Assignment calculator
An assignment calculator splits the time until your due date into dated steps. Pick a research paper, essay, lab report, presentation or exam, enter the day you start and the due date, and you get the day to finish each step, plus a calendar file for Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook.
Runs in your browserNothing you type is sent or saved
Updated
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How does the assignment calculator work?
It counts every day from the day you start to the due date, both included, and gives each step of the assignment a share of those days. A step’s date is the day to have it finished. The last step always ends on the due date, and you can leave weekends free, in which case the due date still counts even if it falls on a weekend. Holidays are not skipped, so move a step yourself if one falls on a day off.
The idea comes from university libraries. The University of Minnesota Libraries’ Assignment Calculator, for example, “breaks down research and writing projects into manageable steps based on your due dates” for research papers, speeches and lab reports. This one adds essays and exam study, runs entirely in your browser and gives you a calendar file instead of email reminders.
a step ends on day ceil(share of the steps so far × days available)
A worked example
A research paper you start on Monday 2 November 2026, due Monday 30 November 2026, has 29 days. The plan gives:
- Understand the assignment: 2–3 November
- Choose and narrow your topic: 4–6 November
- Find sources: 7–10 November
- Read and take notes: 11–15 November
- Write a thesis and outline: 16–17 November
- Write the first draft: 18–23 November
- Revise: 24–27 November
- Cite and format: 28–29 November
- Proofread and submit: 30 November
With weekends left free there are 21 working days, and the first draft is due Monday 23 November and revising Thursday 26 November, with citing and formatting on Friday 27 November. Press “Fill in the example” in the calculator to see it, then tick “Leave weekends free”.
How each plan splits your days
The shares below are our own suggestion, not a research finding. Drafting and practice get the largest shares because they usually take longest. If your instructor sets a checkpoint, such as an outline due on a set date, use that date instead.
| Assignment | Steps and their share of the days |
|---|---|
| Research paper | Understand the assignment 5%, choose and narrow your topic 10%, find sources 15%, read and take notes 15%, write a thesis and outline 10%, write the first draft 20%, revise 12%, cite and format 8%, proofread and submit 5% |
| Essay (no outside research) | Understand the prompt 5%, brainstorm 10%, thesis and outline 15%, write the draft 35%, revise 20%, proofread and submit 15% |
| Lab report | Review the lab manual and rubric 10%, organize your data 15%, make figures and tables 15%, write the methods and results 20%, write the introduction and discussion 25%, references, proofread and submit 15% |
| Presentation or speech | Understand the assignment 5%, research 20%, outline the talk 15%, make the slides or notes 25%, rehearse 25%, final check and present 10% |
| Studying for an exam | List what the exam covers 10%, review your notes and readings 25%, practice problems 30%, take a practice test 20%, review weak spots 10%, light review and rest 5% |
What if the assignment is due in a few days?
The calculator still makes a plan. When there are fewer days than steps, several steps share a day and the plan says so. A six-step essay started on Monday and due on Wednesday, for example, puts the first three steps on Monday, the draft on Tuesday, and revising and proofreading on Wednesday. Starting earlier is the only way to get more days for each step.
How do I add the plan to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook?
Press “Download calendar file (.ics)”. The file has one all-day event for each step, on the day the step should be finished. Google Calendar imports it under Settings, Import and export; Google’s help says “you can import with ICS and CSV files on a computer” (Import events to Google Calendar). Apple Calendar and Outlook open .ics files directly. The file is made in your browser and only downloads when you press the button. The optional name you type goes into the file and nowhere else.
Getting your Canvas due dates into the same calendar
Canvas can send your course due dates to the same calendar app. Its calendar feed “contains events and assignments from all of your Canvas calendars,” covers future events up to 366 days ahead and past events within 30 days, includes up to 1,000 items, and leaves out To Do items. After you enroll in a new course you have to import the feed again (How do I view the Calendar iCal feed to subscribe to an external calendar as a student?). With both in one calendar, the due date and your plan’s steps sit side by side.
Planning the grade side as well? The points grade calculator and the final grade calculator show what you need on the work still to come.
Assignment calculator FAQ
What is an assignment calculator?
A tool that turns a due date into a schedule. You choose the kind of assignment and the dates, and it splits the time into steps, such as finding sources, drafting and revising, each with a day to have it finished.
How does this assignment calculator split the time?
Each step gets a fixed share of the days between your start date and due date, both included, and its date is the day that share runs out. The shares are listed on this page. They are our suggestion, so adjust them to your course.
Can I leave weekends out of the plan?
Yes. Tick “Leave weekends free” and the steps are spread over weekdays only. The due date still counts even if it is a Saturday or Sunday. Holidays are not skipped.
What if my assignment is due tomorrow?
The calculator still gives you every step, but several will share a day, and it tells you so. Do them in order and keep the last step, proofreading and submitting, for the due date.
Can I add the plan to Google Calendar?
Yes. Download the .ics file and import it in Google Calendar under Settings, Import and export, on a computer. Apple Calendar and Outlook open the file directly.
Does it work for group projects?
It works for the schedule. Make the plan for the whole project, then agree who does each step. The dates do not change with the number of people.
Does this calculator send or save anything?
No. The plan is worked out in your browser, and the dates and name you type are not sent to any server or stored on your device. The calendar file is created on your device and downloads only when you press the button. Like every page on this site, the page itself is counted in our visit statistics, which never include what you type.
Silent Student is a desktop study app that works inside Canvas and other course sites. See how it works if you are curious.