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Understanding your Writing Assignment: Home

Quick Study Guide that provides advice on how to understand a Writing Assignment

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Paul Graham, University Librarian

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Subject Liaison: Creative Arts, Education, Psychology

Kathy Coorsh, Academic Librarian

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Subject Liaison: Business, Interior Design/Decorating & General Studies

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Sarah Van Sickle, Academic Librarian

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Subject Liaison: Resource Management, Business, Interior Design/Decorating, Creative Arts

Why do we have so many Writing Assignments?

The purpose of a university Writing Assignment is to assess a student's understanding of course material, critical thinking abilities, research skills, and the capacity to apply knowledge to specific tasks. Assignments aim to foster learning, promote independent thinking, and evaluate a student's ability to communicate ideas effectively through written reports, essays, projects, or other designated tasks. Additionally, assignments may encourage students to explore specific topics in depth, contribute to class discussions, and develop essential skills for academic and professional success.

Understanding Writing Assignments

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Supportive Writing Software

  • Grammarly: Grammarly is a popular writing assistant tool that checks for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style errors in real-time. .
  • Evernote: Evernote is a note-taking and organization app that can be valuable for gathering and storing research materials, notes, and ideas. 
  • Scrivener: Scrivener is a specialized writing software designed for longer and more complex writing projects, such as theses, dissertations, or research papers. 

Software Options

Citation Software Options

  • Zotero: Zotero is freely accessible citation and research management software.
  • Endnote: EndNote is a reference manager that helps you save time formatting citations, so you can focus on your research.
  • Mendeley: Mendeley brings your research to life, so you can make an impact on tomorrow
  • Papers: Papers helps you collect and curate the research material that you're passionate about.