Carefully read your assignment instructions to understand what’s being asked of you. If you have questions, ask your instructor. Getting your questions answered will save time (and can help you get a better grade).
Key points to determine
- Is there an assignment topic or can you select your own?
- What is the project format (e.g. paper, video, your choice, etc.)?
- What is the required length?
- What are the various project due dates (proposal, draft, final project, etc.)? Add the dates to your calendar and give yourself time for editing!
- What “citation style” does your professor want? APA? MLA?
- Is there a grading checklist or rubric? Determining how the points are distributed helps you figure out where to spend your time.

Pro tip: If you are assigned something you haven’t done before - like an annotated bibliography or lab report - spend time learning about that type of assignment.
Here's a great place to start: Common Writing Assignments (link opens in new window)
Understanding your assignment is key to getting started and making a plan. Next, learn about choosing a topic for your research.