, article and page.
Read step 3 →Lessons in this step- Searching your library’s databasesSoon
- Is this source good enough?Soon
- Primary and secondary sourcesSoon
In KanBananza: Save any page in two clicks; Peel saves PDFs and quotes.
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With 3: 25 to 30%
Step 4: Reference as you go
Pick your style on day one and write each reference as you save the source.
You finish with: a reference list that builds itself.
Read step 4 →Lessons in this step- How to reference as you go4 min
- Citing in the textSoon
- Plagiarism, and how to avoid it by accidentSoon
In KanBananza: The board has a style; copy the list into Word or Docs any time.
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With 6: 10%
Step 5: Plan the chapters
Turn the question into sections, and split the word count between them.
You finish with: one card per section, with its word count.
Read step 5 →Lessons in this step- How to structure an essaySoon
- Splitting the word countSoon
- Dissertation chapters, explainedSoon
In KanBananza: Each section card gets its steps as a checklist.
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With 5: 10%
Step 6: Sources for each chapter
Decide which source supports which point, with the page numbers.
You finish with: each section card holding its own sources.
Read step 6 →Lessons in this step- Quoting and page numbersSoon
- Paraphrasing wellSoon
- Matching citations to the listSoon
In KanBananza: The Research library shows what you saved but never cited.
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50% · Days 7 to 13
Step 7: Write, check and hand in
Write one section at a time, then check it against the brief before you submit.
You finish with: a finished piece and a ticked final checklist.
Read step 7 →Lessons in this step- Writing one section at a timeSoon
- A proofreading checklistSoon
- Checking against the briefSoon
In KanBananza: Pick one for me chooses the next card; every card has a focus timer.
How long each step takes
Shares of the whole job, and what they look like for a two-week essay and a six-month dissertation. Steps 3 to 6 overlap.
| Step | Share | 2-week essay | 6-month dissertation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The brief | 5% | Day 1 | Week 1 |
| 2. The timeline | Under 5% | Day 1 | Week 1 |
| 3 and 4. Sources and references | 25 to 30% | Days 2 to 5 | Weeks 2 to 8, then ongoing |
| 5 and 6. Sections and their sources | 10% | Day 6 | Weeks 6 to 9 |
| 7. Writing | 35 to 40% | Days 7 to 11 | Weeks 9 to 20 |
| 7. Checking and handing in | 15% | Days 12 and 13 | Weeks 21 to 24 |
| Spare | 5 to 10% | Day 14 | A week, kept free |
Start with a ready-made board
Each study board has the columns the work really goes through. Pick one, or start blank.
- Assignments and coursework: Brief, Researching, Drafting, Checking and Handed in. Good for a term of essays and reports.
- Essay or dissertation: from pinning down the question to the final checks.
- Dissertation, chapter by chapter: one card per chapter, from the proposal to submission.
- Thesis or research project: reading, chapters and supervisor meetings, for Master’s and PhD.
- Homework tracker, GCSE revision and A-level revision under School and college.
Open KanBananza and pick a board
Questions
How do you plan an assignment?
Break down the brief, plan back from the deadline, find and save your sources, keep your references as you go, plan the sections or chapters, note which sources each one uses, then write, check and hand it in. Each step has its own guide above.
How long before the deadline should I start?
As soon as it’s set, even if the first step is only reading the brief. As a rough guide, give a 2,000-word essay at least two weeks, a big piece of coursework four to six weeks, and a dissertation five or six months.
How do I plan an essay in a week?
Spend day 1 on the brief and a plan, days 2 and 3 on reading and saving sources, days 4 and 5 on the first draft, and day 6 on checking and references. Keep day 7 spare. The deadline guide shows how to fit this to your own dates.
Is KanBananza free for students?
Yes. Boards, the ready-made study boards, due dates, checklists, the focus timer, the Sources stack and Harvard references are free. Full Bananza (from £5 a year) adds every referencing style, sources on each card and the Research library. Pip, the AI helper, is a separate plan with a free week.
Will Pip write my assignment?
No. Pip plans: it turns a brief into dated steps, breaks big tasks down and tidies a source’s details. It doesn’t write essays or find sources for you, and you check everything before it’s added. Always follow your school’s or university’s rules on AI.
KanBananza is free in your browser, nothing to install. No account, no tracking, and every accessibility option included.
Also as an app for Mac and Windows. Full Bananza from £5 a year, or try it free for 7 days.