Checklist for assessing the writing situation

• Has
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  the subject (or a range of possible subjects) been assigned to you, or are you free to choose your own?
• What interests you about your subject? What questions would you like to explore?
• Why is your subject worth writing about? How might readers benefit?
• Do you need to narrow your subject (because of length restrictions, for instance)?

• Why are you writing: To inform readers? To persuade them? To call them to action? To offer an interpretation of a text?
• Who are your readers? How well informed are they about the subject? What do you want them to learn?
• How interested and attentive are your readers likely to be? Will they resist any of your ideas? What possible objections will you need to anticipate and counter?

• What genre (type of writing) does your assignment require: A report? A proposal? An analysis of data? An essay?
• If the genre is not assigned, what genre is appropriate for your subject, purpose, and audience?
• What are the expectations and conventions of your assigned genre? For instance, what type of evidence is typically used in the genre?
• Does the genre require a specific design format or method of organization?
• Does the genre require or benefit from visuals, such as photos, drawings, or graphs?

• Where will your information come from: Reading? Research? Direct observation? Interviews? Questionnaires?
• What
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  type of evidence suits your subject, purpose, audience, and genre?
• What documentation style is required: MLA? APA? Chicago? CSE?

• Do you have any length specifications? If not, what length seems appropriate, given your subject, purpose, audience, and genre?
• Is a particular document format required? If so, do you have guidelines to follow or examples to consult?
• How might visuals—charts, graphs, tables—help you convey information and support your purpose?

• Who will be reviewing your draft: Your instructor? A writing tutor? One or more classmates?
• What are your deadlines? How much time will you need to allow for the various stages of writing, including proofreading and printing or posting the final draft?
• Will you be sharing a draft electronically or in hard copy? If electronically, will your readers be able to handle your file’s size and format?

Go to related page: Assessing the writing situation