Understand how to 'READ' the Assignment

Assignments usually ask you to demonstrate that you have immersed yourself in the course material and that you've done some thinking on your own; questions not treated at length in class often serve as assignments. Fortunately, if you've put the time into getting to know the material, then you've almost certainly begun thinking independently. In responding to assignments, keep in mind the following advice.

Understand How to Move from Assignment to Topic

Moving from Assignment to Topic

At one point or other, the academic essay manages to intimidate most student writers. Sometimes, we may even experience what is commonly called writer's block—that awful experience of staring at an assignment, reading it over and over, yet being unable to proceed, to find a way into it. But the process of writing the academic essay involves a series of manageable steps. Keeping this in mind can help you work through the anxiety you may at first feel. If you find yourself "clueless" about beginning an essay, it may be because you have skipped an important step. You may be trying to come up with a thesis before finding and narrowing your topic.

Purpose of the Introduction

The introduction is the b r o a d beginning of the paper that answers three important questions for the audience:

·       What is this?

·       Why am I reading it?

·       What do you want me to do?

Why can’t I use sources in the background section of the Introduction?

Why can’t I use sources in the background section of the Introduction?

While this rule may seem strange to some, it is really quite logical in nature.  Therefore, we need to think logically about the purpose of an introduction as well as the purpose of YOU writing the essay.

Writing TUTORIAL

Research and Writing

Research on the Internet, evaluate sources, draft and publish a document.

Assessment Rubric

A General Assessment Rubric