What Makes a Good Writing Assignment?

Good Writing Assignment

Writing assignments are a common part of the college writing experience, and they can play an important role in helping students learn to write well. However, not all writing assignments are created equal. Many assignments are designed to help students practice specific pedagogical goals, while others may simply be designed to fill time. It’s important for instructors to think carefully about what they are asking students to do and why, especially if the assignment is designed to be an exercise in regurgitation.

The first step in creating a good writing assignment Homework Market is clearly articulating what the task is intended to accomplish. To do this, instructors should start by identifying the course goals that will be met with the writing activity (and what the final written product should accomplish). This will allow instructors to craft clear and concise instructions that will guide students in their work.

A good way to begin articulating the purpose of an assignment is by using an approach that resembles “thinking backwards” (McFadden, 1992). In other words, teachers should try to anticipate what they want students to read at the end of the assignment and then figure out what steps are needed to create that outcome. Once the overall goal is established, the next step is to provide specific instruction on what is expected in terms of content, organization, style and other key aspects of an assignment.

What Makes a Good Writing Assignment?

An effective introduction and conclusion are also critical to the success of an assignment. The introduction should give some background and context to the essay as well as clearly state the argument that will be made. The conclusion should tie together all of the arguments and points presented in the body of the paper. In addition, the use of transition words can be useful for connecting ideas and making the overall piece flow more smoothly (see chapter English Language Foundations for more information on this topic).

Finally, a good writing assignment should avoid “counter-productive clarification.” Instructors may unintentionally confuse students by providing too much detail on an assignment’s expectations. This can cause students to interpret suggestions as hard-and-fast rules or as examples that must be followed (Getzschalk & Hjortshoj, 2009).

In the end, a good writing assignment is one that encourages student autonomy and engagement with the subject matter, not one that restricts it or treats it like mere rote memorization. In order to make an assignment more engaging, instructors can take the opportunity to ask students to assume a certain persona or rhetorical context for the writing task. This can be done by asking students to write as a character in the story they are telling (e.g., a letter from John Wilkes Booth justifying the assassination of Abraham Lincoln) or by asking them to write a letter to someone explaining some process or theory that they are exploring in class (e.g., an academic report or a business memo).

Summarize the key points discussed in your assignment and restate your thesis in the conclusion. Avoid introducing new information but instead, offer insights or implications based on your findings. Conclude with a strong closing statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.