Coursework

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A set of educational tasks and assignments required from students to demonstrate their knowledge within a given course format
2. A grouping of tasks and projects that are given to students as part of their studies to assess their comprehension of the subject matter
3. Tasks and projects assigned during a course that students must finish to show their grasp of the material

Etymology: "Coursework" is a plain compound: "course" joined to "work." The first element goes back to Latin "cursus," meaning a running or a course, from "currere," to run, and it reached English through Old French "cours." The second element is the ordinary Old English "weorc," so the whole word describes labour attached to a course of study. The compound's point is the course itself. In English, "course" came to mean a fixed sequence of lessons or study over a period of time, and "coursework" names the tasks a student completes within that sequence, such as essays, projects, and practical exercises, which count toward a final grade. Because the work is set and assessed inside the course, the term separates it from the examinations that often sit alongside it.

Synonyms: academic work, study, assignments, projects, curriculum