Writers in academic and professional settings usually work in response to an assignment. You might be given general guidelines; you might be asked to choose a topic within a general subject area; or you might be given complete freedom. However, no matter how much freedom you have, your assignment will provide important clues about what your instructor and your other readers will expect.

A close reading of an assignment can reveal not only its basic requirements and goals but also useful information about your purpose, readers, sources, and context. Most important, a close reading can help you develop a successful response to the assignment.