{"id":3567,"date":"2016-04-20T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-21T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?p=3567"},"modified":"2018-04-08T08:52:14","modified_gmt":"2018-04-08T15:52:14","slug":"essay-assignment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/essay-assignment\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Read and Understand an Essay Assignment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If there\u2019s one thing I\u2019ve learned in my 30&nbsp;years on this planet, it\u2019s that <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you should always read the instructions. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3653\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3653\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/TurnLeft.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3653\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/TurnLeft.jpg\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/TurnLeft.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/TurnLeft-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3653 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20375%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20375%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/TurnLeft.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/TurnLeft-300x225.jpg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/TurnLeft.jpg\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3653\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(&#8220;Unintentional humor&#8221; by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Humour#\/media\/File:Week_z00.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Zyance<\/a>&nbsp;(<a href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.5\/\" target=\"_blank\">Creative Commons<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Okay, most of the time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At any rate, I know that you <\/span><b>should <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">read the instructions on tests. I learned this by accidentally skipping two pages of the math section on the SAT. Apparently, when they say \u201ccontinue to the next page,\u201d they mean that.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should also read the instructions while assembling household goods. Who knew that you needed to pull upward on a lawnmower handle in order for the blade to move for the first time?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The manual, that\u2019s who. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And most importantly, <\/span><b>you should read the instructions for <\/b><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b><i>writing essays<\/i><\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing how to read and understand an essay assignment isn\u2019t always as straightforward as it sounds. Subtle distinctions exist between words such as \u201canalyze\u201d and \u201cdescribe,\u201d for instance. And what does your teacher <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">really <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mean when he or she says you need to \u201cevaluate the literary significance of the long 18th&nbsp;century\u201d? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post will teach you how to unpack, decipher, and truly understand an essay assignment so that you can deliver exactly what your teacher is looking for.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why Do You Need to Read Your Essay Assignment in the First Place?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your teacher gave a quick rundown of the assignment in class, so you don\u2019t really need to read it again, right?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wrong.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Yeah, you knew I was going to say that.)<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While your teacher was explaining the assignment at the end of class, you were doodling in your notebook and tapping your foot as you eyed the clock, anxiously awaiting the moment you could scurry home to your cat, couch, and\/or Netflix.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Not that I\u2019d, uh, know anything about that.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you were paying attention, that\u2019s a lot of information to absorb, especially if you\u2019re not an auditory learner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides that, you wouldn\u2019t bake a cake without reading a recipe or take an eight-hour road trip without looking at a map, would you? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I mean, you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">could<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but I\u2019m not sure I want to be your taste-tester <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> your passenger. <\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3654\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3654\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/cupcake-937906_1280.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3654\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/cupcake-937906_1280.jpg\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"500\" height=\"292\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/cupcake-937906_1280.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/cupcake-937906_1280-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/cupcake-937906_1280-1024x598.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3654 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20292%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"500\" height=\"292\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20292%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/cupcake-937906_1280.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/cupcake-937906_1280-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/cupcake-937906_1280-1024x598.jpg 1024w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/cupcake-937906_1280.jpg\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3654\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cJust don\u2019t tell her that I forgot to add sugar. And eggs.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similarly, not reading your essay assignment is a good way to mess up the \u201cingredients\u201d of your essay or cover a lot of unnecessary ground. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your teacher knows all of this! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s why you have a written assignment: you can review the parameters of the essay, refer back to the assignment as you plan your essay, resituate yourself as you write, and check your final writing against the assignment. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But how do you understand exactly what your teacher is asking?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Decode an Essay Assignment<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Whether your essay assignment is a few short sentences or a full page, there\u2019s a lot to unpack and decode in order to figure out exactly what your teacher is asking you to write. Let\u2019s look at some of the words and phrases you\u2019ll likely encounter in your assignment and what exactly they mean.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verbs that denote purpose and form<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The verbs your teacher uses in an essay assignment serve as important clues about&nbsp;the type of content you should write and the form your essay should take. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following table features a list of verbs that often appear in essay assignments, along with their meanings and the types of essays that are often (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">but not always!<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) associated with them.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/VerbTable.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3655\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/VerbTable.jpg\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"600\" height=\"616\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/VerbTable.jpg 692w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/VerbTable-292x300.jpg 292w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3655 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20600%20616%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"600\" height=\"616\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20600%20616%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/VerbTable.jpg 692w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/VerbTable-292x300.jpg 292w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/VerbTable.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And don\u2019t forget, you can also check out examples of all these essay types in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-examples\">!<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Words that define scope and limitations<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Verbs aren\u2019t the only important words to decode in an essay assignment. Most assignments will also contain words or phrases that define the scope of the response your teacher expects from you.<\/p>\n<p>This has nothing to do with fresh breath and everything to do with how deeply or shallowly you delve into your topic. It\u2019s the difference between, say, a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sixwordstories.net\/\" target=\"_blank\">six-word story<\/a> and a Ken Burns documentary.<\/p>\n<p>The ideal scope means your essay\u2019s focus is not too broad, and not too narrow: it\u2019s just right.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tm-tweet-clear\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tm-click-to-tweet\">\n<div class=\"tm-ctt-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=The+ideal+scope+means+your+essay%E2%80%99s+focus+is+not+too+broad%2C+not+too+narrow%3A+it%E2%80%99s+just+right.&#038;via=kibin&#038;related=kibin&#038;url=https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/essay-assignment\/\" target=\"_blank\">The ideal scope means your essay\u2019s focus is not too broad, not too narrow: it\u2019s just right.<\/a><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=The+ideal+scope+means+your+essay%E2%80%99s+focus+is+not+too+broad%2C+not+too+narrow%3A+it%E2%80%99s+just+right.&#038;via=kibin&#038;related=kibin&#038;url=https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/essay-assignment\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"tm-ctt-btn\">Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"tm-ctt-tip\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3656\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3656\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Goldilocks_1912.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3656\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Goldilocks_1912.jpg\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"500\" height=\"337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Goldilocks_1912.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Goldilocks_1912-300x202.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3656 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20337%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"500\" height=\"337\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20337%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Goldilocks_1912.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Goldilocks_1912-300x202.jpg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Goldilocks_1912.jpg\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3656\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cSomeone\u2019 s been working on my essay.\u201d \u201cNo, someone\u2019s been working on my essay!\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, your teacher may define scope using <\/span><b>numbers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCompare and contrast <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">two <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">authors\u201d [This means exactly two.]<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cProviding<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at least three <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">main ideas\u201d [This could include three, four, or more main ideas.]<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIn <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">no more than six <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pages\u201d [This means probably at least four or five, but definitely not seven.]<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These phrases give you an idea of the number of examples you should provide or how many main points your essay should cover. Watch out for phrases such as \u201cat least,\u201d \u201cno more than,\u201d and similar phrasing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your teacher may also set limitations using references to <\/span><b>time<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cEvents during the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">early 17th century<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d [Not the middle 17th&nbsp;century or the late 16th.]<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThat have occurred <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in recent history<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d [You probably shouldn\u2019t discuss a subject from the 1950s, then.]<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cM<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">odern<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> technology\u201d [This is open to interpretation, but this probably doesn\u2019t refer to technology from the 1980s.]<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHow it has changed <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the past 10 years<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d [Not only in the past 5 years, and not in the past 15\u2014just 10.]<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time references define the scope of your essay by specifying where your coverage should begin and end. This ensures that you aren\u2019t covering a time period that is too broad, meaning that you can give only a minor overview of the subject, or a period that is too narrow, meaning that you don\u2019t have enough to write about.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Words that define format\/style<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last but not least, check your essay assignment for terms that dictate how your paper should look and how you should cite your sources. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your instructor may provide explicit essay formatting requirements:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c12-pt Times New Roman\u201d <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c1-inch margins\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cInclude a cover page\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you see specific instructions like these, then you should definitely use them as you format your paper! There is no easier way to rack up points toward a good grade.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, however, your instructor will only specify a style guide:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cUse MLA format\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cPlease adhere to APA guidelines\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These phrases indicate that you should use these style guides to cite any sources you consult for your essay. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But MLA and APA aren\u2019t only systems for citing sources. These style guides also provide guidelines for formatting essays and reports, including guidance on&nbsp;fonts, margins, headers, and more. Often, they also tell you how to handle numbers, abbreviations, and other considerations. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the absence of any other formatting guidelines in your essay assignment, it\u2019s a good idea to consult the style guide.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-mla-citations\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Write MLA Citations Without Going Crazy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-apa-citations\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Write APA Citations in 4 Easy Steps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for help with citing your sources, and check out the Purdue Owl\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/owl.english.purdue.edu\/owl\/resource\/747\/01\/\" target=\"_blank\">MLA<\/a>&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/owl.english.purdue.edu\/owl\/resource\/560\/01\/\" target=\"_blank\">APA<\/a>&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pages for formatting guidelines.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also check out our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/essay-formatting-survival-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essay Formatting Survival Guide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for other formatting tips.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If all else fails and you genuinely don\u2019t understand what your instructor is asking for, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">take advantage of the instructor&#8217;s&nbsp;office hours. S<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">chedule a meeting to discuss the essay assignment. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s always better to clear up your confusion before you start writing instead of after your essay is done. But it\u2019s also a good idea to check your work and make sure that you\u2019ve hit all of the important points of the assignment. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Make Sure Your Completed Essay Fits the Assignment<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a few ways that you can check your completed essay against the assignment to ensure that you didn\u2019t miss the mark completely or leave anything out.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of my favorite strategies is to create a checklist from the essay assignment before I ever start writing. You could make such a checklist as detailed or as basic as you want, but you definitely should include all of the most important elements of the assignment. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t have time to create your own, this comprehensive <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/student.unsw.edu.au\/editing-checklist\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">essay editing checklist<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the University of New South Wales should help ensure you covered all your bases.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re lucky, your teacher will include a rubric with your essay assignment. A rubric generally breaks down the assignment into specific components, such as content, support, style, and mechanics\/grammar. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also generally tells you what you need to accomplish in each area to achieve the highest grade. This can actually serve as a checklist itself, saving you a bit of time and trouble.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Here&#8217;s an example of a rubric:<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Essay-Rubric.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3657\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Essay-Rubric.jpg\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"600\" height=\"575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Essay-Rubric.jpg 822w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Essay-Rubric-300x288.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3657 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20600%20575%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"essay assignment\" width=\"600\" height=\"575\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20600%20575%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Essay-Rubric.jpg 822w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Essay-Rubric-300x288.jpg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Essay-Rubric.jpg\"><\/a><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another strategy for checking your essay against the prompt is creating a reverse outline. Reverse outlining is actually a great first step for revising any essay. It helps you identify holes in your argument, missing details, and other important elements you might have forgotten. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twp.duke.edu\/uploads\/assets\/reverse_outline.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">helpful handout<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from Duke University, or use this <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/slc.berkeley.edu\/reverse-outlining-worksheet\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reverse outlining worksheet<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the Berkeley Student Learning Center.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, you can have your essay checked by a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/editors\">. Not only can we help you proofread your essay, but we can also help ensure your essay sticks to the assignment. <\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After you upload your essay, you have the option to include a supplemental document, such as your essay assignment or a rubric. Personally, I love when students use this feature. It not only gives me better context for what you\u2019ve written, but I can tailor my feedback and editing to help you make sure you covered everything you needed to cover.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, an essay assignment may seem intimidating, but you should think of it as the roadmap to a killer grade. A recipe for success. A blueprint for \u2026 well, you get the idea. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Happy writing!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If there\u2019s one thing I\u2019ve learned in my 30&nbsp;years on this planet, it\u2019s that you should always read the instructions. Okay, most of the time. At any rate, I know that you should read the instructions on tests. I learned this by accidentally skipping two pages of the math section on the SAT. Apparently, when &hellip; <\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/essay-assignment\/\" class=\"more-link btn btn-primary\"><b>Read more<\/b><span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How to Read and Understand an Essay Assignment&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":3987,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[57,99,52],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Read and Understand an Essay Assignment<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ready to deliver exactly what your instructor wants on an essay? 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