How to Think (and Write) Like Your Instructor

By Nik Nadeau, Writing Consultant

Are you confused about how to meet your instructor’s expectations? Here at the Writing Center, we receive lots of questions about assignment prompts and instructor comments, with some simply asking “What do I do?” For the majority of these situations, we like to recommend the following:

For questions relating to the content of your assignment or capstone work, check with your instructor. For example, if you are unsure what your instructor means by holistic learning, send him or her an email and ask! Make sure you read the assignment carefully and express your concerns or confusion—after all, your instructor will be grading you on how well you read and interpret the guidelines as well as on the writing itself. Or, if you are unsure about what to do in the Delimitations section of your dissertation proposal, ask your committee chair and consult the rubric (to find the appropriate rubric for your doctoral program, see the Center for Research Support –Office of Student Research Administration homepage).

If you’re having trouble formatting your document (running head, title page, margins, etc.), choose the appropriate template from our Templates web page. (A template is a document that comes pre-loaded with proper formatting, so you can just copy-and-paste your content into it.) For example, if you are writing a course paper, choose the “APA Course Paper Template (6^th ed.)” link found under No. 1.

If you’re out of ideas for how to write or revise the content of your work, use the search box on our home page to look for tips on almost anything you can think of:  introduction/conclusion, thesis statement, paragraph development, passive voice, citation—the possibilities are endless! You might also want to brainstorm possible topics.

Of course, if you’re still stuck or need further advice, email us at WritingSupport@waldenu.edu, and we’ll respond within 24 hours.