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Resources for Teachers: Creating Writing Assignments

This page contains four specific areas:

Creating Effective Assignments

Checking the assignment, sequencing writing assignments, selecting an effective writing assignment format.

Research has shown that the more detailed a writing assignment is, the better the student papers are in response to that assignment. Instructors can often help students write more effective papers by giving students written instructions about that assignment. Explicit descriptions of assignments on the syllabus or on an “assignment sheet” tend to produce the best results. These instructions might make explicit the process or steps necessary to complete the assignment. Assignment sheets should detail:

• the kind of writing expected
• the scope of acceptable subject matter
• the length requirements
• formatting requirements
• documentation format
• the amount and type of research expected (if any)
• the writer’s role
• deadlines for the first draft and its revision

Providing questions or needed data in the assignment helps students get started. For instance, some questions can suggest a mode of organization to the students. Other questions might suggest a procedure to follow. The questions posed should require that students assert a thesis.

The following areas should help you create effective writing assignments.

Examining your goals for the assignment

• How exactly does this assignment fit with the objectives of your course?
• Should this assignment relate only to the class and the texts for the class, or should it also relate to the world beyond the classroom?
• What do you want the students to learn or experience from this writing assignment?
• Should this assignment be an individual or a collaborative effort?
• What do you want students to show you in this assignment? To demonstrate mastery of concepts or texts? To demonstrate logical and critical thinking? To develop an original idea? To learn and demonstrate the procedures, practices, and tools of your field of study?

Defining the writing task

• Is the assignment sequenced so that students: (1) write a draft, (2) receive feedback (from you, fellow students, or staff members at the Writing and Communication Center), and (3) then revise it? Such a procedure has been proven to accomplish at least two goals: it improves the student’s writing and it discourages plagiarism.
• Does the assignment include so many sub-questions that students will be confused about the major issue they should examine? Can you give more guidance about what the paper’s main focus should be? Can you reduce the number of sub-questions?
• What is the purpose of the assignment (e.g., review knowledge already learned, find additional information, synthesize research, examine a new hypothesis)? Making the purpose(s) of the assignment explicit helps students write the kind of paper you want.
• What is the required form (e.g., expository essay, lab report, memo, business report)?
• What mode is required for the assignment (e.g., description, narration, analysis, persuasion, a combination of two or more of these)?

Defining the audience for the paper

• Can you define a hypothetical audience to help students determine which concepts to define and explain? When students write only to the instructor, they may assume that little, if anything, requires explanation. Defining the whole class as the intended audience will clarify this issue for students.
• What is the probable attitude of the intended readers toward the topic itself? Toward the student writer’s thesis? Toward the student writer?
• What is the probable educational and economic background of the intended readers?

Defining the writer’s role

• Can you make explicit what persona you wish the students to assume? For example, a very effective role for student writers is that of a “professional in training” who uses the assumptions, the perspective, and the conceptual tools of the discipline.

Defining your evaluative criteria

1. If possible, explain the relative weight in grading assigned to the quality of writing and the assignment’s content:

• depth of coverage
• organization
• critical thinking
• original thinking
• use of research
• logical demonstration
• appropriate mode of structure and analysis (e.g., comparison, argument)
• correct use of sources
• grammar and mechanics
• professional tone
• correct use of course-specific concepts and terms.

Here’s a checklist for writing assignments:

• Have you used explicit command words in your instructions (e.g., “compare and contrast” and “explain” are more explicit than “explore” or “consider”)? The more explicit the command words, the better chance the students will write the type of paper you wish.
• Does the assignment suggest a topic, thesis, and format? Should it?
• Have you told students the kind of audience they are addressing — the level of knowledge they can assume the readers have and your particular preferences (e.g., “avoid slang, use the first-person sparingly”)?
• If the assignment has several stages of completion, have you made the various deadlines clear? Is your policy on due dates clear?
• Have you presented the assignment in a manageable form? For instance, a 5-page assignment sheet for a 1-page paper may overwhelm students. Similarly, a 1-sentence assignment for a 25-page paper may offer insufficient guidance.

There are several benefits of sequencing writing assignments:

• Sequencing provides a sense of coherence for the course.
• This approach helps students see progress and purpose in their work rather than seeing the writing assignments as separate exercises.
• It encourages complexity through sustained attention, revision, and consideration of multiple perspectives.
• If you have only one large paper due near the end of the course, you might create a sequence of smaller assignments leading up to and providing a foundation for that larger paper (e.g., proposal of the topic, an annotated bibliography, a progress report, a summary of the paper’s key argument, a first draft of the paper itself). This approach allows you to give students guidance and also discourages plagiarism.
• It mirrors the approach to written work in many professions.

The concept of sequencing writing assignments also allows for a wide range of options in creating the assignment. It is often beneficial to have students submit the components suggested below to your course’s STELLAR web site.

Use the writing process itself. In its simplest form, “sequencing an 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.

Have students 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. The students do not need to be writing on the same topic.

Require consultations. Have students consult with someone in the Writing and Communication Center about their prewriting and/or drafts. The Center has yellow forms that we can give to students to inform you that such a visit was made.

Explore a subject in increasingly complex ways. A series of reading and writing assignments may be linked by the same subject matter or topic. Students encounter new perspectives and competing ideas with each new reading, and thus must evaluate and balance various views and adopt a position that considers the various points of view.

Change modes of discourse. In this approach, students’ assignments move from less complex to more complex modes of discourse (e.g., from expressive to analytic to argumentative; or from lab report to position paper to research article).

Change audiences. In this approach, students create drafts for different audiences, moving from personal to public (e.g., from self-reflection to an audience of peers to an audience of specialists). Each change would require different tasks and more extensive knowledge.

Change perspective through time. In this approach, students might write a statement of their understanding of a subject or issue at the beginning of a course and then return at the end of the semester to write an analysis of that original stance in the light of the experiences and knowledge gained in the course.

Use a natural sequence. A different approach to sequencing is to create a series of assignments culminating in a final writing project. 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. For humanities and social science courses, students might write a proposal requesting approval of a particular topic, then hand in an annotated bibliography, and then a draft, and then the final version of the paper.

Have students 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).

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. STELLAR forums work well for out-of-class entries.

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. They can write a letter to a friend explaining their concerns about an upcoming paper assignment or explaining their ideas for an upcoming paper assignment. 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 for the campus or local newspaper or for a national journal.

Cases . Students might create a case study particular to the course’s subject matter.

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 those people’s 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.

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Teacher on special assignment

By Mary Bigelow

Posted on 2014-06-07

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• Anti-Semitism Claim At Boca High As Teacher Assigns Palestine Work

Parents Outraged. Teacher Ordered To Rescind Assignment At Boca Raton Community High School.

BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher

UPDATE at 5:52 p.m. with additional confirmation from Palm Beach County School District.

BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2023 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A teacher at Boca Raton Community High School was ordered by school administrators to rescind an assignment given to students on Palestine. We are not identifying the teacher or the grade at this time. Multiple parents complained to BocaNewsNow.com — and the school district — over the assignment.

BocaNewsNow.com has learned that the assignment, based on an article which you can read below, encouraged students to take what appears to be an Anti-Israel view in understanding Gaza. While parents reaching out to BocaNewsNow.com acknowledge the importance of understanding all views, the teacher apparently provided no context or lessons to accompany the assignment. It was not pre-approved by the Palm Beach County School District.

“This seemed to be extremely biased,” said a parent. “Is it okay to learn about Gaza and its history? Of course. Is it okay to be provided one article as fact, told to formulate beliefs based on that one article, and to offer absolutely no context? Of course not.”

School administrators immediately stepped in to stop the assignment from continuing. Internal communication obtained and reviewed by BocaNewsNow.com confirms that a mid-level manager demanded that the teacher not only rescind the assignment, but offer an alternate assignment for any student who had completed the original but feared that the teacher may not appreciate his or her response.

“That the teacher felt this was appropriate at all is a real concern,” said another parent. “If you’re not going to teach lesson plans approved by Palm Beach County, or at the very least discussed with school administration, then maybe find another line of work. This isn’t the time or the place to throw controversy into the classroom.”

A senior Palm Beach County School District official told BocaNewsNow.com there would be no comment over the Thanksgiving break. On Monday afternoon, an official issued these statements and confirmations:

“The assignment was: 1. Mark your confusion. 2. Show evidence of a close reading. 3. Write a 1+ page reflection. The teacher was told to either exempt the assignment or give an alternate assignment to students who did not complete the assignment.”

What do you think about the assignment and the response? Share your thoughts, below.

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14 thoughts on “ anti-semitism claim at boca high as teacher assigns palestine work ”.

How long does the apartheid state and now a war killing thousands of civilians with many, if not most, being children need to go on before criticism is allowed? Screw Hamas, screw Likud and their contributors, and screw anyone who thinks terrorism or war crimes are justified, regardless of the actor.

Thank you for demonstrating the heinous actions committed by Hamas. Hamas is an apartheid state whom is “now a war killing thousands of civilians with many, if not most, being children.” I think it is fine to critic Hamas, you have seen the videos of the acts they committed right?

Your response in itself is a testament to the level of abhorrent stupidity and lack of knowledge we see in western civilization.

I keep herring the sale chants from people that appear to have zero to no understanding of (a) the words they speak, (b) the reality in the region.

Why havent you published all the pro-Israel protesters who have been arrested or causing trouble at rallies? Just curious LOL

I haven’t heard of even one pro-Israel protestor causing trouble or being arrested> If you have, why didn’t you post it here? This is an ‘open forum’

we are mad at teachers for attempting to discuss legit backgrounds of historic events? bffr it’s always “Anti -Semitism” the minute it doesn’t push the western medias agenda, the children can benefit from learning what is and HAS been occurring for 75+ years!

Critical thinking on both sides of an issue, yes. But using an article from The Washington Compost? LOL, sure no bias there…

Students can be exposed to a variety of viewpoints, but the exposure should not lead to self-loathing or destruction as is often the case with progressive entities. The “Gays for Gaza” and other such groups are such examples of the self-destructive tendencies pushed by progressives.

Israel would not have occupied Gaza and the West Bank had they not been attacked. They moved the Jewish settlements out, give them food, electricity and water. Egypt wants nothing to do with Gaza. They wouldn’t even let the people in when Israel was trying to save them. What should Israel do, open the border? Why, I thought they want their own state. They have it Gaza. Let them figure out how to live like humans and not teach their children to kill Jews at age of three. They voted in Hamas, a terrorists group. Sad to see people die, but unfortunately, they provoke it, and Israel is the bad one? Their only objective is to destroy Israel. Sympathisers are basically anti-semites, for what reason I do not know or comprehend, who do not know or care about the history of the Jewish people or Hebrew people and Israel.

The article conveniently left out that Jews occupied that area way before “the ottoman empire”. it also didn’t discuss that hamas has in its own charter, to kill all Jews, and Israel must be eliminated. kind of an important fact conveniently left out. The UN says they have no clean water. the U.S. has given over 500 million since 2021 to Palestinian authority. did they build a water plant ? no. schools? farm? No. did they build missiles and terror tunnels? yes. just tell the whole story please.

Mark, that comment about Jews occupying the area before the Ottoman Empire does not wash. Compare it to the Indians who occupied where you live now – should you cede your property? Any criticism of ✡️ and automatically the label anti- Semite applies . I have deep concern for the first amendment. My criticism applies only to Netanyahu and his fascist cabinet.

The comments should be about the assignment , not your views of the conflict . Should they review current events at school ? Yes. Is this about current events? No, it’s a literary assignment . Students can bring home the assignment and discuss the facts with their parents. Keeping our children in the dark is NOT education and using ‘approved by Palm Beach County’ is why we have teachers showing no creativity . The county is going to avoid anything controversial . Most students today couldn’t identify a country on a map, or a famous work of art, or name more than five Presidents. The U.S.A. used to be competitive in the world for education . Now we’re not even in the top twenty which is sad considering the resources at our disposal . The IMD World Competitiveness Center reports that the U.S. ranked 10th in its 2020 Competitiveness Report. The U.S. fell to the third spot in 2019 after ranking first in 2018. The seven-point tumble to 10th place represents the lowest the U.S. has ever been in the annual ranking system.

To be fair, that massive fall in rank in 2020 had more to do with closing schools and trying to teach children on Zoom a.k.a. Chinese Communist-sponsored spyware over a Chinese Communist-sponsored plandemic.

I could ‘slightly’ understand the assignment if this was for a History or debate class. But, this was an assignment in an ENGLISH class. Please read the 2nd page of the assignment and the ‘possible response questions’ (pro Hamas sided). Either a tone deaf teacher with poor timing, or a teacher with an agenda to push terrorists ideology. Let our ‘kids’ be kids without indoctrinating HATE for any religion/race. Keep race/religious/political propaganda out of our schools!

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Parents are frustrated after learning their children's long-term substitute has been Kirk Miller who was previously placed on leave from the Eugene 4J school district.

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Former Churchill High School health teacher Kirk Miller left in March 2023 after giving controversial assignments for students to complete.

Some parents of Monroe Grade School students are keeping their children home from school until the school board permanently removes long-term substitute Kirk Miller.

Parents angered over Monroe substitute teacher who gave controversial assignment in Eugene

Jennifer Singh

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• Nov 27, 2023
• Nov 27, 2023 Updated 14 hrs ago

Parents are upset after discovering their children's long-term substitute is a former teacher that was put on leave for controversial assignments.

MONROE, Ore. – A health teacher that left Eugene School District 4J earlier in 2023 after giving out a controversial assignment involving sexual fantasies is now a substitute teacher in another district, and parents are not happy about it.

Kirk Miller was put on leave from Churchill High School in Eugene in March 2023 after asking ninth graders to write about their sexual fantasies involving props but no penetration. Students were also given an assignment to spin a wheel labeled with sex acts, and then allegedly would have to write the initials of a boy or girl they would do that sex act with.  

Controversial assignment sparks concern from parents

• By: Joey Vacca

Now Miller is teaching as a substitute teacher at Monroe High School and as a long-term PE substitute for kindergarten through eighth graders at Monroe Grade School, while the permanent teacher is on maternity leave.

Parents of students at Monroe Grade School like Jessica Austin were unaware it was Kirk Miller that had been watching their children until weeks had gone by.

“Once I found out who this person was, I was very upset this was happening,” Austin said. “It makes me feel uncomfortable that they are around him, but it also makes me feel very disappointed that our school district would be comfortable with even hiring him in the first place, and it makes me question their judgment.”

Parents found out it was the same Kirk Miller from 4J the weekend after Thanksgiving, and some parents like Austin and Jaquelyn Bathk are pulling their children out of school until Miller is permanently removed.

“They might not know yet what’s inappropriate if he’s doing things that he shouldn’t be doing,” Bathke said.

“That’s why we have to be here to protect our kids,” Austin said. “We understand that this is a person that should not be in schools teaching and that’s why we pulled our kids.”

Many parents organized an emergency meeting with the district superintendent, the principals of the grade school and high school, and other board members on November 27, the soonest they could after finding out. Many parents like Teralie Clevenger and Anna Rodriguez did not leave satisfied.

“We had a room full of upset parents explaining that they didn’t want that man around their children,” Clevenger said. “We had brought up our concerns; how we didn’t think it was appropriate… they essentially ignored all of us.”

School officials told parents they will have to hold an emergency board meeting before any permanent action is taken.

“We were told that the teacher would, until this matter is resolved, that the teacher would not be in this school today, for the rest of this week, as far as we know,” Rodriguez said. “When we asked when would we be having a meeting with the school board and they didn’t know.”

Parents said they have unfortunately lost a lot of trust in the district because of the situation.

“I don’t trust that they’re not going to continue having this teacher here,” Rodriguez said. “If the teacher is still here I will pull my child out of school permanently and have him in a home school program.”

“We shouldn’t have to drop our kids off and worry about whether or not something is going to happen to them or how it’s going to be,” Clevenger said. “We don’t want to be sending our kids to a school that we have to be afraid of the faculty, and it brings us even more concerned when we bring up our concerns and the school tells us to get over it.”

Parents also said they were told in the meeting that Miller has a personal relationship with several board members, and are concerned it is a conflict of interest.

“I think some reviewing of the hiring process here needs to take place to see who exactly is making these decisions,” Bathke said.

“Why exactly do they think these decisions are suitable for our children,” Austin asked.

According to Monroe Grade School officials, they are not prepared to comment, and the superintendent of Monroe Grade School has yet to comment.

More controversial assignments in Churchill High School's health class cause increased outrage

Eugene School District 4J addresses controversial assignment at heated board meeting

• By: Robert Desaulniers

Suggestive high school assignment has parents calling for change

Jennifer Singh joined the KEZI 9 News team in July 2023 as a news reporter. If you have any story ideas for Jennifer, you can email her at [email protected] .

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Excessive heat warning, air quality alert in effect for the region

• Updated Aug 15, 2023

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