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Learn how planning your assignments at the start ensures a smoother writing process.
Written assignments, whether short response essays or long research papers, often seem overwhelming at first, but carefully reading and evaluating assignment guidelines and requirements will help you understand your goals and plan your paper. This can result in a more confident, optimistic approach to the assignment, and a more relaxed writing experience.
Whenever you receive an assignment, it鈥檚 important to review the requirements several times. Reading them over as soon as you receive them will help you to plan how much time you鈥檒l need, and get a sense of the scope, or focus, of the project. If you look over them again right before you start researching or writing, they will be fresh in your mind, and you鈥檒l use your time more effectively, since you鈥檒l have a better idea of what tasks you need to accomplish. Finally, always reread the assignment requirements after you鈥檝e completed your rough draft but before you鈥檝e started revising it. This will help you make sure that you鈥檝e fulfilled all of the requirements before you hand the work in for a grade.
The first time you read the assignment guidelines, it鈥檚 helpful to keep these types of questions in mind:
What is the assignment asking you to do?聽Although most assignments require that you do many different things within them, they almost always have a main objective or purpose. This is what the paper should 鈥渄o.鈥 Look for words like argue, persuade, define, convince, compare, contrast (or compare and contrast), analyze, explain, present, summarize, report, recommend, narrate, outline, and discuss. Are you required to develop an original thesis or argument about a topic or issue? Will you be responding to another author鈥檚 book or article? Does the assignment have a question (or 鈥減rompt鈥) that the assignment will answer or respond to? If you can establish your primary goal, or purpose, for the assignment, it will be much easier to plan your work and manage your time.
What skills will the assignment emphasize or teach?聽Assignments usually support, or require you to use, skills, tools, and/or techniques that you鈥檙e working on in your course. Will the assignment require you to use sources (books, articles, databases) that you discussed or read in class? Are there certain topics or issues that you鈥檝e studied during the semester, and will the assignment be your opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of or opinions about them? How does the paper assignment relate to the focus of your course?
Does the assignment require research from secondary sources?聽Sometimes you鈥檒l be using the library, online library databases, and/or the Internet to conduct research for your assignment, while other times you鈥檒l be required to use only your own ideas or knowledge.
If the assignment requires use of secondary sources, does it specify what types of resources you should use?聽If you are incorporating secondary sources, you may be required to use a certain type of source, such as an online library database. You may also be required to use a certain number of a certain type of source (a minimum of four library databases, for example). Being clear about this before you start researching will save you time later.
Are there particular parts or components that you must include?聽There may be certain elements that you鈥檙e required to incorporate into your paper, such as graphics, charts, graphs, or summaries. You may also need to discuss certain points, subtopics, or questions within the paper (sometimes in a certain order).聽 Look for these kinds of requirements as you review the assignment guidelines.
Does the assignment need to use a particular citation style?聽Sometimes your instructor will require a certain citation style. American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), Chicago, and Turabian are among the most common citation styles. If the assignment guidelines don鈥檛 specify a particular citation style, check with your instructor, so you can format the citations as you write and develop your draft.
Are there any formatting requirements?聽Do you need to use a particular font, margin size, or layout? Do you need a cover page? Does the title need to be in a certain spot?
How long does the assignment need to be?聽Is there a minimum or maximum length for the paper?
When is the assignment due?聽Make a note of the assignment鈥檚 due date, and plan accordingly. Also check to see if there鈥檚 one date when everything is due, or if you鈥檙e required to hand in certain parts individually. Sometimes you鈥檒l submit a thesis statement or introduction before the rest of the paper, for example.
Considering these types of questions will help you to understand your assignment requirements and develop a plan. Always check with your instructor if you are unsure about any requirements.