• Describe common types and expectations of college writing tasks
• Identify characteristics of organically structured essays

Figuring Out Where to Start

Sometimes the hardest part of writing isn’t the writing—it’s figuring out what the assignment is even asking for. Whether you’re staring at a deeply philosophical prompt or just a set of instructions that seem vague or contradictory, you’ll need to take a few key steps before reaching out for help.

Let’s practice this skill.

Breaking Down the Prompt

Here’s a sample writing prompt from an imaginary course called Ways of Knowing:

French novelist Anatole France wrote: “An education isn’t how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It’s being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don’t.” What don’t you know?

Take a few minutes to reflect on the prompt.

Questions to guide your thinking:

• What is the main task the assignment is asking me to do? (
  • Look for key verbs like analyze, compare, argue, reflect, synthesize.)
• What is the purpose of this writing task—what kind of thinking is it asking me to demonstrate?
• Are there key phrases or ideas you need to look up or define?
• What does the rubric say about how my writing will be assessed?

Type or say your thoughts out loud. You don’t have to be certain—just make your best attempt.

Now spend another few minutes brainstorming how you could respond to the prompt. You don’t need a full thesis—just some ideas or angles you’re considering.

Consider doing a freewrite on the following questions:

• What topic(s) might you focus on?
• What examples, stories, or readings from the course seem connected to this prompt?
• If I had to explain the prompt to someone else, what would I say it’s asking for?
• What makes this question challenging for you?

Drafting Clarification Emails

When a writing prompt feels confusing or overwhelming, reaching out to your professor is a smart next step—but how you ask for help makes a big difference. Instructors are more likely to give helpful, targeted feedback if you show that you’ve already put thought into the assignment and are trying to work through the challenge.

One effective approach is to briefly explain your current understanding of the prompt and share the direction you’re considering. This gives your instructor something concrete to respond to and shows that you’re engaged.

A helpful email might look something like this:

Dear [Instructor Name],

I was hoping you could provide some clarification about the assignment prompt for [Course Name]. My understanding is that this assignment is asking us to [your best interpretation of the prompt].

I was thinking of approaching this by [briefly describe your current idea or angle], but I wanted to run the idea past you first.

Thank you for any guidance you can offer!

[Your Name]

You might not need to email your professor every time you feel stuck, but organizing your thoughts this way can often lead to a breakthrough on its own. And if you do reach out, you’ll be more likely to get a helpful response.