Because of the tremendous variety in writing assignments
in different disciplines, it is not possible to provide one-size-fits-all
guidelines for effective writing assignments. But there are some
general guidelines that are often useful:
(1) Be explicit. Research has shown that
the more detailed a writing assignment is, the better the student
papers are in response to that assignment. Often it is necessary
to make explicit for students the process or steps necessary to
complete the assignment because many students tend to treat assignments
as though they were step-by-step instructions. Instructors can
use that tendency to help students write more effective papers.
For example, explicit descriptions of assignments on the syllabus
or on an "assignment sheet" tend to produce the best
results.
(2) Make writing a process, not merely an end
result. The least valuable sort of writing assignment is
a single term paper or project due at the end of the quarter,
with no opportunity for feedback or constructive criticism before
the paper/project is turned in. Writing assignments are much
more valuable if they can be part of a process of development,
not merely an end result. Try to design a sequence of writing
assignments that will enable the students to apply what they learn
in the early stages to the work they do in the later stages.
There are two ways to do this: (1) Sequencing Individual assignments;
(2) Sequencing a group of assignments.
(a) Sequencing Individual Assignments. In its simplest form, "sequencing an individual assignment" can mean establishing some sort of "official" check of the prewriting and drafting steps in the writing process. This step guarantees that students will not write the whole paper in one sitting and also gives students more time to let their ideas develop. This check might be something as informal as having students work on their prewriting or draft for a few minutes at the end of class. Or it might be something more formal such as collecting the prewriting and giving a few suggestions and comments.
Submit drafts. You might ask students to submit a first draft in order to receive your quick responses to its content, or have them submit written questions about the content and scope of their projects after they have completed their first draft.
Establish small groups. Set up small writing groups of three-five students from the class. Allow them to meet for a few minutes in class or have them arrange a meeting outside of class to comment constructively on each other's drafts.
Writing Center consultations. Recommend
or require that students consult with someone in the Writing Center
about their prewriting and/or drafts and request that the Center
inform you that such a visit was made.
(b) Sequencing a Combination of Assignments. In designing the writing assignments for a course, try to arrange them so that students can apply what they learn on the earlier assignments to the later assignments. In scientific and technical writing, for example, students could write a proposal requesting approval of a particular topic. The next assignment might be a progress report (or a series of progress reports), and the final assignment could be the report or document itself. In non-scientific writing, the students might begin with one or more short papers, and then develop one of their short papers into a longer paper or project.
Submit sections. A variation
of the previous approach is to have students submit various sections
of their final document throughout the semester (e.g., their bibliography,
review of the literature, methods section).
(3) Guidelines or a Checklist.
On most writing assignments there are certain kinds of mistakes
that you can anticipate that students will make. The students
will make fewer mistakes of these kinds if you make a list of
the most common mistakes and give them to your students to be
reviewed before turning in their assignments. For example,
most writing assignments should begin with an introductory paragraph
stating the main thesis. You will receive a much higher percentage
of assignments with introductory paragraphs of this kind, if your
students have a checklist to remind them to include it
(4) Carefully-defined assignments produce better
results than open-ended assignments. In your instructions,
be explicit. For example, "compare and contrast" and
"explain" are more explicit than "explore"
or "consider". One way of defining an assignment is
by posing a series of questions. Some questions might suggest
a mode of organization to the students. Other questions might
suggest a procedure to follow. Also, well-phrased questions can
require that students assert a thesis and defend it against specific
objections. A valuable byproduct of defining your assignment
with questions is that you greatly reduce the chances of successful
cheating. It is much easier to download a paper from the Web
to satisfy an open-ended assignment than it is to find a paper
that can be submitted for an assignment based on a series of specific
questions.
(5) Individual or collaborative effort.
Make it clear to your students whether the work they submit is
to be their own; or whether it is to be a group effort. Because
different instructors have different expectations in this regard,
you cannot assume that they will know what yours are.
(6) Information on Grading. Include in the
assignment itself information on how it will be graded. This
will let the students know what you want them to focus on.
In addition to the standard essay and report formats,
several other formats exist that might give students a different
slant on the course material or allow them to use slightly different
writing skills. Here are some suggestions:
Journals. Journals have
become a popular format in recent years for courses that require
some writing. In-class journal entries can spark discussions and
reveal gaps in students' understanding of the material. Having
students write an in-class entry summarizing the material covered
that day can aid the learning process and also reveal concepts
that require more elaboration. Out-of-class entries involve short
summaries or analyses of texts, or are a testing ground for ideas
for student papers and reports. Although journals may seem to
add a huge burden for instructors to correct, in fact many instructors
either spot-check journals (looking at a few particular key entries)
or grade them based on the number of entries completed. Journals
are usually not graded for their prose style.
Letters. Students can
define and defend a position on an issue in a letter written to
someone in authority. They can also explain a concept or a process
to someone in need of that particular information. If you wish
to add a creative element to the writing assignment, you might
have students adopt the persona of an important person discussed
in your course (e.g., an historical figure) and write a letter
explaining his/her actions, process, or theory to an interested
person (e.g., "pretend that you are John Wilkes Booth and
write a letter to the Congress justifying your assassination of
Abraham Lincoln," or "pretend you are Henry VIII writing
to Thomas More explaining your break from the Catholic Church").
Editorials. Students can
define and defend a position on a controversial issue in the format
of an editorial.
Cases. Students might
create cases particular to the course's subject matter for other
students to solve.
Position Papers. Students
can define and defend a position, perhaps as a preliminary step
in the creation of a formal research paper or essay.
Imitation of a Text. Students
can create a new document "in the style of" a particular
writer (e.g., "Create a government document the way Woody
Allen might write it" or "Write your own 'Modest Proposal'
about a modern issue").
Instruction Manuals. Students
write a step-by-step explanation of a process.
Dialogues. Students create
a dialogue between two major figures studied in which they not
only reveal their theories or thoughts but also explore areas
of possible disagreement (e.g., "Write a dialogue between
Claude Monet and Jackson Pollock about the nature and uses of
art").
Collaborative projects. Students work together to create such works as reports, questions, and critiques.