Understanding Assignment Instructions

Introduction

At some point in school, you may have turned in a paper, confident you will earn an A, only to be confused and let down when you earn a C instead. You read your instructor’s comments and realize you used the wrong citation style and overlooked one of the major parts of the assignment. This scenario shows the importance of understanding assignment instructions; although it may seem like a simple step, there are strategies you can implement to help ensure you understand what your instructor is asking you to do.

Read, Read, Read

It may seem obvious to read your assignment instructions carefully, yet many students fall into the habit of only glancing through instructions, losing precious points on their work as a result.

It is therefore extremely important to carefully read the assignment guidelines. Read them once. Then read them again. Look for the key aspects of the assignment: What is it asking you to do, what criteria will you be graded on, and what stylistic guidelines do you need to follow?

Breaking the Instructions Down

Identifying the Main Task

The most important thing to do when evaluating a set of assignment instructions is to figure out what exactly you need to do. In most cases, you can identify key verb phrases that reveal the task/s of the assignment. Look for words like “describe,” “summarize,” “analyze,” “compare/contrast,” and similar key verbs. These verbs will tell you a lot about how to approach the assignment.

Additionally, you can always look for any questions you need to answer or other further details in your instructions, such as audience, purpose, and outcome. Pay close attention to any words like “what,” “when,” “how,” or “why” as well as any numbered information. Sentences containing these words or structures will typically point you in the direction you need to go with your paper.

Along those same lines, be on the lookout for any lists or bullet points; these will likely tell you what your paper is expected to address.

For example, a typical English assignment sheet may contain instructions like this bulleted list:

• Identify and analyze a major theme of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
• Choose at least two literary devices the author uses, and explain how he uses these to convey the theme you identified.
• Does the author use these devices effectively? Why or why not?

This set of instructions can be broken down. First, when looking for key verbs, numbers, and other words, two main tasks are revealed:

• Identify a theme of the literature, and then analyze it.
• Choose some literary devices, and explain how the author uses these to convey a theme.
  • Reviewing the numbers in the instructions, at least two literary devices are needed.

Moving to the last part of the prompt, it asks not one, but two questions for you to answer. When an instructor asks a question or series of questions like this, they are almost always asking you to make an argument, not a statement. In other words, you are not only tasked with determining whether the author uses literary devices effectively, you must also explain why you think he does or does not. Assignment questions such as these tell you to back up your position with a well-reasoned argument and to support it with evidence.

Even after identifying the main task/s of an assignment, you should look carefully at all the guidelines to prioritize and plan your approach to the assignment. Professors put a lot of thought into instructions, and it is likely that every word is important in some way.

Additional Items

After identifying the main task/s of the assignment, look for any other parts of the guidelines that may be important. Some questions to consider are:

• Does the assignment require outside research, or is source material provided?
• How many sources are required?
• Are there any things your professor wants you to avoid, such as rhetorical questions or contractions?
• Are you required to submit your work to the Stone Writing Center for review?
• How will your work be graded?

Asking questions like this can help you ensure that your paper closely follows your instructor’s guidelines.

Style and Other Details

Other key aspects of your assignment sheet that you’ll need to pay close attention to are any style, length, and format requirements. Check to see what citation style, if any, you’ll need to use for your sources (English papers, for example, often use MLA style, and science classes typically use APA). Pay close attention to any length requirements; some assignments have a minimum, maximum, or range of length. Last, check for any format requirements. Are you supposed to use a particular font type? What about margins and spacing? Pay close attention to these details to avoid losing points.

Confused? Unsure? Ask!

If ever you find yourself wondering what your instructions are asking, even a minor issue such as formatting, always ask your instructors; they are available to help you learn and develop your academic abilities, so don’t be intimidated or afraid to ask. Reaching out for clarification not only helps you know what you’re doing, but it also shows your instructor that you care about succeeding on the assignment.

Don’t hesitate to seek help from other resources as well. Do a web search for any unfamiliar terms. Look at example essays, guides, or other resources your instructor provides to help you better understand the assignment. Talk to your classmates. Use the resources that are available to you as a Del Mar College student, including working with the consultants at the Stone Writing Center who have likely completed assignments just like the one you’re working on.

Note: Although exploring additional resources can be helpful, you should always defer to your professor for any assignment questions. Ultimately, they assign grades, so their input should be prioritized.

Last Thoughts

To succeed on any assignment, it is crucial to understand what is being asked of you. The main strategies to remember when looking at assignment instructions are: read, read, read; identify the main task; look for details; and always ask when in doubt. Using these strategies can help ensure you complete each assignment as required.

Works Consulted

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 2020. “Understanding Assignments.” University of North Carolina Writing Center: Tips & Tools. https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/understanding-assignments/.

Swarthmore College. 2020. “Understanding Your Assignment.” Swarthmore College Writing Center: Writing Associates Program. https://www.swarthmore.edu/writing/understanding-your-assignment.