Figure 1. Before beginning any writing assignment, always ensure that you understand your instructor’s expectations and criteria for the paper.

Fortunately, most writing assignments include some directions and parameters, and these constraints can help you feel less daunted when you set out to find a topic or begin writing. Understanding what your instructor expects in the final paper is often the best place to start.

1. Read the assignment prompt carefully.

An assignment prompt is a set of instructions that outlines the topic, expectations, and guidelines for a writing task, including key questions, format requirements, the intended audience, and grading criteria.

When reading the assignment prompt, consider underlining key words and questions. Look for clues that indicate the topic, questions to answer, word count, source requirements, and intended audience. Knowing what kind of writing you’ll be doing can help you narrow your focus and organize your approach. Clues can be found in the verbs used in the assignment: Are you being asked to analyze a historical event, compare and contrast two films, discuss works by different authors?

2. What question(s) are being asked? Do you understand them?

Identify the key question(s) in the assignment and ensure you understand them. If any terms or concepts are unclear, review your class readings and notes, as they provide the context needed for your course. A dictionary might not be much help, as this assignment is specific to what you’ve been discussing and studying in your particular class. If you’re still unsure, ask your instructor for clarification.

For example, if you’re taking a class on eighteenth-century British history, and the assignment asks you to provide evidence of “Enlightenment thinking” in a certain author’s work—and you’re not sure what Enlightenment thinking means—you’ll probably want to go back to your readings and check your notes.

3. What kind of paper are you being asked to write?

4. Who is the audience for this paper?

Knowing your audience can help you decide whether you’ll be writing for someone who is familiar with your topic (e.g., your instructor) or not (e.g., your classmates or family). That, in turn, may influence your thoughts about the main points you are trying to get across and what is most important for you to cover. Knowing your intended audience will also help you determine what type of tone and voice you should use in your paper. Can it be informal and conversational? Or should it be more research-based and formal?

5. What sources will you need in order to fulfill the assignment? Are your own opinions permissible, or are you expected to support your claims with evidence from other sources?

Even if you are required to consult or cite a certain number of academic sources, you may be able to start thinking about a topic or do some initial brainstorming before you head to the library. For example, if your assignment asks you to “explore the reasons for the growing opioid epidemic in America today,” and you’ve been discussing this issue in class all term, you may have enough ideas to do some brainstorming and get started—even if you will need to do additional research.

When you receive your writing assignment from your professor, it’s important to stop and think about your assignment. What are the requirements? What is the purpose of this assignment? What is your professor asking you to write? Who are you writing for?