82 Understanding the Assignment
Though any writing process is a flexible one, clearly understanding the assignment expectations ensures that you avoid any potential missteps. It’s crucial, in other words, that you make sure you have a good sense of what the assignment requires you to do. Read the assignment carefully. Print a copy to mark up or highlight key words. Ask questions about it. That way, you’ll save time and stay on task. Of course, once you have a complete draft (congratulations!), that’s a good moment to revisit the assignment. Did you skip a key task or omit a required element? Or maybe you’re stuck halfway through and need to review the assignment? In any case, here are a few questions to guide you through this stage:
- What’s required of me in this assignment? For example, when is it due? How long should it be? And what genre is it?
- What other genre expectations exist? A research project, for instance, calls on you to spend significant time exploring the topic through credible sources, whereas a personal narrative relies on your personal experiences to tell a story. For these reasons, pay attention to the expectations outlined in the assignment.
- Is there a checklist for required elements or important steps? Use that checklist as you go through your writing process or create one of your own with target dates for completion.
- Have more questions? Check with classmates or ask your instructor to clarify.
Think of the assignment like a roadmap. To arrive at your destination, what do you need to do? What do you need to prepare, who can help you, and what do you need to do to reach the destination on time?