Parsing a Prompt

Having a hard time starting that paper? You're not alone. Many students have difficulty beginning an assignment, often because they do not fully understand what they are expected to accomplish. Here's how to figure it out:

1. Your instructor has probably given you an assignment sheet - a prompt - that describes what you are supposed to do. If you don't remember receiving this, look for a description of the assignment in your syllabus, or ask your teacher, professor, or TA if such a document is available. Assignment prompts provide detailed instructions about the requirements. Sometimes these prompts also include a grading rubric with specific information about how your paper will be evaluated.

2. Once you have a copy of the prompt, read it carefully. Ideally, read it through more than once!

3. Next, analyze the assignment prompt by asking yourself questions such as:

• What is the purpose? (What am I supposed to learn or accomplish in writing this piece?)
• What are the stated substantive requirements?
• Who is the audience?
• How does the context influence the assignment? (How does this assignment connect to course content? How does it fit into my professional training in this discipline?)
  
• What is the scope of the assignment? (How many sources? How many examples? How broad or specific should my topic or argument be?)
• What style is appropriate? (Formal? Informal? What discipline-specific style conventions am I expected to observe?)
• What format is expected? (Citation format, length, margins, headers, etc.)

If you can answer these questions, you'll have a much stronger sense of how to approach your paper.

4. If you are uncertain about any of the requirements, ask your instructor for clarification. Once you know exactly what you are expected to do, you will be able to meet the objectives of your assignment more effectively, efficiently, and confidently.