How To Write Your First Python Assignment: A Beginners Guide

Python is one of the most popular programming languages today. It's easy to learn and has an enormous ecosystem. So, why aren't more people writing Python code? Chances are you know someone who can program in another language but not you. Or maybe you're a student aspiring to become a programmer and want to get started with Python sooner rather than later. Regardless of your reasons, it's never too early to learn how to write Python code. If you have no experience with programming, we recommend you read our previous article on How To Learn Programming From Scratch instead of trying to tackle an assignment right away. Nonetheless, we'll discuss some tips that will make the process easier for you in the long run.

What to Write in Your First Python Assignment

There are many types of Python assignments that you can decide to write for your course. For example, you could even write an original research paper on a specific topic related to programming. You can also choose to create an application that you want to showcase to the class. As you can see, the possibilities are endless, so you have to decide what type of assignment you're most interested in. And once you decide, you also have to decide on a specific theme. There are many Python topics and assignments you can choose from, which means you could focus your work on almost anything. For example, you can write an assignment on how to do data analysis in Python, how to build a chatbot, or how to build a weather app. One thing to keep in mind is that assignments can be a great way to practice what you've learned so far.

Set a clear objective

Now that you know what you want to write in your assignment, it's time to decide what you want your objective to be. The best way to set a clear objective is by writing a thesis statement. This thesis statement should be the main idea of what you're trying to convey with your assignment. For example, you can write your assignment on the topic of "How to do data analysis in Python". Your thesis statement could be "Nowadays, data analysis is one of the most important aspects of most applications. To be competitive in today's market, you have to be able to use data to make better business decisions. In this assignment, we will discuss how to do data analysis in Python." If you decide to write about something else instead, make sure you keep the same thesis. This will help you determine what you want to discuss in your assignment. Any topic that you choose to write about should have some relevance to the course you're taking.

Know what you're looking for

While you don't have to focus on a specific topic for your assignment, it's still important to understand what you want to achieve. When you know what you want to write about, it will be easier to decide what you need to do to get there. For example, you can write an assignment on "How to build a dashboard in Python". Your thesis statement should be "Analytics is one of the most important aspects of building web-based applications these days. It can help you understand your users' behavior better. In this assignment, we will build a dashboard in Python to help us understand our user's behavior better." While you don't have to focus on a specific topic for your assignment, it's still important to understand what you want to achieve. When you know what you want to write about, it will be easier to decide what you need to do to get there. For example, you can write an assignment on "How to build a dashboard in Python". Your thesis statement should be "Analytics is one of the most important aspects of building web-based applications these days. It can help you understand your users' behavior better. In this assignment, we will build a dashboard in Python to help us understand our user's behavior better."

Don't write code without docs first

When you write your assignment, you don't want to just spend your time writing code. You want to also spend time thinking about your code's structure and how you want your code to look like once it's finished. Before you actually write any code though, you should write documentation. Any code that you write should have a type and docstring. If there are any variables that you use, you should also write their types as well. The type of a variable is the type of data it can contain. The docstring is how you describe the variable's purpose and structure. There are many ways to write documentation. The simplest way is to write a docstring along with comments in your code. Another way is to use docstrings when creating functions and classes. If you write docstrings, your readers will be able to understand what they're supposed to do simply by reading them.

Check if your code conforms to the standard

When you're writing your assignment, you don't want to just write code. You also want to make sure that the code that you write follows the standard. The standard is a set of guidelines and conventions that many Python code editors use. If you want to use an editor, make sure that it follows the standard. If you aren't sure if your chosen editor follows the standard, you can compare it to other editors to see how they document their features. Another way that you can make sure that your code follows the standard is by writing a test for each function you write. A test is like a docstring that explains how your code works. It should be specific enough that it allows other people to understand what it does without further explanation.

Look at what other people have done before you write your own code

As you write your assignment, it's also a good idea to see what others have done before you get started. You can do this by looking at all the assignments that have been posted before yours. You can also go to the assignment repository on GitHub and search for all the Python assignments that have been posted before yours. When you look at other people's code, you can learn a lot. You can see what they did, what they wanted to achieve, and what they thought was wrong with their work. By looking at other people's work, you can get a better idea of what you want to do and what you need to do better.

Get feedback on your code

When you're done with your assignment, you want to make sure that you get feedback from your professor on how to make your assignment better. You can do this by submitting a pull request on GitHub. This is how you can let your professor know that your assignment is ready for feedback. When you submit a pull request, your professor will look at your code, documentation, and tests and provide feedback. When you want to give your assignment a second opinion, GitHub is the best place to go.

Conclusion

Python is one of the most popular programming languages today. It's easy to learn and has an enormous ecosystem. So, why aren't more people writing Python code? Chances are you know someone who can program in another language but not you. Or maybe you're a student aspiring to become a programmer and want to get started with Python sooner rather than later. Regardless of your reasons, it's never too early to learn how to write Python code. If you have no experience with programming, we recommend you read our previous article on How To Learn Programming From Scratch instead of trying to tackle an assignment right away.