In order to fulfill the requirements of a writing assignment, the first thing to do is to understand what you are being asked to do. Below are some considerations you may want to take as you analyze your writing prompt. Be sure to reach out to your course instructor, teaching assistant, or writing centre if you need further support after following the steps below.
Gather Background Information
Before you analyze the prompt, consider the following:
- What type of writing assignment do I have?
- Are there discipline-specific principles I would need to keep in mind?
Check out this page on Types of Writing at University for more information.
Break Down the Writing Prompt
A writing prompt will ask you to take a particular action on a particular topic.
Generally, a writing prompt will begin with a Common Writing Prompt Term, such as “analyze”, “discuss”, or “outline”. Remember that each of these terms will ask you to approach the assignment differently, so take time to understand exactly what you are expected to do.
After you know what action you need to take, make note of the topic you will be expected to cover. Usually the topic will be on something you have covered in class or something that is related to course content.
Review the Syllabus
It is important to be mindful of how the writing prompt fits into the context of the course. The course syllabus should be used as a resource to help guide your understanding of what you have been tasked with. You may wish to make note of:
- How much the assignment is worth
- When the assignment is due
- How you will be marked or what you will be expected to demonstrate
- Resources or course content that may help you
- Academic integrity policies