Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, these habits will give you a good start:

1. Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off!  Reading the assignment early in the process will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can seem easy at first, especially if the instructions are short.  Remember that there may be something that is time sensitive that you'll need to allot for: multiple due dates, required readings, or even new skills to learn.
2. Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Your instructors want you to succeed!  If you aren't sure about a part of an assignment, don't be afraid to get more clarification.  Both you and and your final grade will be happy if you understand your assignment before progressing down the wrong path.  

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read your assignment:

• When is the assignment due?
• What is the purpose of the assignment?
  • Present a coherent picture using a variety of sources?
  • Take materials learned in class and apply it to a new situation?
  • Decide if you agree with one interpretation more than another?
  • Using a specific method of analysis on your own body of evidence?
  • Learning a new skill (e.g. close reading, data analysis)?
• What kind of a written assignment is it?
  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Cause & Effect
  • Classification & Division
  • Compare/Contrast
  • Literary Analysis
  • Persuasive/Argumentative
  • Poetry Explication
  • Rhetorical Analysis
  • Summary
• What citation format should I use?
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago/CMOS
• Who is your primary audience for this assignment?
• What type of sources are required? 
  • e.g. Articles, eBooks, Government Documents
• How many sources are required?
• How long should the paper be?
• What other technical rules are listed in the assignment or syllabus?
  • (e.g. title page, margins, paragraph spacing, font size, pagination, reference list)

It can also be helpful to consider the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Are you...

• being asked to research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture?
• to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation?
• deciding whether you agree with one interpretation more than another?
• trying out a particular method of analysis on your own body of evidence?
• learning a new skill (close reading? data analysis? recognizing the type of questions that can be asked in a particular discipline?)?

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.

Common structure elements to look for when reading your assignment:

• Title page requirements
• Margins
• Paragraph spacing
• Font and font sizes
• Pagination
• Appendices
• Reference list/bibliography

If the above are not in your assignment, look to see which citation format your instructor requires.  MLA, APA, and Chicago styles all have guidelines on structuring your paper.  Be aware that some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

If your instructor has told you not to consider sources outside of those specified in the assignment, then you should follow that instruction. In those assignments, the instructor wants to know what you think about the assigned sources and about the question, and they do not want you to bring in other sources.

General Writing Guidelines

1. Don't use no double negatives.
2. Make each pronoun agree with their antecedents.
3. Do not split two complete sentences with a comma, it’s called a comma splice.
4. About them sentence fragments.
5. When dangling, watch your participles.
6. Verbs has got to agree with their subjects.
7. Don't write run-on sentences they are hard to read.
8. Don't use commas, which aren't necessary.
9. Try to not ever split infinitives.
10. Its important to use your apostrophe's correctly.
11. Proofread your writing to see if you any words out.
12. Correct speling is essential.
13. Eschew ostentatious erudition.
14. Avoid clichés like the plague.

The answers to these questions will shape how you approach your paper or report.

• Who are my readers? What is their language skill and expertise in my topic?
  • Most students think of their audience as their instructor. But when writing your paper, it may be helpful to consider your audience as a student in program that is different from yours.  In other words, smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows much about your topic. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.
• What tone should I take in my paper?
  • Tone means the “voice” of your paper. In other words, how do you want to come across to your reader?
  • Remember you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you don't wanna hit 'em with the "bruh" either.  
  • Some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. You won't sound tremendously erudite-- you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.

Keep the following guidelines in mind when addressing your audience:

• establish common ground with the readers
• show understanding of your readers' background and views
• use supporting factual and visual information that will be understood by your audience
• adjust language, tone, style, and level of formality to reflect the readers you are addressing

There are many kinds of sources, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–your program, the type of assignment, and your instructor’s preference.

• Do you need primary sources?
• Should you use statistics?
• Historical examples?
• Do you need to conduct your own experiment?
• Can you rely on personal experience?

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of sources will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas.

If in doubt, ask your instructor what counts as acceptable sources.

You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of source you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the Citation Guide.

Writing style, or genre, defines your paper and how it will be presented.  This can clue your audience in on what they can expect from your paper.  It can also act as a guideline for your research and can help you when it is time to structure your paper.

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality she or he expects.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our style guides below:

Some commonly used verbs used or tasks in assignment prompts are:

*Genres adapted from Genre, Style and Writing (Purdue OWL).