WRITING ASSIGNMENT TEMPLATE

INSTRUCTOR NAME:

COURSE NUMBER/COURSE TITLE:

TITLE OF ASSIGNMENT:

• Include the title and if applicable the writing assignment number

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT: 

• Include at least one sentence which describes what you want students to do and the topics that they might write about. This usually includes a verb, which describes the activity: analyze, compare, explain, discuss, argue, etc.

PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT: 

• Explaining why the students are completing this assignment often helps them better grasp how to approach it. How does it fit into the goals or outcomes of the course?

PROCESS:    

• Teachers often provide dense blocks of discussion about the assignment that make it difficult for the student to find the core thing they are being asked to do. If you divide the assignment sheet with a process section that includes questions to consider or approaches to the assignment, it may better help the student understand the task being asked of them. For example:

·         create a preliminary list of reading materials for your research project

·         read and explore resources related to your project

·         formulate a research question that you hope to answer

·         create a first draft attempting to answer your question with sources

·         revise the first draft for better coherence

·         create an outline for your paper as it stands

·         revise again

·         edit for surface errors and mechanics

RESOURCES:         

• Are there sources students should consult, sample papers, pages from the  textbook, reserve readings, or primary sources they are analyzing?

LOGISTICS:  

• Due dates
• Length of assignment
• Percentage of course grade or points
• Format (MLA, APA, Chicago Style)
• Citations (MLA, APA, Chicago Style)
• Sources (number, kind)
• Additional requirements such as rough drafts, notes, outline, etc.