Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, these habits will give you a good start:
Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read your assignment:
It can also be helpful to consider the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Are you...
If you understand the broader goals of the assignment, you will have an easier time figuring out if you are on the right track. Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do. Each of these terms can mean something slightly different, depending on the context of the course and the assignment. Again, ask your instructor if you are not sure what the assignment asks you to do.
An essay usually express the author's outlook on the subject. A useful model that is often used in composition classes is a five-paragraph essay.
The Structure of a Classic Five-Paragraph Essay:
A research paper usually requires gathering research materials, interpreting, and documenting them in the paper. It is based on YOUR interpretation of the facts gathered from research which comes from good critical thinking skills.
A research paper needs to be logically organized with a clearly stated purpose and thesis which have to be supported throughout the main body of the paper. Research information can be presented in the form of quotations, paraphrases, or summaries.
General Structure of a Research Paper
Report writing is the most common form used in science and social science fields. A report presents factual information, and its main purpose is to inform. It contains examples and provides an analysis of the subject.
The structure and organization of a report should reflect its main purpose and audience. There are several possible organization patterns. Below are two of the most common ones:
(Hult & Huckin, The New Century Handbook, 378)
(Sealy, Oxford Guide to Effective Writing and Speaking, 70)