Assessing the writing situation
C-4
First make sure that you understand the assignment, and then take a look at your writing situation. What exactly are you writing? What are the expectations for this kind of writing? Who are your readers?
You will become a more effective writer and save yourself time by understanding your assignment and assessing the writing situation in advance.
Elements of the writing situation
- Subject: What are you writing about?
- Purpose: Why are you writing? To inform readers? To persuade them? To offer an interpretation?
- Audience: Who are your readers? An academic audience? A business audience? A public audience? How well informed are they about the subject?
- Genre: What type of writing does your assignment require? A report? A proposal? An analysis of data? An essay? A professional memo?
- Length and document design: How long should the document be? Is a particular format required? How might visuals help you convey information?
- Reviewers and deadlines: Who will review your work? When is it due? Will you be sharing a draft electronically or in hard copy?
Understanding an assignment
Checklist for assessing the writing situation
Approaching assignments in the disciplines