首先，讓我們來了解一下，短篇assignment的特征。因為其500字左右的字數限制，其題目自然也不可能太過寬泛，一般基于一個或兩個知識點出題，主要考察學生活用該重點知識點于實際例子中的能力。又因為其篇幅較短，不需要準備大量資料的特性，教授們往往可以在任何時間布置學生們完成短篇assignment，這也就是其在留學生群體中有隨堂essay別稱的來源。比起正規中篇兩千字左右的assignment來說，短篇的assignment更加脫離了形式的規范和束縛，寫作時間大大縮減，但也就更加經常沒有準備地遇見。

 

 

一般來說，一篇臨時的短篇assignment應該在一天之內完成從準備到最后檢查的所有步驟，這也可以說是母語英語的國家大學內默認的寫作速度。拿NCUK英國北方大學聯盟舉例，今年的疫情下，它們將本來的考試改為TCA(time-controlled assignment)形式，該測試要求全球考生在24小時內完成至少三題的短篇assignment，足可見其在考察學生知識點掌握的熟練程度上的力度。所以，與一般的assignment不同，短篇assignment需要提前做好相關知識點的復習工作，確保非常高的熟練度來在規定時間內順利完成它。
 

 

最后，就短篇assignment的具體寫作而言，其一般是遵循與短篇essay相同的框架結構，即introduction介紹段，body paragraph正文加上最后conclusion結尾。但還是有一些細節上的差異值得我們在具體寫作時格外注意。
第一，在introduction段落，一般的essay遵循background背景加上thesis statement中心句加上structure文章結構的模式，然而轉到assignment的寫作中，同學們有時會發現很難遵循這個結構。所以，assignment的起始介紹段某種意義上可以經過簡化，也就是說只要大致介紹背景并表達文章中心，對一篇隨堂assignment來說，就已經足夠了。#p#分頁標題#e#
第二，關注理論引用。與寫小dissertation不同，assignment不可以根據dissertation主題隨意發揮，文中往往要時刻緊貼所涉及到的理論知識。拿布里斯托大學公布的該篇范文舉例，該商科隨堂assignment的主題是Boston Matrix波士頓矩陣模型對汽車企業豐田的作用，而作者在有限的字數中將文章分為三段，前兩段解析其對汽車產業平衡生產線和商業決策的積極作用而第三段描寫了其局限性。由此可見，隨堂assignment雖然格式上可能沒有長篇assignment那么拘謹，但是內容必須嚴格地由所學所涉及的知識理論出發，該assignment若是長篇大段地討論豐田汽車公司的表現，就是犯下了根本性地大錯誤。

在文章的最后，附上范例文章的原問題和原文，希望對各位同學今后的學習有所幫助和啟發。
Question：In 2019 Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) was the highest ranked global
car brand. Evaluate the usefulness of the Boston Matrix to TMC.
 Answer：A Boston Matrix is a technique for analyzing product portfolios with both evident usefulness and limitations. This essay will analyze the usefulness of  Boston Matrix to TMC, a high-ranked global car brand. The first and second part talks about two usefulness of Boston Matrix to TMC while the next parts illustrates its limitations which have to be emphasized during usage.
 At first, Boston Matrix is useful to balance product lines. The  Boston Matrix helps managers to manage the balance in the company’s current portfolio by classifying products and services into stars, cash cows, question marks and dogs. Through this analysis, the products are clearly classified according to the standard of relative market share and market growth. According to the definition, there are four classes in the Boston Matrix, which are stars with high market growth and high market share products,  cash cows with high market share and low market growth, Question marks which has low market share in a fast-growing market and dogs with low market share in a market with low growth and almost all products could be classified into one type.  
 Secondly, the Boston Matrix is useful to help take appropriate decisions. When adopting the Boston Matrix on actual management, it helps by offering a base for management. Because the Boston Matrix could be widely used to answer a range of basic questions on operation of a company, such as which product to invest in and should the unsuccessful product be completely eliminated. For instance, for the management of the company TMC, before officially setting the plan for research and development, managers could use Boston Matrix to evaluate the products’ market share and growth rate to balance the products by avoid having overmuch products on one specific category and adjustment products on each category based on the development strategy.
 However, there are limitations that have to be emphasized when using the Boston Matrix. At first, the Boston Matrix is relatively simple and could only be used as a primary reference or foundation. Usually, a further detailed plan requires other supportive methods. Secondly, when using the Boston Matrix, other indicators of the profitability is neglected. For big companies especially TMC, there are numerous other indicators of the profitability practically.#p#分頁標題#e#
  To conclude, the usefulness of Boston Matrix to TMC lies on two aspects, balancing product lines and taking appropriate decisions. However, there are also limitations that needs to be concerned, such as that it is relatively simple and other indicators of the profitability are neglected on the Boston Matrix.