Matching Writing Assignments to Instructional Goals
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Different writing tasks draw on and develop different skills and thus can be made to serve different pedagogical purposes. The most successful writing assignments are crafted with specific instructional goals in mind. The chart below, prepared by Brad Hughes of the University of Wisconsin, highlights the basic skills many common written assignments develop.
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This Kind of Assignment . . . | Helps Students Learn to . . . |
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1. |
freewriting |
• generate ideas by writing • experiment freely with ideas • discover their thoughts about and reactions to course content • prepare to participate in a discussion • become more comfortable writing • know themselves better as writers |
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2. |
discussion points or summary |
• read carefully and critically • prepare to participate in a discussion |
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3. |
journal or learning log |
• read carefully and critically • respond personally to readings • differentiate between the ideas in a reading and their own ideas about that topic • prepare to write more formal papers about readings • prepare to participate in a discussion |
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4. |
microtheme |
• see to the heart of an issue • concentrate on a single, focused issue • select only the most important points to make • be concise • prepare to participate in a discussion |
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5. |
summary, précis, brief |
• read or listen carefully and critically • select the most important points in a reading • present points succinctly • prepare to participate in a discussion |
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6. |
literature review |
• summarize complex readings • compare and synthesize different research and arguments • understand the state of knowledge on a particular topic • think critically about published research • evaluate published research • discover openings for new research |
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7. |
book (or article) review |
• read critically and carefully • summarize a book's content • analyze a book's structure and method • evaluate a book's success • select evidence to support an evaluation |
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This Kind of Assignment . . . |
Helps Students Learn to . . . |
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8. |
argument paper, position paper |
• identify an arguable issue • think critically about a course-related issue • think independently • develop an arguable position • find and present supporting evidence • acknowledge and respond to opposing arguments • write persuasively |
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9. |
experimental or lab report |
• think and write like a scientist • identify the purpose of an experiment • review relevant literature • describe methods accurately • organize results logically • discuss the significance of results • identify needs for further research |
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10. |
proposal, prospectus for research |
• identify questions that are worth researching and that are manageable within the scope of the course • ask good questions • see research as a process • develop a plan for research • develop a methodology for research • ask for help in the process of conducting research • modify research plans based on the instructor's response |
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11. |
annotated bibliography |
• find and select relevant books and articles • summarize the contents of books and articles concisely • determine the purpose that particular sources will serve in a research paper • prepare reference lists in appropriate format |
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12. |
theory paper |
• generalize from data • build models • examine (compare and contrast, critique, synthesize) accepted practices in a discipline |