Next to the course syllabus, your course assignment prompt is the second most important document that your instructor will distribute in the classroom. Read it thoughtfully, or you may lessen your chances for a higher assessment on the assignment.

The course assignment prompt is critical, and throughout the semester, you will receive at least two or more in one course. Your course assignment prompt is a detailed account of what to do on an assignment. The assignment is to demonstrate what you have learned about a particular topic or subject to your instructor. Sometimes, you will respond in writing, oral or visual presentations, via scantron, a digital essay and story, or a group project with your class peers. But, no matter the form, a course assignment prompt is like a map because it outlines for you your opportunity to provide evidence that you have engaged the material. Read it carefully so that you can move on successfully to the next topic or subject.

Some instructors only give a midterm exam and a cumulative final exam. Therefore, you have very little room to make up for classroom assignments. That is why it is so critical for you to review the course syllabus. Find out early if you only have a midterm exam and a final exam or if your instructor will give you several exams throughout the semester. Without question, mini exams in a given course throughout the semester are a better deal, but this is where a close reading of the text comes in. Yes, the course assignment prompt is a text. It is imbued with information that you must consider before you take any action on the assignment.

Most instructors will spend at least half of the classroom time reviewing the course assignment prompt. Some will even use the entire classroom session on it. Whatever time the instructor uses to review the course assignment prompt, this is your golden moment to ask any pertinent questions. That’s why they revisit the course assignment prompt word for word to make sure it is straightforward for everyone. No instructor likes it when students are unclear about their expectations—this is why most instructors give written rather than verbal assignments. Further, if you have a question, they will ask you, “what does it say on the course assignment prompt?” Sounds familiar? Like the course syllabus, the instructor will ask you if you have read the text first. If you haven’t, you have lost another opportunity to make a strong impression on your instructor.

Let’s say you have listened carefully during the in-class review of the course assignment prompt. And that you reread the text several times after class, and you are still unclear about some aspect of it. Should you wait until the next class session to ask for clarity, wait until the instructor has office hours, or send an email asking for further clarification? Remember, the course assignment prompt is a time-sensitive document—the clock is ticking on the due date. And the longer you wait to ask for clarification, the more time you lose responding to the course assignment prompt. So, whichever the scenarios mentioned earlier cost you the least amount of time, that’s the approach you take to get a response from your instructor.

University instructors are doing their own research, teaching other courses, advising students, and providing service to their department and the university. Therefore, they are also pressed for time like you are. The course assignment prompt is a text that helps them and you, so they include everything you need to know to respond in a manner that will give you a positive assessment. Again, carefully read the course assignment prompt before you began to demonstrate what you have learned about a particular topic in the course.

Here are some things that you should look for on the course assignment prompt:

• What is the purpose of the course assignment? That is, what will you have learned about the topic or subject.
• What are the learning outcomes?
• Is a first draft due?  If so, when is it due?
• When is the final draft due?
• What are the consequences for missing the due date?
• Is there a student/teacher conference before or during your work on the assignment? If so, when do you meet? Should you bring an outline or some aspect of the project to show what stage you are developing the project?
• If you have a learning disability, should you have the assignment sent to the learning center to complete? Are you allowed more time to complete the project? How much time?
• Should you turn it in via the university interface system (Blackboard) or bring a hard copy to class?
• What are the assessment criteria?
• What is the length of the assignment?
• Do you need a cover sheet?
• What type of format is expected? Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA)
• Are in-text citations required?
• Is a bibliography required?

You will soon learn that most instructors write their course assignment prompts differently. So if you do not find each one of the bulleted sections on your Course assignment prompt, don’t worry too much. Your instructor is a professional, and they want to make sure you have everything you need to succeed. And the first way to begin is to read the course assignment prompt like a boss!