2.4 Understanding the Writing Assignment

Identifying Writing Requirements & Disciplinary Expectations

Before you begin working on an essay or a writing assignment, don’t forget to spend some quality time analyzing the assignment sheet. By closely reading and breaking down the assignment sheet, you are setting yourself up for an easier time planning and composing the assignment. Some instructors offer indications of what certain parts of the essay/composition should contain. Does the assignment sheet offer suggestions or requirements for the Intro paragraph? For the thesis statement? For the structure or content of the body paragraphs or conclusion paragraphs?

Depending on the discipline in which you are writing, different features and formats of your writing may be expected. Always look closely at key terms and vocabulary in the writing assignment and be sure to note what type of evidence and citation style your instructor expects. Does the essay need to be in MLA, APA, or another style? Does the professor require any specific submission elements or formats?

One thing your instructor might list is the audience. Unless there is a particular audience specified in the assignment, you would do well to imagine yourself writing for a group of peers who have some introductory knowledge of the field but are unfamiliar with the specific topic you’re discussing. Imagine them being interested in your topic but also busy; try to write something well worth your readers’ time. Keeping an audience like this in mind will help you distinguish common knowledge in the field from that which must be defined and explained in your paper.

Another basic tenet of good communication is clarifying the purpose of the communication and letting that purpose shape your decisions. Your professor wants to see you work through complex ideas and deepen your knowledge through the process of producing the paper.

Think of every course and every assignment as a different little puzzle you get to solve. What do I need to do here? When do I need to do it, and how long will it take? What does this teacher expect of me? The transparency that you get from some professors will be a big help to you in situations where you have to be scrappier and more proactive, piecing together the clues you get from your professors, the readings, and other course documents. When in doubt, it is worth it to communicate with your professor versus remaining lost and getting a lower grade.

Writing Genre

What, in the broadest sense, are you being asked to do? What writing genre is expected? Our textbook goes over more common writing prompts and genres in a future chapter.

• Narrative – The act of telling a story through an essay. Also note that narrative includes the act of writing about yourself, which is exceptionally difficult for most writers but is nonetheless required for many circumstances in and out of college.
• Analysis –Analysis is the act of breaking something down to its chief components and figuring out how those components work. This is a common type of assignment in college because it is a natural part of the learning process for any subject. To better learn writing, you will take time to analyze other essays, articles, and books.
• Synthesis – Why do we seek to understand the ways that authors or sources “converse” with one another? So that we can synthesize various perspectives on a topic to more deeply understand it.
• Argument – Argumentive (or persuasive) essays are not the loud, assertive, unwavering statement of your opinion in the hopes of conquering the opposition. In the context of writing essays, an argument is the combination of a point you are trying to make and the support you offer to make that point.
• Research – Through the research process, you build meaningful knowledge in your chosen area, and the act of writing helps reinforce and deepen your understanding of what you’ve learned. Research is something that you will probably do a lot in your personal, academic, and professional careers.

Answer the Assignment Questions & Implied Questions

Often, the handout or other written text explaining the assignment—what professors call the assignment prompt—will explain the purpose of the assignment, the required parameters (length, number, and type of sources, referencing style, etc.), and the criteria for evaluation. Sometimes, though you will encounter the baffling situation in which you comprehend every single sentence in the prompt but still have absolutely no idea how to approach the assignment. No one is doing anything wrong in a situation like that. It just means that further discussion of the assignment is in order.

Many professors think in terms of assignment sequences. The preparatory assignments help ensure that you’re on the right track, beginning the research process long before the final due date, and taking the time to consider recasting your thesis, finding additional sources, or reorganizing your discussion. If the assignment isn’t part of a sequence, think about where it falls in the semester and how it relates to readings and other assignments. Remember to also check your notes and online course resources for any other guidelines about the workflow.

Ask for clarification the right way. Even the most skillfully crafted assignments may need some verbal clarification, especially because students’ familiarity with the field can vary enormously. Asking for clarification is a good thing. Be aware, though, that instructors get frustrated when they perceive that students want to skip doing their thinking and instead receive an exact recipe for an A paper. Go ahead and ask for clarification but try to convey that you want to learn and you’re ready to work. Don’t say “I don’t get it” to your instructor. Instead ask something that gives your instructor confidence that you’ve read they assignment and attempted to apply your knowledge towards understanding it.

Identifying Evaluation Criteria

Many assignment sheets contain a grading rubric or some other indication of evaluation criteria for the assignment. You can use these criteria to both begin the writing process and to guide your revision and editing process. If you do not see any rubric or evaluation criteria on the assignment sheet — ask!

If a professor provides a grading rubric or guidelines with an assignment prompt, thank your lucky stars (and your professor). If the professor took the trouble to prepare and distribute it, you can be sure that they will use it to grade your paper. They may not go over it in class, but it’s the clearest possible statement of what the professor is looking for in the paper.