Understanding Your Assignment

Having a clear understanding of your assignment before you begin researching and writing is critical. Every assignment will have different requirements, and it is normal to have questions about what your assignment entails. This handout describes the different steps you should take before beginning your assignment.

Step 1: Read the Assignment Guidelines

You can find most assignment guidelines in your course syllabus. Your professor may also have a separate document that elaborates on the assignment requirements in greater detail.

You should initially read these documents to find important information about your assignment. These details might include:

• assignment due date
• assignment length (word count and number of pages)
• the type of sources to include (journal articles, books, etc.)
• citation requirements (APA, MLA, etc.)

Noting these requirements will help you understand the size and scope of your assignment.

Step 2: Identify Key Terms

Once you understand the basic requirements of your assignment, reread your assignment guidelines and highlight or underline important phrases and requirements. Look for key terms that indicate what type of assignment you’re working on and what is required of you. Words like “analyze” or “contrast” help indicate the type of writing and research you need to complete. Here is a short list of words you may see in your assignment guidelines and what they mean:

• Analyze: interpret the text/evidence using your own words and ideas.
• Apply: select a proposed theory/hypothesis/framework and put it in dialogue with an existing text/subject.
• Argue: take a position on an issue and defend your position with reasons and evidence.
• Compare/Contrast: explain to your reader how two (or more) texts/subjects are the same or different and explain why.
• Evaluate: assess the positive and negative attributes of an argument or text using your own ideas and perspective.
• Reflect: relate the content to your personal and lived experiences.
• Respond: engage with an existing argument/text by offering your own views and analysis.
• Review: examine a text/subject in detail.
• Summarize: articulate the main ideas of a text in your own words.

Step 3: Consider the Purpose of the Assignment

Thinking broadly about the purpose of your assignment is another way to understand what is required of you. Why did your professor assign this specific assignment? Are they trying to familiarize you with a particular text, or do they want you to demonstrate your analytical skills? Are you conducting independent research? Asking yourself similar questions can clarify what you’re expected to demonstrate in the assignment.

Additionally, you should consider the audience for your assignment. Although your professor or teaching assistant will grade your assignment, they may not be your primary audience. The audience for a research paper, for instance, is other academics and it is therefore expected that you include academic language. The audience for an op-ed letter, however, may be the general public. As a result, you would want to avoid overly complicated academic terms in favour of a more conversational tone.

While it is important to understand what your assignment requires, it is equally important to understand restrictions placed on your assignment. Assignment guidelines will often specify restrictions or characteristics/elements to avoid. For example, your guidelines may note that you should avoid using news articles in your assignment or that your thesis statement shouldn’t be longer than three sentences.

Step 4: Begin Researching and Writing

Once you understand your assignment, you are ready to begin researching and writing! Writing Services has guides on numerous assignment types that can provide additional assistance. Please consult the following for more information on [insert URLs]:

• Annotated Bibliography
• Article review
• Book Reviews
• Literature Review
• Op-ed
• Reflective Writing
• Research Paper
• Summaries

Writing Services, Wilfrid Laurier University, CC By-NC 2023