Approaching assignments in the disciplines

When you receive a writing assignment, look for key terms that alert you to the purpose of the assignment and to the specialized language of the field. Also determine the kinds of evidence that would be appropriate to support your argument. At first glance, the following four assignments might seem to have nothing in common. A closer look will show that they all use key terms specific to the field, they all use the vocabulary of the field to describe the purpose of the assignment, and they all explain or suggest the kinds of evidence the writers should use.

Environmental science

Annotated assignment for an environmental science class. The assignment reads: The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a worldwide climactic oscillation. Evaluate the scientific issues involved in enhancing our ability to predict ENSO events and currentlimitations to our forecasting ability. Use scientific papers, abstracts, review, and course readings to support your conclusions. The annotations indicate key terms, purpose, and evidence. The key terms are "The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)," "climactic oscillation," "ability to predict," and "current limitations to our forecasting ability." The purpose of the assignment is to summarize and analyze research findings, indicated by the phrase "Evaluate the scientific issues." Appropriate evidence (articles, visuals, and especially conflicting data) appears in the assignment as "scientific papers, abstracts, review articles, and course readings."

  1. Key terms
  2. Purpose: to summarize and analyze research findings
  3. Appropriate evidence: articles, visuals, especially conflicting data
Business

Annotated assignment for a business class. The assignment reads: Develop a position in response to the following question: Do corporate takeovers create or destroy value? To determine how these value changes come about, analyze case studies and Securities and Exchange Commission documents. The annotations indicate the key term, the purpose, and evidence. The key term is "create or destroy value?" The purpose of the assignment is to analyze certain evidence and to argue a position based on that analysis, indicated by the phrases "Develop a position," "corporate takeovers," and "analyze." Appropriate evidence (examples of corporate takeovers) appears in the wording of the assignment as "case studies and Securites and Exchange Commission documents."

  1. Key terms
  2. Purpose: to analyze certain evidence and to argue a position based on that analysis
  3. Appropriate evidence: examples of corporate takeovers
Anthropology

Annotated assignment for an anthropology class. The assignment reads: Compare and contrast the male rites of passage amoung the Sambia of New Guinea and the Maasai of southern Kenya. Consult ethnographic descriptions of Sambian and Massai rituals in course readings. The annotations indicate the key terms, the purpose, and appropriate evidence. The key terms are "rites of passage" and "ethnographic." The purpose of the assignment is to analyze similarities and differences, indicated by the phrase "compare and contrast." Appropriate evidence (anthropologists' field research) appears in the wording of the assignment as "descriptions of Sambian and Massai rituals in course readings."

  1. Key terms
  2. Purpose: to analyze similarities and differences
  3. Appropriate evidence: anthropologists’ field research
Nursing

Annotated assignment for a nursing class. The assignment reads: Compile a detailed, objective health history for a member of your family. Use interview notes and any available health records to build the patient history. The annotations indicate the key term, the purpose, and appropriate evidence. The key term is "health history." The purpose of the assignment is to record information, indicated by the term "Compile." Appropriate evidence (interviews and relevant health records) appears in the wording of the assignment as "interview notes and any available health records."

  1. Key term
  2. Purpose: to record information
  3. Appropriate evidence: interviews, relevant health records

Once you have determined the expectations of a writing assignment, you must be sure to do the following, regardless of the discipline you are writing in.