the most difficult writing assignment

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What’s the Most Challenging Assignment You’ve Ever Had?

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

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An essay on the Op-Ed page tells the story of a program at Bell in the 1950s in which young executives were plunged into “what amounted to a complete liberal arts education” in 10 months. Many of the students – most of whom had backgrounds in technical fields like engineering – found some of the advanced material quite challenging. yet in the end they got a lot out of it. What are the hardest tasks you have had to tackle in school? How did the experience affect you?

As Wes Davis writes in an Op-Ed , managers at Bell believed that, as a 1955 Harper’s magazine article put it, “A well-trained man knows how to answer questions […]; an educated man knows what questions are worth asking.” So the University of Pennsylvania devised an intensive liberal arts program of study for the executives, who found reading demanding literary works difficult but quite rewarding:

When the students read “The Lonely Crowd,” the landmark 1950 study of their own social milieu, they didn’t just discuss the book, they discussed it with its author, David Riesman. They tangled with a Harvard expert over the elusive poetry in Ezra Pound’s “Pisan Cantos,” which had sent one of the Bell students to bed with a headache and two aspirin. The capstone of the program, and its most controversial element, came in eight three-hour seminars devoted to “Ulysses.” The novel, published in 1922, had been banned as obscene in the United States until 1933 and its reputation for difficulty outlived the ban. The Bell students “found it a challenging, and often exasperating, experience,” Baltzell wrote. But, prepared by months of reading that had ranged from the Bhagavad Gita to “Babbitt,” the men rose to the challenge, surprising themselves with the emotional and intellectual resources they brought to bear on Joyce’s novel. It was clear as the students cheered one another through their final reports that reading a book as challenging as “Ulysses” was both a liberating intellectual experience and a measure of how much they had been enriched by their time at the institute. At the end of the 10-month course, an anonymous questionnaire was circulated among the Bell students; their answers revealed that they were reading more widely than they had before — if they had read at all — and they were more curious about the world around them. At a time when the country was divided by McCarthyism, they tended to see more than one side to any given argument.

Students: What’s the most challenging assignment you have ever been given? Why was it so difficult for you? How did you fare? What did you get out of it? Did the experience change you at all?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

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my most challenging task in 7th grade was poetry!!! Difficult to read, difficult to understand, terribly difficult to write. Not that I don’t know how to write the essays, short stories…but poetry, yuck. When I finally did submit my poems on “growing up,” I was relieved!! I am still no Robert Frost but I “Howl” with joy that this year’s English poetry class is over.

No surprise at the provenance of this program. I’m a Penn grad who got a wonderful liberal education…at the Engineering School.

“If they had read at all” was a bit too rich if you ask me. If you have the intellectual curiosity and wherewithal to make it through engineering school, my experience tells me that you will probably find your way to a fair share of the great books.

I hope this concept is followed up conversely with an offering of calculus and physics for mid-career humanities graduates who described themselves as “well-rounnded” in college but somehow missed out on the math and science that form an equally critical part of the ideal education.

There really wasn’t any challenging tasks for me. It’s just that i struggled a lot when all the tests and exams came right after each other. When this happen, i kinda get off track and study wrong things and sometimes get 86’s.

Most difficult? Getting myself at least moderately interested in Spanish class. Still not doing to well . . .

*Still not doing TOO well. Sorry!

My most challenging work ever was an Anglo-Saxon piece of writing in my English class. We had to describe what it stood for, which was easy, but it was the biography behind it that made it difficult. Some of the history was missing. And to get a grade “A” paper i watned to explore further, eventually I got all the details, and ended up getting a “D”. So much hard work, not even worth looking at, as my teacher told me.

The most challenging assignment that i have ever had was when I had to build a replioca of a fort out of nothing but popcicle sticks. It was not an easy thing to do. the glue kept falling off of the sticks, and the glue was so runny, that it sort of slid down the sticks. We had three weeks to finish this assignment, but I was able to get it done

My Most difficult Assignment? was a essay that was about my live.

What’s the most challenging assignment you have ever been given? The most challenging assignment I have ever been given was English poetry. The teacher gave students an assignment on 8 lines or more poetry. The assignment was due next day, which I had only one night to finish it. I had spent more than 3 hours over night on the assignment. Poetry is just too hard for me. You have to find the other with same rhyme and other poetry rules. How did you fare? I try to borrow my friends’ poetries and observe how they write poetry. But, it took me awhile to figure it out. My brother and some other friends help me out for poetry. What did you get out of it? First, I spent my time on it and learn how to write a simple poetry. Then, slowly build up rhythm and rhyme. I spend lots of time on rhyme because it hard for me to think of something sounds the same. Did the experience change you at all? The assignment makes me feel poetry is not easy to write. And, I know more about poetry. How it works and how it is done. The experience changes me because I know how to write a simple poetry.

The most challenging assignment I ever have is probably the Historical Investigation I had to do in US history class last year. I’ve never been exposed to US history before I took this class since I used to study in Chinese local schools. Therefore, my knowledge on US history was rather tenuous. I had to do this project by my own about Hitler’s propaganda. Even though, I chose the topic by myself, I had no idea where I should begin. Luckily, our teacher taught us step by step. I did every assignment he asked prudently and followed his directions. I asked him questions before and after class. I requested him to check my work before handing and being graded. After this investigation task was completed, I learned a lot about Hitler’s policies, historians views on propaganda and Germany’s background at that period of time. I also learned how to skim through a bunch of information and know what is important. I increased my reading speed and my ability to understand piece of information that I am not used to. This experience did changed me a lot. And, even though, it was tough work, I appreciated it because I got lots of things out of it. The things are all essential for my future academic.

Two very challenging things in school last year were the Biology tests and quizes and the English vocab tests. But now I have Bio skills and some really hard english words memorized to make next year’s challenges more bearable.

math class assiments because i was gone for 2 monts when i came back to school i had no clue waht we were supposed to do in class but now i cathing up

my most difficult assignment that I’ve ever completed was essay in music class about compering a composer’s life and achievements with other composers in the same era . I, myself, didn’t have any ideas about any composers in the whole entire wold.Also that was the first essay I have written in my life . However, I decided to search about J.S Bach and the composers who lived in his era. That was difficult to compere because there were too many composers in Bach’s era , and all of them had great achievements.In addition, the most difficult part was the period of time .I had to finished it in fifty minutes and after that I had to read it in frond of the class. These were the reasons that made my first essay the most difficult assignment that I’ve ever completed.

In 7th grade my Pre-Algebra gave us a High school project and I procrastinated until the due date was in two days I got a good grade on it but I was tired form constant working from the moment I got home to the moment I went to bed with small breaks in between

What's Next

Writers Workshop

Prewriting and Getting Started

One of the most difficult parts of a writing assignment is trying to start. Often, writers can be intimidated by the enormity of an assignment or struggle to begin at an appropriate point.

Brainstorming can help you generate ideas, narrow them down, and associate ideas with other ideas. This procedure can be highly variable; writers can experiment with finding ideas through research and literature, or bouncing ideas off of peers. Some other brainstorming strategies include:

Clustering/Mapping

This process can help you come up with main ideas, identify supporting ideas, and see the connections among your ideas, which can help with your organization.

• Begin by writing your main topic or subject in the middle of a page.
• As fast as you can, free-associate or jot down anywhere on the page as many words as you can think of associated with your center word.
• If you get stuck, go back to the center word and launch again. Speed is important and quantity is your goal. Don’t discount any word or phrase that comes to you, just put it down on the page.
• Jot words for between 5-10 minutes. When you are finished you will have a page filled with seemingly random words.
• Read around on the page and see if you have discovered anything or can see connections between any ideas.
• Continue this process as you think of new ideas.

Freewriting

Freewriting is a great way to generate ideas without worrying about how good they are or about your writing. The goal of freewriting is to write as much as possible in a short amount of time without stopping to edit or change your writing or your ideas.

• Start by setting a timer for 5 to 10 minutes and write about the topic/idea that you want to use in your paper without stopping until the time goes off.
• Once you’ve written for 5 to 10 minutes, read over what you wrote and choose a few of the most interesting or strongest ideas.
• Use these strongest and most interesting ideas to freewrite again, developing even more ideas with this narrowed focus.

Repeat this process as many times as you want until you feel you have the best ideas for your paper.

  Topic Outlines

• Start your outline (whether in a digital document or handwritten on paper) by laying out your sections and subsections. A good rule of thumb is to start with a bullet/section per paragraph, and then expand from there.
• Filling in a thesis for argumentative/essay assignments (even if it’s rough or really only a placeholder) can help you better figure out the structure of your assignment. Then, for each paragraph, think about the main point of that paragraph and how it connects to your thesis/introduction. You can keep working down from there if you want, all the way to writing the ideas and even sentences you’ll want to include in that paragraph.
• Though outlines can be a little less flexible than other kinds of prewriting, don’t be too worried about everything making total and complete sense when you write it; like other kinds of prewriting, outlining is about getting stuff down so you can get to work writing, so it’s okay to just use it to jot down notes and ideas as you go.
• Outlines can be really useful when starting an assignment, but it’s also good to remember that crafting an outline at any stage in the process is likely to help you better recognize and organize your structure. It’s never too late for an outline!

Return to the Prompt and Rubric

Instructors often provide information and expectations on the assignment sheet, and many include rubrics that will indicate how they’ll assess your paper. To get started writing, underline keywords that address the assignment’s purpose, content, guidelines, and format.

Related Links:

• Understanding the Rhetorical Situation
• Organizing Ideas
• Asking for Feedback

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Understanding Writing Assignments

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How to Decipher the Paper Assignment

Many instructors write their assignment prompts differently. By following a few steps, you can better understand the requirements for the assignment. The best way, as always, is to ask the instructor about anything confusing.

• Read the prompt the entire way through once. This gives you an overall view of what is going on.
• Underline or circle the portions that you absolutely must know. This information may include due date, research (source) requirements, page length, and format (MLA, APA, CMS).
• Underline or circle important phrases. You should know your instructor at least a little by now - what phrases do they use in class? Does he repeatedly say a specific word? If these are in the prompt, you know the instructor wants you to use them in the assignment.
• Think about how you will address the prompt. The prompt contains clues on how to write the assignment. Your instructor will often describe the ideas they want discussed either in questions, in bullet points, or in the text of the prompt. Think about each of these sentences and number them so that you can write a paragraph or section of your essay on that portion if necessary.
• Rank ideas in descending order, from most important to least important. Instructors may include more questions or talking points than you can cover in your assignment, so rank them in the order you think is more important. One area of the prompt may be more interesting to you than another.
• Ask your instructor questions if you have any.

After you are finished with these steps, ask yourself the following:

• What is the purpose of this assignment? Is my purpose to provide information without forming an argument, to construct an argument based on research, or analyze a poem and discuss its imagery?
• Who is my audience? Is my instructor my only audience? Who else might read this? Will it be posted online? What are my readers' needs and expectations?
• What resources do I need to begin work? Do I need to conduct literature (hermeneutic or historical) research, or do I need to review important literature on the topic and then conduct empirical research, such as a survey or an observation? How many sources are required?
• Who - beyond my instructor - can I contact to help me if I have questions? Do you have a writing lab or student service center that offers tutorials in writing?

(Notes on prompts made in blue )

Poster or Song Analysis: Poster or Song? Poster!

Goals : To systematically consider the rhetorical choices made in either a poster or a song. She says that all the time.

Things to Consider: ah- talking points

• how the poster addresses its audience and is affected by context I'll do this first - 1.
• general layout, use of color, contours of light and shade, etc.
• use of contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity C.A.R.P. They say that, too. I'll do this third - 3.
• the point of view the viewer is invited to take, poses of figures in the poster, etc. any text that may be present
• possible cultural ramifications or social issues that have bearing I'll cover this second - 2.
• ethical implications
• how the poster affects us emotionally, or what mood it evokes
• the poster's implicit argument and its effectiveness said that was important in class, so I'll discuss this last - 4.
• how the song addresses its audience
• lyrics: how they rhyme, repeat, what they say
• use of music, tempo, different instruments
• possible cultural ramifications or social issues that have bearing
• emotional effects
• the implicit argument and its effectiveness

These thinking points are not a step-by-step guideline on how to write your paper; instead, they are various means through which you can approach the subject. I do expect to see at least a few of them addressed, and there are other aspects that may be pertinent to your choice that have not been included in these lists. You will want to find a central idea and base your argument around that. Additionally, you must include a copy of the poster or song that you are working with. Really important!

I will be your audience. This is a formal paper, and you should use academic conventions throughout.

Length: 4 pages Format: Typed, double-spaced, 10-12 point Times New Roman, 1 inch margins I need to remember the format stuff. I messed this up last time =(

Academic Argument Essay

5-7 pages, Times New Roman 12 pt. font, 1 inch margins.

Minimum of five cited sources: 3 must be from academic journals or books

• Design Plan due: Thurs. 10/19
• Rough Draft due: Monday 10/30
• Final Draft due: Thurs. 11/9

Remember this! I missed the deadline last time

The design plan is simply a statement of purpose, as described on pages 40-41 of the book, and an outline. The outline may be formal, as we discussed in class, or a printout of an Open Mind project. It must be a minimum of 1 page typed information, plus 1 page outline.

This project is an expansion of your opinion editorial. While you should avoid repeating any of your exact phrases from Project 2, you may reuse some of the same ideas. Your topic should be similar. You must use research to support your position, and you must also demonstrate a fairly thorough knowledge of any opposing position(s). 2 things to do - my position and the opposite.

Your essay should begin with an introduction that encapsulates your topic and indicates 1 the general trajectory of your argument. You need to have a discernable thesis that appears early in your paper. Your conclusion should restate the thesis in different words, 2 and then draw some additional meaningful analysis out of the developments of your argument. Think of this as a "so what" factor. What are some implications for the future, relating to your topic? What does all this (what you have argued) mean for society, or for the section of it to which your argument pertains? A good conclusion moves outside the topic in the paper and deals with a larger issue.

You should spend at least one paragraph acknowledging and describing the opposing position in a manner that is respectful and honestly representative of the opposition’s 3 views. The counterargument does not need to occur in a certain area, but generally begins or ends your argument. Asserting and attempting to prove each aspect of your argument’s structure should comprise the majority of your paper. Ask yourself what your argument assumes and what must be proven in order to validate your claims. Then go step-by-step, paragraph-by-paragraph, addressing each facet of your position. Most important part!

Finally, pay attention to readability . Just because this is a research paper does not mean that it has to be boring. Use examples and allow your opinion to show through word choice and tone. Proofread before you turn in the paper. Your audience is generally the academic community and specifically me, as a representative of that community. Ok, They want this to be easy to read, to contain examples I find, and they want it to be grammatically correct. I can visit the tutoring center if I get stuck, or I can email the OWL Email Tutors short questions if I have any more problems.

The First Word is the Hardest: How to Get Working on a Writing Assignment

Often, the hardest part of completing a writing project is getting started. Whether you’re working on an essay, a lab report, or an online discussion post, there are all sorts of problems that can prevent you from penning those first few words. Let’s break down a few of those problems and explore some solutions that can help get the sentences flowing.

Problem: A lengthy assignment seems so difficult to finish that you’re too discouraged to start. When you’re staring at a blank page, it can be impossible to imagine ever producing a 2000-word essay or an eight-page lab report. The gulf between your current word count and your goal seems so vast that the least frightening option is to close the file and try not to think about it. Solution: Break it up! Don’t think of it as a 2000-word essay; think of it as eight 250-word chunks. Don’t think of it as a twelve-page lab report; think of it as ten titled sections, from the abstract to the appendices. Instead of feeling like you can’t stop writing until the project is completely done, tell yourself that you only need to get to the end of the next small section. Adjusting your thinking in this way ensures that there’s always a finish line in sight. To provide some extra motivation, reward yourself each time you complete a portion of your assignment. Some people find that an unstructured break is the best motivator, while others prefer specific rewards like snacks or YouTube videos. Personally, I’m a knitter, and I find it helpful to pause every 250 words to knit another row of my latest project while watching something on Netflix. Working towards these breaks keeps me churning out the words, and the extra structure helps as well—once the row’s done, I’m back to work!

Problem: You can’t motivate yourself to sit down and write. This problem is something everyone struggles with sometimes. When you’re doing something fun, it can be hard to pass up that short-term enjoyment and start chipping away at an assignment that could take hours to complete. It’s easy to decide you’ll just start later, even when you know that ‘later’ might stretch into a period of days. Solution: Follow the two-minute rule. Promise yourself that you’re going to sit down and work on your project for two minutes straight. As long as you make steady progress for those 120 seconds, you’re welcome to stop and return to whatever activity was distracting you from work. While this tip might not seem particularly helpful—how much can you accomplish in two minutes, anyway?—it’s actually quite effective. Starting a two-minute work session forces you to grab any materials you need, open up your document, and get started. Once the time is up, you might not be so tempted to drop everything and return to lounging on your couch. Instead, you can keep your momentum going and let those two productive minutes multiply into four minutes, eight minutes, or an hour of productivity. And, even if you really do stop once the time is up, two minutes of work is better than nothing!   Problem: You’re experiencing a classic case of writer’s block—you have no ideas! There’s nothing more frustrating than sitting down to write an assignment and being unable to think of anything to say. After all, no matter how motivated you are, you can’t start writing until you have something to write about. Solution: Turn your thinking time into doing time. This problem arises when the main approach you take to brainstorming is staring at the assignment sheet and hoping ideas will spring into your mind. If you can’t come up with anything after ten or fifteen minutes of intense thinking, it’s often tempting to set the assignment aside and hope inspiration will strike later on. Instead, take an active approach; if silent brainstorming doesn’t work, find another way to reflect on the material you’ll be discussing. Re-read the notes you’ve taken in class. Chat with a friend about what you’ve been learning. Sketch out a mind map. While you may not make direct progress on the assignment during these activities, you’ll stay focused on the task at hand and start to think about your topic in new ways. Before long, ideas will start popping into your head, and you’ll be able to pick one and start writing!

Starting a major writing project can be a challenge, but there are plenty of simple techniques that can help make the task seem less daunting. Alternatively, if you’re feeling stuck on an assignment, consider booking an appointment or attending a drop-in at the Writing Centre. One of our writing specialists will be happy to help you get going again!

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• Implementing Writing in Your Course

How to Design Successful Writing Assignments

As writing instructors ourselves, we are all too familiar with the many difficulties that come with assigning writing. It’s difficult to create meaningful assignments that help students learn what you want them to learn. And despite all the labor we put into it, students can still express frustration and confusion over writing assignments. It is tempting to ask, “Why bother?”

However, while thoughtful writing instruction tied to learning outcomes takes time to implement, that initial effort can lead to a huge time savings over the long run. Some writing you do not even need to grade! Once you know some of the key components of writing assignment design, you will be able to create a collection of high-value teaching materials that you can adapt for years to come. Also, your students will learn more, and will be better equipped to handle complexity. With regular writing practice and targeted feedback, over time they will become more authoritative participants and contributors in your field.

Designing successful writing assignments involves some or all of the following six strategies:

• Explicitly State Assignment Goals
• Tie Assignment Goals to Course Goals
• Create Antiracist Writing Assignments
• Offer Clear Instructions for Completion
• Clarify Expectations About Genre, Audience, and Formatting
• Provide Examples of the Kinds of Writing You Assign
• Asses Your Own Work

1. Explicitly State Assignment Goals

Are students “writing to learn” key course concepts from course materials or “learning to write” a new and specific form of communication in the class, such as a lab report or business memo? Or do you want your assignment to do some of both? Try to be as specific as possible when thinking about the assignment’s purpose. We encourage you to even jot down some of your desired outcomes. Being detailed about what you want students to gain from completing the assignment will help you create clear instructions for the assignment.

The example below is a strong example of a “writing to learn” assignment. In this assignment the instructor uses words such as "read," “explore,” “shape,” and “reflect” to clearly indicate that the act of composing in this assignment is more about attaining knowledge than it is about the creation of a final product. 

From a prompt for a personal narrative in a science writing course: 

All scientists have intellectual, cultural, and linguistic histories. For the sake of “neutrality” and “objectivity,” apprentices are often trained to separate themselves from these histories, especially when it comes to conducting and communicating research. This assignment asks you to read examples of scientists’ memoirs in various genres and then you will compose your own narrative in the mode of your choice, exploring how your identities, investments, and intellectual interests have shaped your science training and your trajectory as a scientist. This assignment serves as a form of reflection, orientation to/within a scientific field, and even as a professional credential (if desirable).

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2. Tie Assignment Goals to Course Goals

While you know why you are assigning a particular writing assignment, your students may not. Being clear about how completing the writing assignment will help your students learn can help create expectations and motivation for students. Without a clear understanding of how a writing assignment will help them learn, students may feel that they are being assigned useless "busywork."

Example 1 :

The example below is drawn from the final paper assignment for a course called “Imagining and Dreaming: Indigenous Futures,” taught by Lydia Heberling. In this assignment, the instructor not only clearly shows students how the assignment aligns with the course content, but it also reminds students how the third section of the course builds upon content learned in earlier units.

Throughout the quarter we have examined various writing practices that affirm the ongoing existence of American Indian peoples in spite of settler colonial attempts to remove, erase, and eradicate them. In our first sequence, we reflected on the relationship between place and identity and learned from Momaday that the land possesses stories from the past that can be accessed through interaction with and memories of those places.

In our second sequence, we examined a contemporary activist moment to deepen our understanding of the ongoing relational formations between Indigenous peoples and how those relations revitalize cultures from the brink of extinction. In learning about how various tribes worked together to protect a valuable natural resource by employing media and storytelling practices to garner support and attention, we learned that regardless of the outcome, activist moments like Standing Rock demonstrate a strong trans-Indigenous community that continues to survive in spite of ongoing settler colonial tactics of dispossession and erasure.

In this third, and last sequence, we are focusing on imagining, or dreaming about, vibrant Indigenous futures. Athabascan poet and scholar (and UW professor) Dian Million defines dreaming the following way [. . .]

Your task i n this next assignment is to return to the place you described in Paper 1, imagine what that place looks like 100 years from now. . .

Example 2 :

Here’s a second example of a writing assignment, created by Jen Malone for a course on writing in environmental science, which clearly demonstrates to students how the writing assignment both builds on previous course content and how it will help students cultivate research skills that they will be able to use in future writing assignments.

Thus far in this class, we’ve written an Op-Ed about ecotourism, and we will be moving into writing a short research paper on the topic of your choice later on in the quarter. But first, we’re going to do something a bit different.

Learning to research well is largely about practice—both in terms of growing accustomed to search engines (particularly scholarly ones) and library databases, and in terms of learning to plug different versions of your research terms into these search engines/databases until you find useful sources. Using research well is largely about figuring out how to analyze your sources--particularly in combination with one another, as a body of research. In order to practice both of these skills (which will totally help us to prepare for Paper #3, later on in the quarter), for Paper #2 we will. . .

3. Create Antiracist Writing Assignments

Antiracist writing instruction is usually discussed in relation to assessment, but it should be considered earlier than that, during assignment creation (just as it should be considered as key elements of curriculum and class culture). Antiracist writing assignment design can be pursued in two ways: through the subject matter, or content, of the writing assignments; and through your values around language use. Some brief suggestions for each follow.

Promoting antiracist subject matter in writing assignments:

Take a step back and discuss knowledge frameworks in your course and in your field. Every discipline has knowledge traditions and methods that can be problematic. How did these traditions come to be? Who do they serve, and who do they harm?

Avoid reductionist binaries when discussing complex questions. For example, framing a question like "What are the pros and cons of conducting medical research without subjects' knowledge or consent?" may lead students to consider both sides as having equal moral weight. A more specific (so a particular context can be considered) and open-ended (so students are not led to one or the other answer) question might work better. For example, "What are some of the ethical considerations of conducting flu vaccine clinical trials without participants' consent?"

Give students opportunities to explore their own identities in relation to the course content. Drawing personal connections not only helps foster deeper learning, but it can also cultivate a student’s sense of belonging in the field. It may also help you see how your field might serve some but not others. 

Encourage students to engage academic and non-academic source material. Have discussions about what “counts” as authoritative information in your field, and why.

Promoting linguistic justice in writing assignments: 

As this site from Wesleyan College recommends, “Centralize rhetorical situations and writing contexts rather than language standards in your writing classroom.” If you show that all language use (content, structure, syntax, vocabulary, style) is based on authorial choices made in particular contexts and for particular audiences, then you can help bust the myth of the universal standard of “academic English.”

Encourage students to use their own linguistic traditions whenever possible. For example, let students freewrite in a native language or dialect. Encourage them to draw connections between their own language backgrounds and the disciplinary discourse you are teaching. This is called translanguaging, and it can be a powerful tool for learning.

Avoid penalizing language use. If there is a certain style or vocabulary you want students to use, be explicit about why discourse is used that way, and how it conveys discipline-specific knowledge.

Further reading: 10 Ways to Tackle Linguistic Bias in Our Classrooms (Inside HigherEd)

4. Offer Clear Instructions for Completion

Investigative or writing techniques that seem obvious to you—such as making an argument, analyzing, evaluating—might mean something different to students from outside your specific discipline. Being clear about what you mean when you use certain terms can help students navigate an assignment more successfully. While it might feel clunky or obvious, including this information in an assignment will help steer your students in the right direction and minimize miscommunication.

In the following excerpt from a prompt for a writing-in-history course taught by Sumyat Thu, the instructor asks students to use research in their papers, and then clearly describes, and supports with examples from the class and library resources, what counts as appropriate source material.

This essay is based on research. Students are expected to use primary sources and secondary works in developing their essays. We do not frown on the use of on-line resources ; indeed, some very good reference works ( identified on the history librarian Ms. Mudrock's research guide) are available as on-line books, and the library has e-book versions of Paul Spickard's  Almost All Aliens . Nonetheless, we strongly urge students to utilize the very rich materials available in the UW Libraries, particularly scholarly books and articles. The UW Libraries' on-line catalog can be explored with keyword searches, and such indexes as America: History and Life (again, see Ms. Mudrock’s website) are very helpful as well.

In this second example, again by Jen Malone, we see how the instructor not only indicates what chronological steps students must take to complete the assignment, but also how she includes thorough and clear instructions for how students can complete each step.

So, the first step you’ll need to take will be to choose a topic . You may wish to choose the same topic you’ll be using for your research paper in ENVIR 100 (if you’ve chosen that option—if so, please follow any instructions they’ve given you for choosing a topic for that), or something related to environmental science that simply interests you, or a topic from the following list of suggestions:

• GMOs (particularly with regards to the ecosystem and/or biodiversity),
• The environmental impact of meat production
• Bees and Colony Collapse Disorder

The second step you’ll need to take will be to do the research —you’ll need to find some sources (via library search engines, Google scholar, etc.). Keep some notes or a log of this process, since you’ll have to talk about how this went for you in your final report. Then you’ll need to read/skim the sources you’ve selected, and then you’ll need to create an annotated bibliography in which you list and briefly summarize those sources. An annotated bibliography is a particularly handy step when performing research, or when writing a paper that involves research. Basically, it is a list of the sources you intend to use for your paper (like a Works Cited page, you may use either MLA or APA format), but with the addition of a substantial paragraph (or two, if you wish) beneath each entry in which you summarize, and often evaluate, the source. This will help you to consider the sources you find as a body of research, and this makes using sources easier because you’ll have these initial notes handy as you write your report.

After you find and skim through your sources, the third step you’ll need to take will be to write the report .

• In the first section of the report, you’ll want to talk about your research process (What was this like? What was easy for you and what was difficult? What did you learn? What search terms did you use? How did those terms change?).
• In the second section of the report, you’ll want to talk about the body of research as a whole (How would you describe the issues/terms/debates surrounding the topic? What did you find? What do these sources indicate—both in terms of conclusions drawn and questions raised? How do these sources fit together and/or differ? What did you find most interesting?)
• In the third section of the report, you’ll want to take a moment to consider how this body of research fits it with what you’re learning in ENVIR 100 and where you might take the topic in a future paper (How do you see what you found regarding this topic as relating to what has been discussed in class thus far? What are the stakes of this topic and for whom? What aspects of this topic do we seem to know little about? What are the questions you still have about this topic? And, finally, now that you’ve read through this body of research, if you were going to write a paper on this topic, what might your basic argument be?). We’ll discuss this all in more detail next week, after you’ve compiled your sources.

Note: the second example may be a lot longer of a writing prompt than many of us are used to. This is not a bad thing. In fact, students tend to really appreciate such clear instruction and it reduces the amount of time you will spend clarifying confusion about what is expected. Also, instructions like these can be easily re-purposed for other, similar assignments in the future so you will not have to reinvent the wheel each time.

5. Clarify Expectations About Genre, Audience, and Formatting

Students will approach your writing assignment with varying knowledge and experience. Unless you have already instructed students explicitly in class about the knowledge and skills needed to complete a writing assignment, you cannot assume that students will already possess that knowledge. While clear, explicit prompts are essential, we also strongly urge you to discuss in class the genre you are assigning as well. Offer examples, both from professionals in the field, and from former students. The more exposure students have to the kinds of writing you want to see, the the more inclusive and accessible your assignments will be. We know of a history TA who said that one of her students, an engineering major, wasn't clear on the nature of a historiography, so he turned in his paper formatted like a technical report! This is an understandable mistake for a student to make, and providing examples can prevent mistakes like this from happening in your own classroom.

Below are two examples of how instructors communicate their expectations about genre, audience, and formatting to students. The first example is less helpful for students because it leaves key parts of the instructor’s expectations vague. (What is the writing assignment’s audience? What citation style does the instructor prefer? Is the works cited page part of the assignment or not?) The second example provides more detail for students.

Example 1: Paper must be 4-5 pages double spaced and must include a works cited page.

Example 2 : T he business memo should be fo rmatted according to the parameters we have discussed: no more than two pages long , typed, single-spaced with one space between paragraphs , with standard margins, in Times New Roman font (12 point), written for an audience of industry professionals.

6. Provide Examples of the Kinds of Writing You Assign

Studies have shown that examples can be a powerful learning tool in writing instruction. We recommend that instructors distribute examples of both successful and unsuccessful student writing to their students and explain why the examples are successful or unsuccessful.

Ask students who have submitted successful assignments if you can borrow their work as examples for future classes. Be sure to remove students’ identifying information from the assignments before they are given to future students.

If you do not have examples of unsuccessful writing (remember, sharing even anonymized student writing without the author's consent would be unethical), you can alternatively create a list of common pitfalls and mistakes to avoid when completing the writing assignment. Distribute the list to your students. Be sure to ground these pitfalls in terms of higher order issues specific to this genre, rather than just distributing a one-size-fits-all personal list of writing pet peeves.

Ask students which examples help them learn the genre, and which do not. Over time your students will help you curate a really great collection of samples.

Create occasional reading assignments where you ask students to find and analyze examples of writing by professionals in the field. What makes them effective or ineffective examples of the genre? What are some of the text's defining characteristics? These kinds of analyses can really help students improve their own writing.

7. Assess Your Own Work

Assessment is not just for student writing: it’s also important to assess the efficacy of the assignments you create. If student work is disappointing or students have struggled with an assignment, it most likely a result of ineffective assignment design. Please remember: everyone , even seasoned writing instructors, has assignments that do not go well initially. That is normal and ok!

We recommend that you engage in self-reflection as to why your assignment did not turn out well, and make tweaks to the assignment and/or grading criteria as needed. Here are some questions to ask yourself to reflect on your writing assignments.

Did many students turn in work which did not meet your expectations? In what specific ways did they fall short?

Did many students struggle with the assignment or a particular piece of the assignment? Where, exactly, did they struggle and how do you know?

Were many students surprised or dissatisfied by their grades on the assignment? Why do you think this happened?

Strategies for understanding what went wrong

Ask your students, either in class, on Canvas, or in a survey like a Google Form, to debrief the assignment. What was easy for them about the assignment? What did they learn from it? What was challenging? What was unclear?

Take writing assignments to writing centers such as OWRC or CLUE to get student feedback on updated or streamlined assignments. Student writing tutors can be a great resource-- they've seen hundreds of writing assignments!

Next guide: Supporting Academic Integrity

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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We Asked 10 College Students What the Most Difficult Part of Writing an Essay Is

Table of contents

Essay writing is an important part of academic life in college. Writing a good essay involves several steps that require a lot of effort, time, and focus. It's not surprising that writing essays isn't exactly something college students enjoy doing.

But what is the most difficult part of writing an essay? From battling writer's block and struggling with the research process to organizing thoughts and meeting word count requirements, the list is endless.

To better understand this common difficulty, we asked 10 college students with different academic backgrounds about the toughest parts of writing an essay.

1. Understanding the essay prompt and topic

One of the most difficult parts of essay writing is understanding the prompt and topic of the essay.

Ellen agrees as she says, “ The hardest part was always trying to grasp the essay topic. It felt like a puzzle I had to solve before even putting words on paper. Once I could truly understand what the question was asking, everything else fell into place. "

It requires analytical skills to comprehend what the task requires. Many students often fail at the first step of understanding the prompt and submit an irrelevant essay. This mostly happens during the last-minute rush .

Get inspired: View our expert-written samples

To overcome this challenge, it's necessary to read the prompt carefully and analyze it critically. Identify critical elements like the main topic, the purpose, and the intended audience.

Also, take note of other specifications like the essay length, citations, and formatting. If you still have a challenge understanding all the instructions, discuss it with your professor or classmates before writing your essay.

2. Brainstorming

Brainstorming is the process of generating ideas for an essay. This step can be challenging since it requires creativity and critical thinking. It often requires you to think outside the box and come up with fresh and original ideas.

“The initial brainstorming phase always gets me stuck and takes me the longest time. Sometimes my mind goes blank, and I struggle to come up with relevant and engaging points to support my thesis,” says Trevor.

To overcome this challenge, you can use different techniques like freewriting— writing without a prescribed structure in mind. This can help you capture your thoughts and ideas so you won’t experience writer’s block when you start writing.

3. Structuring the essay

Some students find it hard to create a structure that flows logically from the introduction to the conclusion while maintaining focus throughout the essay. This often results in an unorganized essay that’s difficult to follow.

“The hardest part for me is definitely figuring out how to structure the essay. I often find myself wondering how I should organize my thoughts in a logical and coherent manner. Once I find that sweet spot where my ideas flow smoothly from one section to another, I know the tough part is over,” says Miles.

To overcome this challenge, create an outline before you start writing the essay . Divide it into essential parts such as the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Ensure that each paragraph is concise and focuses on one specific idea.

This will help you logically organize your ideas and thoughts and help you produce a well-structured essay.

4. Research process

Research is another crucial stage in essay writing. It’s the process of gathering information and evidence to support the arguments made in the essay.

Students often find it challenging to conduct research, especially when limited by time or resources. It can also be hard to find credible and relevant sources , especially when dealing with a topic that has yet to be widely explored.

“I often find myself overwhelmed with sources, wondering which ones are reliable and relevant. It's a constant battle of sifting through articles, books, and websites, trying to extract the most valuable insights,” explains Hannah.

What’s the solution? Take it step by step – start by developing various research questions related to the essay topic. Once you have your research questions, identify relevant sources like academic journals, books, and online resources related to your research question.

Read through them carefully, take notes, and highlight important points you can use as evidence to support your arguments.

5. Writing the thesis statement

For Tereza, it’s the thesis statement. “Writing the thesis statement is like condensing all my thoughts and arguments into one concise and powerful sentence. It needs to set the tone for the entire paper, and I want it to be strong and captivating,” she says.

The thesis statement is the backbone of any essay. It’s a sentence that presents your argument and tells the reader what to expect in your essay. Writing a strong thesis statement can be challenging since you’re required to capture the essence of the whole essay in a single sentence.

To overcome this challenge, start by identifying the central theme of your essay. Then, craft a statement that directly relates to the theme but reflects your own point of view. Make it clear, concise, and specific to avoid confusion.

6. Starting the essay

Another challenging part of writing an essay is getting started from a blank page. Writer’s block can make it difficult to put your thoughts into words, and the pressure to create the perfect opening can overwhelm you.

“For me, it’s about actually getting started. It's like staring at a blank screen, feeling the pressure to come up with a captivating introduction that hooks the reader from the get-go. It’s terrifying!” exclaims Peter.

You can also try freewriting to create a rough draft of the introduction. Set a timer for 10 minutes and write anything that comes to your mind. Don't worry about grammar, spelling, or sentence structure. This will help you organize your thoughts and get started.

Another trick that helps is to start with the main points and write the introduction last. You’ll often have a clear idea of what to write in the introduction once you’ve discussed your main points.

If all else fails, you can turn to an essay writing service like Writers Per Hour. In addition to writing, our expert essay writers can help you with topic selection, research, and citing sources. We also share a plagiarism report for free to guarantee 100% original and high-quality essays.

7. Writing an impactful conclusion

While Peter struggles with the introduction, Alanna has trouble ending the essay.

“Writing the conclusion is like tying everything together with a powerful and thought-provoking ending. I often find myself wondering how I can summarize the pain points without sounding repetitive,” she says.

It can be challenging to find the right words to wrap up your essay. Many students dread writing the conclusion since they fear that they will repeat information or be too vague.

To overcome this challenge, review your introduction and pick the main points you made throughout your essay. Then, use those points to craft a powerful conclusion that embodies the essence of your essay.

A good conclusion will restate your thesis statement and summarize your main points. You can also use the conclusion to suggest further research or to offer your honest opinion on the topic.

8. Make essays original and interesting

Writing original and interesting essays is essential to stand out from the crowd. You want to avoid plagiarism and write in a unique voice. Being unique and standing out is a challenge that most students battle with.

“For me, it’s the pressure of making essays engaging and interesting to read. It’s a battle to find that unique angle or storytelling element that grabs the reader's interest,” says Tanay.

To overcome this challenge, choose a topic that interests you and brainstorm unique perspectives or angles.

You can make your essay original by adding stories, anecdotes, examples, and personal experiences to illustrate your points. You can also use active voice, imagery, and transitions to keep your reader's interest.

What is the longest part of an essay?

The longest part of an essay is typically the body. This is where you present your arguments and provide supporting evidence. Once you've got your arguments in place, the body should be fairly straightforward to write. The key is to ensure you only present information that supports your argument and does get sidetracked with unnecessary details.

What is the most difficult thing about essay writing?

For many students, the most difficult thing about writing is simply getting started. Overcoming writer's block can be the biggest hurdle when trying to write an essay. Sometimes, the best way to overcome this obstacle is to simply write anything that comes to mind without worrying about perfection. This can help get the creative juices flowing and often leads to breakthroughs.

9. Writing in an academic style

How does one write academically in a world full of slang and social-media lingo?

An academic essay requires you to write in formal language and present arguments in an objective and analytical style. You can use technical vocabulary and clear sentences and avoid contractions.

“I’m always questioning whether I’m using the right vocabulary, adhering to academic standards, and expressing my ideas clearly,” says Yohan.

Reading academic essays or research papers can help you get a more in-depth idea of how to write in an academic style.

You can also consult with your professor and read examples of high-quality academic writing online to get an idea of what academic writing looks like. When researching, use academic sources only from approved academic journals and avoid informal sources like Wikipedia.

10. Citing sources correctly

Giving credit to other authors for their work is important in an essay. However, citing sources can be difficult and time-consuming, especially since different disciplines may require different citation styles.

“All the writing aside, what really gets me when it comes to writing essays in colleges is citing sources. It's like trying to navigate through this maze of rules and formats, making sure I give credit where it's due,” adds Debbie.

To cite correctly, read the citation manual provided by your professor and identify the citation style required in your essay. You can also use online citation generators like EasyBib or Citation Machine to generate correctly formatted citations automatically.

There are several challenges involved in writing an essay, and what may look difficult to one student may be a walk in the park for another. This means there’s no one definite thing that’s difficult about writing an essay since it all depends on a student’s unique skills and abilities.

With consistent focus and practice, you can build your confidence and be able to ace any part of the essay writing process with less hassle! If you’re still struggling, don’t hesitate to buy an essay from Writers Per Hour so you can focus on other important tasks at hand!

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Is Writing Hard: The Top Reasons Why Writing Is Hard, With Tips

Is writing hard? It can be difficult if you have been told to re-write or revise after the first draft. Learn more in this article.

If you find the process of writing to be challenging, try not to get frustrated. The goal is to become a better writer, and even a good writer can have a hard time from time to time. For example, Ernest Hemingway is widely considered one of the greatest writers of all time. However, even he had some struggles with creative writing occasionally.

Becoming a professional writer can be hard, and good writing should be an interactive experience. Yes, writing is difficult, but it is also enjoyable. If you want to overcome writer’s block, you need to identify some of the biggest challenges. Then, you can use your writing skills to overcome them.

1. Writing Is Hard Because It Requires Your Undivided Attention

2. writing is a long process, 3. writing requires bravery, 4. writing takes a lot of practice, 5. writing caters to perfectionists, 6. writing has an inconsistent schedule, how to overcome these challenges, final word on is writing hard, why is writing so hard, if i want to become a better writer, what should i do.

One of the biggest reasons writing is so hard is that it requires your undivided attention. Have you ever taken a job where you were doing a bunch of mindless tasks? For example, you might have had a job where you had to copy information from one spreadsheet into another. Or, you might have had a job where you had to watch videos and then give your thoughts at the end. You do not necessarily need to pay attention to these tasks the entire time. Instead, you can tune in and out, still getting the job done.

When it comes to writing, this is not an option. If you do not focus on the task at hand, your writing will not be very good. Laziness cannot creep into your writing, or your work will suffer. There is no way you can put your brain on autopilot and end up with a good result. You need to focus on the task at hand if you want your writing to come out well.

If you aren’t focused on your work, it is better to take a break and do something else. Then, come back to your writing when you can truly focus on it. 

Another reason writing is hard is that it does not lead to instant gratification. If you want to see the fruits of your labor at the end of the day, writing may not deliver. It takes a long time to write a good story. Regardless of whether you are writing a poem, a short story, or a novel, the process is lengthy. Some of the greatest poets in the world have spent a month crafting a single poem. 

Therefore, you might not see the results of your hard work for days, weeks, or months. Sure, at the end of the day, you might have a bunch of pages written, but this does not necessarily mean they are any good. You won’t truly feel satisfied with your work until the entire story is finished.

Because there is a long time before you experience that feeling of fulfillment, writing can be hard. You might even start a story only to scrap it at the end because you do not like it. Most people do not have the patience to deal with the full scope of the writing processing. 

Do you want to go through life anonymously? Do you want to sit in the background where nobody will bother you? Taking risks is hard, and being a writer is brave. However, virtually everything you write will eventually be reviewed by somebody else. Are you a professional writer? If so, then a client or an editor will review your work. Do you work for a large firm? If so, a manager will review your work at the end. Do you want to publish a book? If so, your reader base will have an opinion on your work.

Someone else is going to read your work eventually. It can be nerve-racking to wait for them to give their opinion. After all, you might have spent months, or even years, writing that story. If the other person doesn’t like it, it could mean that all of your work has been for nothing. Or, if they don’t like your work, it could make you angry. It is your work, not theirs! Who are they to criticize it?

It takes a lot of courage to put all of your work on display. Unfortunately, many people are not willing to make themselves vulnerable like this, which is why writing is so hard. 

If you want to be a good writer, you need to practice repeatedly. The only way you will ever get better at writing is by practicing it daily. Even when you don’t want to write, you should let your fingers flow to put words on the page. Then, you can come back and organize them later.

If you play a musical instrument, you need to practice every day. Otherwise, your skills are going to rust over. Likewise, if you play a sport, you need to practice daily. If you take a lot of time off, you might get out of shape, causing you to fall short when you come back. Writing is the same way. If you don’t write regularly, your writing skills will get rusty. Then, when you are ready to write again, you might fall behind.

Because writing takes a lot of practice, it can be incredibly challenging. 

If you are a perfectionist, you might embrace the challenge of writing. But, unfortunately, it is not unusual for writers to expect themselves to be perfect. “Good enough” is never really good enough for a writer. Now, you might think that the endless drive for perfectionism brings out the best in a writer. Expecting yourself to do better can indeed be a positive quality in a writer; however, it can also be a tremendous challenge. 

Think about it like this. If you are running a book for someone, you may have a deadline to meet. The deadline is coming up, and you aren’t anywhere close to being finished. Why is that the case? You may have spent a long time writing the first chapter because you always felt like there was a better version. Therefore, that chapter was never perfect, causing you to fall behind on the rest of the book.

This is what they call crippling perfectionism. It is true that you need to go back and edit, proofread, and review your work. Then, you might be able to make it better. On the other hand, it takes a lot of practice to learn when to put down the chapter and move on to the next area. If you expect everything to be perfect, you will spend endless hours agonizing over a single word choice. This is another reason why you need to practice regularly. You need to learn when to make changes and when to let it go.

If you enjoy a routine, you may have a difficult time sticking to one as a writer. For example, you might be someone who likes to write early in the morning. You might be someone who likes to write during business hours only. You might even be someone who likes the right in the middle of the night.

You will quickly learn that you do not have a lot of control over when you write. If you don’t have a pen and paper, you might think that you can stay away from writing; however, if a moment of inspiration strikes you, you will probably pull out your phone and start to type into a notepad.

The point is that you will write when inspiration strikes you. You never know when you will feel like writing, and you don’t want to miss that critical moment of “eureka.” As a result, it is easy to let your writing seep into other areas of your life. It can be difficult for you to stick to a routine, and it can impact your relationships. It takes a lot of discipline to learn how to contain your writing while still getting the most out of your skills.

These are a few of the biggest challenges you will face if you would like to get better at writing. Fortunately, there are some ways you can overcome these challenges as well. These include: 

• Learn when to take breaks. It is okay to take breaks from time to time. If you are sitting there and nothing is coming out, put down the pencil and do something else. You may find that spending time outside gives you the moment of inspiration you’ve been looking for.
• Make sure you designate time for family members and friends. If you just assume you will spend time with those closest to you, you may not spend as much time with them as you would like. Instead, block off time to be with other people. This could help you improve your writing as well.
• Invest in a tool that can help you stay organized. For example, if you have multiple projects going on simultaneously, make sure you have a calendar of when they are due. That way, nothing will fall through the cracks.
• You may feel like you don’t have enough confidence in yourself. If that is the case, remember that vulnerability can be a valuable asset. You might want to try meditation or positive affirmations that can make you feel better about yourself. Then, remember to stay humble when you present your work to other people.
• Finally, you need to make sure you get enough sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep at night, you won’t give your brain a chance to recharge. This could cause you to fall behind on your work. You might even want to set alarms for yourself that tell you when to go to bed.

Everyone has a different strategy for overcoming these challenges. Of course, you will learn more about yourself as you go, but consider putting a few of these tips to use if you want to overcome some of the biggest challenges facing writers. 

So, is writing hard? It is highly unusual for someone to say that writing is easy, but everyone has their own talents. If you want to be a professional writer, you need to practice regularly. Then, make sure you give other people the chance to review your work. Listen to what they have to say.

Everyone has a different opinion, so make sure you put their opinion in the context of your work. Finally, remember to take breaks. There is a light outside of writing, and spending time with other people away from your work can help you improve your assignments when you go back to them.

FAQs About Is Writing Hard

Writing is hard because it requires a tremendous amount of patience and focus. It also requires a lot of vulnerability, as other people will be reviewing your work. You also have to be critical of yourself as you review your assignments, which can be a challenge for many people.

If you want to be a better writer, you need to practice regularly. Most importantly, you should try to practice different forms of writing. That way, you can improve different writing skills, apply additional writing tips, and get better at expressing your ideas through the act of writing. Freewriting is critical for exploring different styles of writing

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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What Makes Writing So Hard?

MAY 9, 2022

Many students struggle with writing—but what makes it so hard? And why do so many students hate to write? Writing is a task with a very high cognitive load. Giving students meaningful practice and clear structures for writing helps them move their thoughts out of their heads and onto the page.

Who Needs to Write? Everyone.  

Based on the most recent NAEP writing assessment , only about one in four students at any grade level is proficient in writing—and that number hasn’t shifted meaningfully in decades. One in five students scored at the lowest proficiency level, Below Basic, at each tested grade level. Clearly, the traditional English Language Arts (ELA) programs used to teach writing are not, on their own, enough to move the needle for most students. 

At the same time, writing is more important than ever in our knowledge economy. Writing is a “gatekeeper” skill for many higher-paying professions. Most white-collar and technical jobs require at least basic writing skills, whether for creating formal reports or simply communicating through email. In blue-collar and service jobs, people are often expected to be able to write clearly to communicate with customers. And writing will almost certainly be required to advance beyond the entry levels. In fact, a survey of business leaders put written communication skills at the top of the list of sought-after attributes. 

Beyond the workforce, writing, like reading, is a skill that enables full participation in our modern world. Good writing skills allow people to participate in democracy by writing letters to the editor or expressing their views to a representative. Writing also allows people to participate in, rather than simply watch, all of the discourse and entertainment happening online. Writing can empower people to self-advocate in a variety of contexts, from healthcare to consumer interactions to legal proceedings. Writing skills are essential for anyone who wants a seat at the table in today’s complex political, consumer and personal realms. 

The High Cognitive Load of Writing

By some metrics, today’s kids and teens are writing more than ever—that is, if you count texting, commenting on online content, and interacting in multiplayer games. But these interactions do not rise to the level of writing required to be successful on state assessments, college assignments, or workplace tasks. When students are faced with an authentic writing task—such as responding to a piece of text, writing a research paper, or developing an original narrative—the majority struggle. 

In part, that may be because students don’t have much practice with formal writing, especially in extended form. There is some evidence that students today spend less time on writing than in the past, especially on argumentative writing and writing in the content areas. The Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) recommends that students have 60 minutes of writing time each school day , including a mix of direct writing instruction and writing assignments that span different purposes and content areas. However, only about 25% of middle schoolers and 30% of high schoolers meet the standard, and many students are only spending about 15 minutes each day on writing. 

But even with ample time and instruction, writing is hard —in fact, it is arguably the hardest thing we ask our students to do. Natalie Wexler, the author of The Knowledge Gap , explains that writing has an even higher cognitive load than reading . That’s because, in addition to processing information, students also have to figure out how to get their own thoughts on the page. 

Writing is a highly complex skill that involves many discrete sub-skills at both the “macro” and “micro” levels. 

• At the “macro” level, students have to figure out what to say: what is the point they are trying to make or the story they are trying to tell? What is the best way to organize their ideas and structure their piece? What are the big ideas and conclusions they want to get across? What kind of supporting evidence or details are needed? 
• At the “micro” level, students must apply a myriad of foundational writing skills, from the motor skills involved with keyboarding or handwriting to decisions about word choice, syntax and grammar. 

All of these writing processes are happening at the same time , adding to the overall cognitive load of the task. To lower the cognitive load, students must achieve proficiency and fluency at both the macro and micro levels. When students struggle with foundational skills such as letter formation and word selection, they may not have enough cognitive resources left to focus on the “big picture” of what they want to say. On the flip side, students who don’t know how to organize their ideas will not have much energy to focus on developing their writing style and editing and polishing their work.

The Hardest Part of Writing is Thinking

For most students, the hardest part of writing isn’t writing out individual words or forming a complete sentence. It is simply figuring out what to say . In fact, the Writing Center of Princeton says: 

Writing is ninety-nine percent thinking, one percent writing. In other words, when you know what you want to say and how you want to say it, writing becomes easier and more successful.

Writing is, fundamentally, thinking made visible. If you can’t think, you can’t write. One of the best ways of lowering the cognitive load of writing is to give students a structure for organizing their ideas and thinking through the flow and structure of their piece. 

That’s where Thinking Maps come in. Thinking Maps provide the structure for thinking through a writing task and organizing ideas prior to writing.

It starts with understanding the task itself. Students in a Thinking Maps school learn to use “signal words” that indicate what kind of thinking is required for a task. Then, they know what kind of Map to use to start their thinking process. For example, if the prompt asks them to explain the similarities and differences between two historical eras, they know immediately that this will be a “compare-and-contrast” task. The Double Bubble Map provides the structure they need to organize their ideas, whether from their existing knowledge, in-depth research, or a text provided with the prompt. Once they have fleshed out their ideas, students can use a writing Flow Map to develop their piece section by section. Having this kind of structure helps students move through the planning and organizing phases of writing more quickly so they have more time to spend on other parts of the writing process, including revising and editing. It also leads to clearer, more organized writing. 

At Pace Brantley Preparatory, a Florida school serving students with learning disabilities in grades 1-12, adding some dedicated Thinking Maps planning time prior to writing led to better writing products on their benchmark assessments. Read the Pace Brantley story .   

In our Write from the Beginning…and Beyond training , teachers learn how writing develops across the grade levels and how to use Thinking Maps to support student writing, including using the Maps to process thinking before writing and using the writing Flow Map to plan writing. Advanced training includes specific strategies for different genres, including Narrative, Expository/Informative, Argumentative, and Response to Text.

When students can think, they are ready to write. And when students can write, they are ready for anything. 

Want to know more about Thinking Maps and writing?

• Download the recording: Building a Deep Structure for Writing

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May 16, 2024

Mastering Science Concepts and Content in K12 | Thinking Maps Support student mastery of the Core Ideas and Crosscutting Concepts in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) with Thinking Maps. Learn more on the blog:

April 15, 2024

Scientific thinking empowers students to ask good questions about the world around them, become flexible and adaptable problem solvers, and engage in effective decision making in a variety of domains. Thinking Maps can help teachers nurture a scientific mindset in students and support mastery of important STEM skills and content.

February 15, 2024

A majority of teachers believe that students are finally catching up from pandemic learning losses. But those gains are far from evenly distributed—and too many students were already behind before the pandemic. To close these achievement gaps, schools and districts need to focus on the underlying issue: the critical thinking gap.

January 16, 2024

Student engagement is a critical factor in the learning process and has a significant impact on educational outcomes. Thinking Maps enhance engagement by encouraging active participation in the learning process, facilitating collaboration, and providing students with structure and support for academic success.

9 Writers on Why Writing Is So Hard

Best-selling authors talk to Shondaland about what makes their craft so difficult and special.

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There are few things as magical as reading a book that fully immerses you in a new world. Poetic and profound prose can evoke emotions that can remain with you for your entire life, transforming how you see the world. With that in mind, this month, Shondaland is exploring the world of books, from authors discussing their favorite reads and a publisher explaining the need for more transparency in the industry to a nearly published author sharing what it’s like to be on the brink of putting her first book out into the world. Happy reading!

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: “If writing were easy, everyone would do it!” You’ve likely read it a million times, right? Well, there’s a reason for that. You see, everybody has a story to tell. But it’s the actual telling of those stories that separates writers from everyone else yearning to share their tales. That being said, even the most seasoned and celebrated writers will quickly let you know that writing is just downright hard!

So, what is it that actually makes putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) so daunting, and how do you combat that difficulty when trying to write your story? Shondaland caught up with some of our favorite authors to find out. And what they have to say just might surprise you.

Why is writing so hard?

The solitariness of it, the elusiveness of it. If forced, we could generate words, sentences, paragraphs, but it would be meaningless. So, the thing that makes it a story, the words that etch out a character that the reader can see and feel and hear … there’s plenty of tricks to get there. You can create the conditions for that element to come forward, and do what you can to push yourself into that state that makes it happen … but part of it remains mysterious.

Alex Aster (author of Curse of the Forgotten City ) @alex.aster

Writing is so hard because we put so many expectations on our writing, and those expectations weigh down not only our fingers while typing, but also our words. I started writing books when I was 12, which I think saved me from a lot of the fretting about writing that I see so many people struggle with. When you’re a kid, you do what you love just because you love it. You don’t think to yourself, “Will these words be worth the time and effort? Will they turn into a book that will sell for enough money to allow me to pay my rent?” You just … write. As an adult, there are so many constraints on our time, so it’s natural for us not to want to waste it. We don’t have time to simply play the way we used to. Writing is hard because it’s a fluid, organic, almost magical form of creation that we often try so hard to bottle up or cookie-cut so it can be monetized.

Brandy Colbert (author of Black Birds in the Sky ) @brandycolbert

For me, not writing is often harder than writing. I don’t believe you need to write every day, but when I’m in the middle of a project, I either need to be actively thinking about it — working out plots and character arcs in my head — or getting words down on the page. I start to feel antsy and a bit anxious when I’ve taken too much time away from a project, to the point where it’s actually a relief to get back to work.

Sarah Gerard (author of True Love ) @sarahnumber4

It can be hard. It can also be easy and fun. Or fun and hard. Or hard but important, exciting, and fulfilling. We wouldn’t keep doing it otherwise. It’s hard because doing it well matters, because stories matter, and the details matter, and there are often a lot of details. Sometimes they take years to organize. The feelings and ideas and memories that we put into the writing also matter, and are layered, and we can’t force an understanding of them. We can only try to approach them with words, and, as many words as there are to choose from, or create, and despite their myriad iterations, they’re never enough.

John Green (author of The Anthropocene Reviewed ) @johngreen

I think writing is easier than many other things. For me, anyway, it is much easier than talking. But still, writing is difficult for me. Sometimes it is difficult because I do not know what I want to say, but usually it is difficult because I know exactly what I want to say but what I want to say has not yet taken the shape of language. When I’m writing, I’m trying to translate ideas and feelings and wild abstractions into language, and that translation is complicated and challenging work. (But it is also — in moments, anyway — fun.)

Kosoko Jackson (author of Yesterday Is History ) @kosokojackson

For me, the hardest part of writing is deciding what to write about. I have a lot of ideas, but not every idea is a viable idea. Is there a character? Is there a plot? Is there a through line? Is this something I want to spend 18 to 36 months on? Do I know enough to walk through the forest, but not so much that it feels boring to tell the story to myself? Writing is a journey for me that is as much writing a story that will appeal to readers (and my agent and editor) as much as telling a story to myself. What “lesson” am I trying to teach myself? What skill am I trying to sharpen? These are just a few of the questions I ask myself when making a novel, and not every novel has the answers — yet.

Morgan Jerkins (author of Caul Baby ) @morganjerkins

Writing is hard because sometimes — or perhaps many times — the words do not match the imagery of a specific scene that you have in your mind. It feels like there is always something that’s lost in translation as soon as it’s immortalized on the page.

Jonny Sun (author of Goodbye, Again ) @jonnysun

Writing is hard because you are dealing with the infinite. Out of a blank page, there is an unlimited number of possibilities of what to write. And at every scale of writing, this limitlessness exists — it feels like every word is an impossible choice. Every sentence can be written in endless different ways. And the ways those build to say something also exist in a million different permutations. The ideas and the way you structure those ideas are endless — the endlessness multiplies itself.

Chuck Wendig (author of The Book of Accidents ) @chuckwendig

I don’t know. Why is it hard digging ditches? Why is it hard being a god? Writing is somewhere in between both of those. You’re the god of digging ditches. You’re navigating this interstitial terrain between art and craft, between self-actualization and commerce, between empathy and evil. It has all these rules, and almost none of them are true. The work is the work, and the work is sometimes hard. It’s supposed to be easy, and some days it is — ironically, the easy days don’t mean the work was good, and the hard days don’t mean the work was bad. The short answer is, again, I don’t know. Maybe it’s hard because it needs to be hard, because if it were too easy, it wouldn’t really matter.

What do you do when writing gets most difficult?

Megan Abbott (author of The Turnout ) @meganeabbott

Go to a matinee. Take a walk. Read a writer I love. Main thing for me: Step away from the computer.

When writing gets really difficult, I stop writing. But just for a few hours. When words are hard to wrangle, I don’t try to force them onto the page. I have tried before, and the result was just more food for my computer’s trash bin! That being said, when I’m on deadline, I treat writing like any other job that has to be done, regardless of my mood. So, I’ll take a walk, reread something I’ve written that I particularly like (almost to show myself, see, you can make something good; you’ve done it before! ), or watch a movie. Once I’m out of the writing chair for a while, I’m often itching to get back in it to try again.

I do write every day when I’m on a tight deadline, and some days it takes hours just to squeeze out a few words. Sometimes I have to power through and remind myself I can fix whatever is not working in edits, either the next day or down the road. But it’s also important to realize when you need breaks. I’m a big fan of taking in other forms of storytelling, like watching television and films, reading graphic novels, newspapers, and magazines, or even rereading a favorite author’s work. Getting outside for some fresh air or a walk or hike usually helps. Cooking and yoga are also soothing ways for me to reset. Just engaging in activities that don’t require you to stare at a computer screen or notebook are all helpful.

Look at one piece of it at a time, rather than trying to apprehend the entire project. Alternatively, take 10 steps back and apprehend the entire project. Look at a different piece of it. Look at a different piece of writing altogether. Make dinner. Read. Hang out with my partner.

I get so frustrated. I cry. I take a walk. I get really angry at myself for being such a terrible writer. This is stupid! Why am I even attempting this when I am so hopelessly inept at storytelling? And then eventually, I get over myself and write. If there is a way to write without at least occasional weeping and gnashing of teeth, I have not yet found it.

I try to take a step back and evaluate “Is the issue I’m facing difficult or something that I truly don’t know how to solve?” If it’s the former, then that means I’m learning, and I’ve learned to be comfortable in the discomfort and trust my skills. If it’s the latter, then there’s something missing. Maybe I’m not at the skill level I need to be. Maybe I need to read more in the genre or more examples of what I’m trying to accomplish. Writing is as much pen-to-paper as it is refilling the well and learning from those who came before you.

I like to tell myself that it’s only a draft. I have to build a foundation first no matter how bad it is because it’s not meant to be perfect. Other times, I take breaks in between writing sessions. It may be a day, or four. I also have been okay with knowing that not every writing session is going to be easy. There are good days and bad days.

I try to establish rules and boundaries so that the limitlessness feels like a puzzle. Instead of a blank everythingness, defining a container helps to figure out how to use those bounds to express things that feel outside of those bounds, and also helps to figure out when I can break those rules for specific purposes. I also — when faced with indecision — just try to write the bad version, and then revisit later. It’s always easier to edit and have something in front of you that you can improve as opposed to coming up with something when nothing is in front of you.

It depends on when, and why, it’s difficult. If it’s difficult toward the end of a writing day, I give up and go do something else for the day. If it’s at the start, I try to push through. Sometimes it’s a problem in the work, sometimes it’s me, sometimes it’s, I dunno, a Thursday on a full moon with a high pollen count. Sometimes the thing to do is go take a walk, get the blood moving. The blood carries oxygen, and the brain needs oxygen, so churn that red stuff, get the idea bubbles bubblin’.

Do you have any advice for fellow writers struggling with their work?

Write badly. Give yourself permission to write badly. We’re always trying so hard to make it good, vivid, real, faithful to the vision in our head … and that’s a lot of pressure. If we give ourselves permission to write one bad page, two bad pages, we can forget all the rest and just churn out words, ideas … and, in the best circumstances, get to see that beautiful unconscious place that leads to good stuff!

The times when writing is most difficult is when I don’t have a plan. Anyone is going to look at an empty page and think, what am I supposed to do to fill it?! So, I recommend always working with some sort of outline. Some might believe it takes the magic out of writing, but what it really does is just gives a writer a place to start … and a direction to go when they’re a little lost. Almost like a map.

I also recommend writing for yourself first. When I began writing at 12, I was just writing the type of book that I wanted to read. Pretend you’re the only one who will ever read it. At least in the drafting stages. That way, you won’t be afraid to take risks.

I think writers could stop being so hard on themselves — myself included. It’s irrational but easy to compare works in progress to finished books on our shelves, and it helps to remember that no piece of writing comes out fully formed. And that every project is different, so it’s best to go into it without expectations and know that you might have to figure out new ways to shape the piece into what you want it to be.

Talk to other writers about it. Meditate on what brings you to the work in the first place, what is important to you at the core of it.

Try to be nice to yourself!

Your journey won’t match anyone else’s, and you should embrace that. Find what works for you and what doesn’t, but don’t be ashamed. I’m a writer who bounces around a lot, but when I settle? I settle. I write so many hundreds of pages of books that will never become real. That’s okay because that’s me. I’m also a messy drafter; that works for me. Don’t be ashamed of what works for you, and embrace what makes you unique.

Write it down. Just write it all down. Set the foundation first before you start sculpting. Who knows? Even the pieces you inevitably discard may help to propel the next plot point or character development. All can be useful if you allow it.

Figure out what you enjoy writing about and the ways you write that make you enjoy writing. It’s less about “write what you know” but more “write what you know you like.” So much is already difficult in this world — it doesn’t help to also make writing something a struggle too. I think it helps to find the topics and structures and ideas that make writing feel exciting and joyful — the writing will still be hard, of course, but if there’s something there that makes you keep wanting to revisit it, over and over, that you still feel excited about trying to figure out, then I feel like that means you’ve found something to continue following.

Write a lot. That’s it, really. Iterate as often as you can. Part of this is, obviously, doing the thing helps you learn the thing, but more specifically it also helps you learn your process and your voice, and in knowing those things, you come to recognize when a difficult writing day is normal — meaning, it’s part of your process, your pattern — and when it is abnormal. Abnormal difficulty can mean you’re not dealing with a writing problem, but rather anxiety or depression or some other neurodivergence, and those are normal and okay but can’t be solved the same way you’d solve an average writing block — you can’t “write your way through” depression. You’ll only sink deeper, like with quicksand. You have to be able to see clearly the difficulties in front of you and see when they belong to your writing process or exist outside of it. Writing a lot helps you get to that kind of clarity.

Scott Neumyer is a writer from central New Jersey whose work has been published by The New York Times , The Washington Post , Rolling Stone , The Wall Street Journal , ESPN , GQ , Esquire , Parade magazine , and many other publications. You can follow him on Twitter @ scottneumyer .

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Difficulties with Assignment Writing and How to Solve Them

At every level of academic progress, there are assignments to test. See the difficulties with assignment writing and how to solve them

At every level of academic progress, there will be assignments to test student progress. Although the assignments become more complex as students advance, every academic level has its unique assignment writing challenges. In this article, we’ll explore the difficulties with assignment writing and how to solve them.

Teachers expect learners to write quality papers without plagiarism. They expect them to get the right information sources that will make their writing relevant. Some students are naturally not good at writing or research. They go through diverse difficulties that they can overcome through the right actions .

Writing poor-quality papers: Difficulties with assignment writing

One of the biggest challenges students face in their assignment writing process is creating quality papers. Teachers value quality because it shows the student is progressing well. It also reflects well on the teacher before the management or parents.

For example, if a student is writing an essay, they are required to follow the right structure and provide detailed evidence for their arguments. Some topics might be complicated such that the students lack enough sources for evidence. They present a thesis that doesn’t flow with the topic or the other points.

One of the best ways to overcome this challenge is to engage the best assignment writing service UK where professional writers will write high-quality papers. They present strong evidence for each point; they create an attractive thesis and follow the right essay structure.

Lack of enough time

College assignments are inevitable and no student can escape them. The amount of time allowed for the assignment could range from a few hours to several days or months. Teachers have their unique reasons for allocating specific time for each assignment.

On the other hand, students today have extremely busy lives. Some are employed, others have families, while others are in professional sports. No matter the amount of time given, a large number of students still get late to submit their assignments.

Effective time management is crucial if a student wants to overcome last-minute rushed writing. They must learn how to use their limited time to accomplish much. It’s important to create a schedule with priority things on top. If that fails to work, there are many online services for writing assignments that students can turn to for help.

Poor language skills difficulties with assignment writing

It is not a surprise to find a second-year undergraduate student who still has challenges with language. This is a difficulty faced by both native and nonnative students although nonnatives might have greater language challenges.

A student might be perfect in spoken English but very poor in written English. They have ideas in their mind but they don’t know how to express them in texts. Due to this, they end up with papers with poor grammar.

The best way to overcome grammar challenges is to do a lot of writing practice. Vocabulary builds as the students learn writing. They learn how to express themselves in texts. Another way to learn a language is to read widely.

They might not restrict themselves to grammar books only but any texts written in English will help. If a paper deadline is fast approaching and you haven’t studied enough grammar, order your paper from native writers.

Lack of skills for writing assignments

Writing skills are learned and developed through various processes. Many students are slow to develop their writing skills because they are still growing both physically and mentally. They don’t write much in high school but after joining the university, they suddenly start to get frequent writing assignments.

Writing skills require a student to be good in research to know the best sources to use or the information to look for in the sources. They need to have critical thinking skills or creativity to use their imagination for creating ideas for a literary work that makes sense.

It is easy to build writing skills by developing a sense of research. That is, the student must train themselves on the best approaches to research and the skills required. They must develop their critical thinking skills by being creative or learning to create texts from scratch. To learn these skills fast, many students buy papers from experienced writing companies and use the papers to learn the skills.

Lack of information for a topic difficulties with assignment writing

Assignment topics are different but no matter how simple or complex a topic might be, it is necessary that a student gets enough information to build their arguments. Some topics are easy to get information on but others are not. A student might spend weeks researching, brainstorming , or discussing but still lack enough information.

 When choosing a topic, students should first find out if they will get enough sources of information for that topic. If it proves a difficult topic, they should change the topic and look for an easier one. Sometimes the student could not change the topic. They may speak with the supervisor or get help from a source away from college.

Lack of enough resources or sources

In the assignment writing process, resources can be present in terms of gadgets, writing tools, writing help, or guidance. Sources can be measured in terms of places where they get information for their assignments such as books, magazines, libraries, blogs, publications, etc. A student might fail to write an assignment on time because they didn’t get the right tools or because they lacked the right sources.

To overcome this difficulty, students should first reach out to their teachers for advice. The student community might also help with both resources and sources. One of the resources that are readily available in the academic writing services which are excellent resources when all sources of information fail.

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• November 2, 2018
• Top Challenges Faced by Students while Writing Assignments
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• Author Kristy Murphy

Students get different kinds of assignment writing activities in their schools and colleges such as case studies, questionnaires, research papers, essays, and reports. Assignments are a great way to make them acquire a profound knowledge of the subject and expand their learning sphere. Assignments not only help in improving their writing skills but also enhance their thinking capabilities. Students develop the research skills as they explore different theories and examples about the assignment topic. They learn how to put their own arguments and relate the theoretical and practical concepts together. Click here if you want to know  Some Secrets to Enlarge Your Poise as a Creative Writer

But students often face difficulties in completing their assignments efficiently on their own. Whether it is their writing skills, lack of practice, low confidence or poor content, there are several factors that affect their performance. Today, we will discuss some of those challenges that students face while writing assignments.

Lack of Language Proficiency

It doesn’t matter how great your idea is if you cannot present it proficiently. Assignment writing is a task that relies majorly on impressive writing. Students often lack this skill which reflects directly in the assignments through misleading language, grammatical errors and misplaced punctuations. Sometimes students use too difficult words in an impression that this would amplify the quality of their assignment but, it is not so actually.

Your answers must be easy to understand and clear. One can impress the readers by using simple English words also if the ideas are stated properly. You may also seek guidance from an assignment writing service . It would assist you in enhancing your writing skills and overcome the problem of inefficient writing.

Lack of Knowledge

Many times students complain that they do not have enough content to write in the assignments. Due to insufficient knowledge about the subject students get short of words, ideas, and arguments while writing the answers. There can be a number of reasons for this lack of subject knowledge such as not attending the classes regularly, not taking class notes, not asking doubts from the professors, lack of understanding of the topic, not reading enough study material and so on.

A simple way to counter this challenge is to take out time for self-study and clarify your doubts as early as possible. Plan your time in such a manner that you don’t have to rush at the last moment in completing the assignments quickly. Start early and seek help whenever possible.

Formatting the Assignment

Apart from proficient writing, an assignment’s quality is also affected by the way it is presented. From the Introduction to the Bibliography, everything should be organized in a proper manner. Students often do not pay attention to the formatting of the assignment and lose marks.

An easy way to counter this problem is to create an outline of the assignment before you start writing. Decide every heading in advance and then write accordingly. Make sure you frame your answers in different paragraphs to enhance their readability. Stick to the specified word limits. You can also seek help from an assignment editing service. It would assist you in editing and proofread the assignment to improve its presentation.

Referencing  

When you prepare an assignment, it is natural that you would gather information from various sources. As you include that information in your assignment a need to reference the same arises. Many universities prescribe a referencing style to the students and they are required to work according to that format itself. Sometimes students do not understand the importance of referencing and skip this part. They are often unaware of the referencing styles and face difficulties in this task. Students need to understand that referencing authenticates their work. So, if they want to prevent their work to be categorized as a copied content, they must include proper references. Also read,  How to write a Paper with Good (Enough) Referencing .

Lack of Confidence

Some students believe that they just cannot write the assignment. They often doubt their capabilities whether they can really complete the whole assignment on their own or not. And, in this self-doubt, they never try and start working. Students often hold back themselves from performing. They just delay their work every day as they think that they are not prepared for it and even if they complete the task they believe that it is not up to the mark.

Instead of doubting their skills, such students must work on enhancing them. Remember, you can correct your mistakes and learn from them only when you would commit them. So take time and study before you start, work in groups, seek guidance but, do not restrain yourself.

Assignment writing is no less than an art and art needs to be performed with courage. You might face numerous problems in writing your assignments. But you cannot overcome them until you do not identify their cause. Once you have the knowledge nothing can stop you from performing well. With these little tips and advice, I am sure that you would never go wrong while writing your assignments going forward. You may like to share in the comments below if you encountered any problem while working on your assignments and how did you overcome them?

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What Makes Assignment Writing so Difficult for Students?

Students always find it very difficult to write perfect assignments. The college years are seriously tough for the students and the lengthy assignments are an extra burden. However, these assignments are essential to test their ability and understanding of a particular subject. The universities around the world work like this only. One cannot think of college life without assignments, projects and homework, no matter what subject you are learning.

Undoubtedly, completing the long list of academic tasks is very difficult for the students and it is quite normal if they give up on them. One of the major reasons is that the students find writing long assignments very boring.

Often, they are disinterested in the writing tasks and especially the research work. That is why they become hesitant to write their assignments, resulting in low scores.

The assignment help providers become saviours and help them in making high-scoring assignments.   Certain factors make assignment writing difficult for the students. We’ll discuss all of them. But first of all, let us understand what is required to write a perfect college assignment .

A thorough research

We have always heard that little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Students have less knowledge about credible sources on the internet and less information about the topic. However, the more they research their topics, the more they will explore the different aspects.

Undoubtedly, it is difficult for the students to understand every topic from scratch. But it is necessary to research the given topics as much as possible. Different types of assignments need a different approach for research. For example, a case study requires an in-depth knowledge of the given topic from its inception to the present scenario. Sometimes, a student has to predict the future aspects as well. When it comes to maths assignments, each question has a different answer, and one has to solve the problems.

The method may differ, but the need for research is always high for every academic task. Students find it very difficult to research. Therefore, they prefer online assignment help to complete these tasks. It is always a better option to get help from experts. But not many assignment help providers have qualified academic writers.

You can always contact Grow With Grades for assignment help as our team of expert writers include Ph. D. holders.

Good writing skills

One cannot think of scoring good marks without having good writing skills. Writing is the foremost aspect of assignment making. Your good research won’t matter if you do not know the basics of academic writing. That is why having good writing skills is important. If you really want high grades, you must be able to deliver your messages clearly. And for that, you need to have good writing skills. You should be able to highlight the keynotes of everything you have researched.

The ones who have good writing skills always have a plan before they start with their work. They clearly envision how they have to design their assignments, different sections, and the content.

Students often lose marks because of minor mistakes like grammatical errors, formatting mistakes, repetition etc. If you have good writing skills, you will automatically keep a check on all these aspects that downgrade your score. It is always advisable for beginners to use free grammar checker tools to ensure there are no silly mistakes that professors hate.

Good analytical skills

Students ignore to work on their analytical skills. However, good analytical skills help in assignment writing a lot. Students should be able to interpret the collected data in the right manner. And for that, good analytical skills are required. One should be able to find the key highlights of the research, which are hard to find.

The gathered data has to be segregated in a proper format and then written in the right manner. Not many students have these analytical skills. Therefore, they seek help from online assignment help providers.

As we briefly discussed what is required for a high-scoring assignment, let us understand what makes it so difficult for the students to complete their assignment writing tasks.

Poor understanding of topic

This is one of the major reasons why students do not get good marks for their assignments. Most of the time, they are given complex topics that they do not understand. That is what makes their task even more difficult.

When students have no interest in the subject, or have no understanding of it, they fail to find good content related to the assignment topic. This leads to low scores.

To some students, even the basic concepts of the subject are not clear. In those cases, even good research does not help. Students never agree on the fact that they need to focus more on their studies to have better knowledge of the subjects.

However, they understand that they need good marks to receive their professional degrees. That is why they seek expert assignment help. Surely, it is a good idea to get help from experts rather than ruining the work. Grow With Grades is one such platform where expert academic writers of different subjects can provide assignment help.

Poor time-management skills

Nowadays, many students have to look after their part-time jobs. They had no choice but to invest time in their jobs as well. Therefore, they are left with no time to complete their academic tasks.

A lot of students fail to manage their time properly. Because of poor time-management skills, they even find it difficult to spare some time for themselves.

That is another reason they contact find assignment writers online.

No experts for help

We all know that the transition phase from school to college is very difficult. Though the professors at colleges are far more experienced, their emotional connection with the students is less as compared to the school teachers. That is why the newbies at the college feel hesitant to ask questions and clear their doubts. Also, it makes it even more difficult for them as the college professors are not always available to help them.

Lack of expert guidance is what makes assignment writing difficult for college and university students. Even for the professors, it is difficult to address the issues of all the students in a class in a short span of time. That is why they put more emphasis on self-study all the time. However, many students still feel that they need expert help for their assignments. Then also, they look for assignment help providers.

However, there are only a few companies like Grow With Grades that have expert writers for assignment writing. Rest assign amateur writers for task completion. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly cross-check everything before seeking help from online assignment help providers.

Poor writing skills

As mentioned earlier, good writing skills play an important role when it comes to assignment writing. There is no point in having good research if the reader fails to understand your message. Latent writing skills are one of the major reasons why students struggle with assignment writing. Also, many students struggle with the language itself. A lot of grammatical and structural errors are found in their assignments. Because of these mistakes, students lose so much of their marks.

Therefore, it is always advised to edit and proofread the assignments thoroughly before submitting them for final evaluation. Other than this, one should always keep a check on the plagiarized content as well. Plagiarism is an offense.

Online assignment help providers Grow With Grades never used plagiarized content for any kind of assignment work.

Writing good assignments need focus. Though this point is very generic, lack of focus can completely affect your workflow and can leave you with a hefty amount of unfinished work. Therefore, it is important to be focused while making assignments.

There can be several ways of developing focus. Meditation, exercise are the common ones. It is up to you what works the best for you.

Multiple academic projects

During your college years, you will have to complete hundreds of assignments on different subjects. Undoubtedly, the assignment writing tasks are very lengthy and time-consuming. And multiple academic projects of different subjects can make the tasks even more difficult for you. This is also one reason why many students leave their assignments in between because they get confused between all of them.

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8 Ways to Create AI-Proof Writing Prompts

C reating 100 percent AI-proof writing prompts can often be impossible but that doesn’t mean there aren’t strategies that can limit the efficacy of AI work. These techniques can also help ensure more of the writing submitted in your classroom is human-generated. 

I started seeing a big uptick in AI-generated work submitted in my classes over the last year and that has continued. As a result, I’ve gotten much better at recognizing AI work , but I’ve also gotten better at creating writing prompts that are less AI-friendly. 

Essentially, I like to use the public health Swiss cheese analogy when thinking about AI prevention: All these strategies on their own have holes but when you layer the cheese together, you create a barrier that’s hard to get through. 

The eight strategies here may not prevent students from submitting AI work, but I find these can incentivize human writing and make sure that any work submitted via AI will not really meet the requirements of the assignment. 

1. Writing AI-Proof Prompts: Put Your Prompt Into Popular AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and Bard 

Putting your writing prompt into an AI tools will give you an immediate idea of how most AI tools will handle your prompt. If the various AI chatbots do a good, or at least adequate, job immediately, it might be wise to tweak the prompt. 

One of my classes asks students to write about a prized possession. When you put this prompt into an AI chatbot, it frequently returns an essay about a family member's finely crafted watch. Obviously, I now watch out for any essays about watches. 

2. Forbid Cliché Use

Probably the quickest and easiest way to cut back on some AI use is to come down hard on cliché use in writing assignments. AI tools are essentially cliché machines, so banning these can prevent a lot of AI use. 

Equally as important, this practice will help your students become better writers. As any good writer knows, clichés should be avoided like the plague. 

3. Incorporate Recent Events

The free version of ChatGPT only has access to events up to 2022. While there are plugins to allow it to search the internet and other internet-capable AI tools, some students won’t get further than ChatGPT. 

More importantly, in my experience, all AI tools struggle to incorporate recent events as effectively as historic ones. So connecting class material and assignments to events such as a recent State of Union speech or the Academy Awards will make any AI writing use less effective. 

4. Require Quotes

AI tools can incorporate direct quotations but most are not very good at doing so. The quotes used tend to be very short and not as well-placed within essays. 

Asking an AI tool for recent quotes also can be particularly problematic for today’s robot writers. For instance, I asked Microsoft's Copilot to summarize the recent Academy Awards using quotes, and specifically asked it to quote from Oppenheimer's director Christopher Nolan’s acceptance speech. It quoted something Nolan had previously said instead. Copilot also quoted from Wes Anderson’s acceptance speech, an obvious error since Anderson wasn’t at the awards .  

5. Make Assignments Personal

Having students reflect on material in their own lives can be a good way to prevent AI writing. In-person teachers can get to know their students well enough to know when these types of personal details are fabricated. 

I teach online but still find it easier to tell when a more personalized prompt was written by AI. For example, one student submitted a paper about how much she loved skateboarding that was so non-specific it screamed AI written. Another submitted a post about a pair of sneakers that was also clearly written by a "sole-less" AI (I could tell because of the clichés and other reasons). 

6. Make Primary or Scholarly Sources Mandatory

Requiring sources that are not easily accessible on the internet can stop AI writing in its tracks. I like to have students find historic newspapers for certain assignments. The AI tools I am familiar with can’t incorporate these. 

For instance, I asked Copilot to compare coverage of the first Academy Awards in the media to the most recent awards show and to include quotes from historic newspaper coverage. The comparison was not well done and there were no quotes from historical newspaper coverage. 

AI tools also struggle to incorporate journal articles. Encouraging your students to include these types of sources ensures the work they produce is deeper than something that can be revealed by a quick Google search, which not only makes it harder for AI to write but also can raise the overall quality.  

7. Require Interviews, Field Trips, Etc. 

Building on primary and scholarly sources, you can have your students conduct interviews or go on field trips to historic sites, museums, etc. 

AI is still, thankfully, incapable of engaging in these types of behavior. This requires too much work for every assignment but it is the most effective way to truly ensure your work is human- not computer-written. 

If you’re still worried about AI use, you can even go a step further by asking your students to include photos of them with their interview subjects or from the field trips. Yes, AI art generators are getting better as well, but remember the Swiss cheese analogy? Every layer of prevention can help. 

8. Have Students Write During Class

As I said to start, none of the methods discussed are foolproof. Many ways around these safeguards already exist and there will be more ways to bypass these in the future. So if you’re really, really worried about AI use you may want to choose what I call the “nuclear option.” If you teach in person you can require students to write essays in person. 

This approach definitely works for preventing AI and is okay for short pieces, but for longer pieces, it has a lot of downsides. I would have trouble writing a long piece in this setting and imagine many students will as well. Additionally, this requirement could create an accusatory class atmosphere that is more focused on preventing AI use than actually teaching. It’s also not practical for online teaching. 

That all being said, given how common AI writing has become in education, I understand why some teachers will turn to this method. Hopefully, suggestions 1-7 will work but if AI-generated papers are still out of hand in your classroom, this is a blunt-force method that can work temporarily. 

Good luck and may your assignments be free of AI writing! 

• 7 Ways To Detect AI Writing Without Technology
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Lu Dort is the undrafted elbow grease of the Thunder

Lu Dort is the Thunder’s designated stopper, always taking the most difficult opponent assignment. It’s an on-its-face thankless role that he appears to relish with rare enthusiasm.

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At the turn of the 19th century, the French God King Napoleon Bonaparte had a nagging, annoying problem on his hands. It was half a world away in Saint Domingue, on the west end of the Caribbean island known as Hispaniola. It was a wealthy, prosperous producer of plantation-based and slave-cultivated agricultural holdings like tobacco, coffee and sugar cane. The port served as a gateway between the old world and the new, and the substantial annual taxes it yielded to the French Crown on imports and exports were why Saint Domingue was referred to as The Pearl of The Antilles.

But now those taxes were imperiled. There was an insurrection led by self-liberated slaves on the island, inspired by the liberty their colonizers had taken for themselves by force in 1789. It had raged for over a decade, and the great general Toussaint Louverture had taken control of the island by fighting off British, Spanish, and French forces, declaring himself Governor for Life, and declaring the new country an autonomous, Black sovereign state. Enough was enough. Bonaparte sent his sister’s husband, the general Charles Leclerc , and an army of 20,000 soldiers to get it back.

The ensuing conflict went beyond any modern capacity for horror, even in war. There were mass hangings, drownings and gassings that some refer to as attempted genocide. The French did whatever they could to break rebel morale, to regain order and control and reinstall slavery, but nothing worked. The rebel forces used guerilla warfare, and surprise attacks to claim upset victories as the French forces were decimated by yellow fever (Including Leclerc, who died on the island of Tortuga). The rebels showed determination, burning their cities and forts to the ground rather than allowing the French to capture them. The French sent a Polish legion to aid in the war, but horrified by French brutality and inspired by rebel fortitude, they defected and fought with the rebels.

After the French eventually captured and killed Toussaint, he was replaced by his second in command, Jean Jaques Dessalines, and in 1802 the country was renamed Hayti , as an ode to its Taino origins. The French would continue their fruitless, brutal war until the juice no longer warranted the squeeze and they surrendered, frustrated and defeated. They did more than give up on their conflict. Because it was the key to this arm of their empire, Napoleon gave up on the new world altogether, and sold a large, wild, undeveloped chunk of the Southeast United States to then-President of the United States Thomas Jefferson.

Oklahoma City wing Luguentz Dort was born in Montreal, Canada — another former French colony — the child of Haitians who immigrated to join the 179,000-person Haitian diaspora in Canada, heading there from Saint-Marc when they were in their early 20s. His father drove cabs and his mother worked in a clothing factory. They spoke kreyòl in the house. But while Dort has been decorated and earmarked as a special talent at every level, from Quebec, to AAU, to Arizona State , his path to stardom is still fairly uncommon. In his one year at Arizona State, for perhaps the last time in his career, Dort showed flashes of becoming an elite offensive player, but would also go through some horrific shooting droughts.

In what may emerge as a theme of this piece, Dort stubbornly went against the conventional wisdom of the time, that he needed polish and seasoning, and declared for the draft after his freshman year. He went undrafted, but the Thunder, at the dawn of what would be one of the most remarkable tanks in NBA history, took a flier on him, signing him to a two-way contract. Perhaps Presti sensed the team needed to replace the recently departed Russell Westbrook’s stubborn, obnoxious energy, so they sought it out in the aggregate with Dort, and crucially, Chris Paul (Who dragged them to the playoffs and almost knocked out the Harden Rockets in 2020. You’ll never guess who was on Harden).

Dort recounts at an early, crucial developmental stage, Paul took him aside and explained the importance of effort and defense if you’re not the most skilled offensive player and still want to see the court in the NBA (Dort has subsequently started 296 of the 305 regular and postseason games he’s played for OKC). I’m friends with a member of the Thunder training staff who secretly tapes all the private conversations that happen between players in the weight room at the facility and he leaked this footage of that conversation to me:

The player that emerged from the “Poku” era of OKC was uncommonly resolute on defense. He’s a 6’4 two guard, which is the NBA equivalent of 5’9 on New York City Hinge; nothing special. But Dort looks like a much bigger person was boiled down, concentrated from stock to strong, pungent sauce. He’s a black hole, an incredibly dense, compact and iron-solid vacuum with his own orbit. He’s nine inches shorter than his teammate, Chet Holmgren, but has 20 pounds on him . He’s immovable and can guard players up to a head taller than him while also keeping up with the league’s most shifty and nimble guards. Dort is the only player in the history of the modern NBA who has never been insulted as “too small,” or had the cradle rocked at him, etc.

So you can’t move him off a spot and you can’t get past him, but this really only addresses his physical gifts. What makes Dort an elite defender is his will, his determination to push his body, to sacrifice it to degrees even the most bloodthirsty NBA psycho-energy guys can’t. This is purely a hypothetical, because I can’t imagine why anyone would ever do this, because it’s like choosing which type of poison you’d like to drink, but let’s say you went matchup hunting against the Oklahoma City Thunder defense. This would probably require you to switch off Lu Dort. But what you will find is you can run your fastest man off your largest and strongest in a pick and roll, or stack a Spain, or dribble alongside an oncoming city bus, but Lu Dort simply will not switch unless his coach tells him to. This goes somewhere past standard NBA defensive intensity, and borders on unhinged obsession.

It is gross and gauche and in entirely bad taste to discuss another man’s kink, but Lu Dort seems to get off, quite overtly, on the worst defensive assignments the NBA has to offer. Do you have a ball-dominant, maddeningly unguardable star that has turned impossible shotmaking into a nine-figure skill and draws absurd whistles? Oklahoma City has an answer for that. On a team of fresh-faced ingenues and preening lottery divas, Dort is the undrafted elbow grease, the flyover state obstinate spirit, the 25-year-old elder statesman, the pulsating Kompa drum pattern keeping time, the side of Pikliz with liberally applied scotch bonnet, the kicked up acid and heat cutting through the Thunder’s fatty chunk of pork griot.

The formal concept of the three-and-D Wing dates back roughly 20 years. Rashard Lewis is the first I can remember being referred to in this manner, and compensated in a way that reflected what would indicate the growing importance of the position to the modern game, but please, for once, I am actually asking an SB Nation reader to come for me in the comments, call me an idiot, and correct the record. I bring this up because I would argue that Lu Dort is not the “best” three-and-D wing we’ve ever seen, but he might be the most balanced? No one has melded the three and the D on the same level he has.

Players like him, perennial All-Defense types (You can tell how narrative-based and fucking bullshit All-Defense voting is because Dort has never made the team ), specialists who made their bones as sturdy asshole perimeter monsters, are supposed to be minus offensive players. Tony Allen comes to mind, Bruce Bowen, there’s an entire history of them. But Dort has made himself into a real threat you can’t space off the floor. He’s raised his 3-point percentage 10 fucking points from his rookie season, from 29% to 39%, going from two attempts per game to five. That’s slightly better than his most obvious competition, Shane Battier, a career 38 percenter on 3.4 per game. On offense, he’s often not doing much as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander operates, but with his lofty percentage forcing defenders to stay home, the intangible loose ball situations when he’s a dive everywhere wrecking ball, and what he brings to the other end of the court, it’s more than enough.

By any metric, the Oklahoma City Thunder outkicked their coverage this season. They were League Pass darlings that somehow ended up with the best record in the West. They gutted the Pelicans (sans Zion) in a manner reminiscent of another young, talented Thunder squad we didn’t think was ready until they showed us their premature maturity and resolve. Of course, in their Western Conference Semifinals matchup with the Dallas Mavericks , Dort has the most difficult, and consequential assignment, on Luka Donçic. If the Thunder want to advance to the Conference Finals, they will need his specific brand of annoying intensity unsettling Donçic (who has accurately referred to Dort as a top-three perimeter defender in the league), stalking him baseline to baseline, constantly hand-checking, putting mustard on every foul, slamming knees and throwing elbows.

It’s a match made in heaven specifically for us. The nerds, the freaks, the Dort lovers who have scrolled this far through this piece.

Toussaint Louverture wasn’t granted the dignity of last words by his colonizers, but his final words on Haiti , as he was taken off his mother island by the cops whose empire he dissolved, were, “in overthrowing me, you have done no more than cut down the trunk of the tree of the Black liberty in St. Domingue—it will spring back from the roots, for they are numerous and deep.” In this, we hear echoes of the demand, the resilient warning, “Respekte Nou”, the Kreyòl phrase Dort had custom made and printed on the back of his jersey in the NBA bubble in 2020, when he was still a legend in the making, the upstart agitator, confusing and frustrating whoever had the misfortune of matching up with him.

That phrase is in many ways his philosophy, the core of his game, the essence of his being, the message of the Haitian Revolution. In English, it translates to, “Respect Us.”

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Washington Square News

Students arrested at Gould Plaza required to complete ‘dozens of writing assignments,’ faculty group says

NYU’s Office of Student Conduct is allegedly requiring that some students arrested at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment in Gould Plaza write “reflection papers” and complete “dozens of writing assignments,” a recent Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine press release stated. The release said that in emails se​nt last week, the university informed students they would receive a censure — or a “ formal reprimand for violation of university policy ” — on their transcripts if they did not submit the assignments by May 29. 

One of the assignments instructed students to write a reflection paper describing the “incident” for which they were called in the OSC and assessing whether the decision they made aligned with their “personal values.” The paper “cannot serve to justify” the student’s actions, “evaluate the actions of others, or challenge a conduct regulation,” according to the assignment’s instructions. The other assignment is a 49-page “series of readings and reflective activities” that aims to help students “learn about and understand” their own values and how their actions “affected others and the community.”

“Either they really don’t understand that these students are living their values, or this was just intended to be humiliating and infantilizing,” Sara Pursley, a CAS professor and FSJP member, said in an interview with WSN. “It’s ironic to say the least that, in an essay on integrity, they tell students they can’t actually talk about what their real values were.” 

In the May 13 press release, FSJP also criticized NYU’s use of Advocate — a higher education software created by the “behavioral intervention management” company Symplicity — which the group claims houses the OSC’s writing prompts. The group noted that Symplicity, which supplies student conduct programs to NYU and over 250 universities, pleaded guilty in federal court on criminal hacking charges in 2014. 

In a written statement to WSN, university spokesperson John Beckman called FSJP’s press release “disappointingly misleading” and said that the only people “determining the sanctions that students may receive from conduct proceedings” are staff at the OSC.

“The implication that there’s something insidious going on or that NYU has ‘outsourced’ adjudication of the university’s student conduct procedures is deceptive propaganda,” Beckman wrote. “Symplicity has nothing —  repeat, nothing — to do with the specific sanctions NYU students may receive as a result of a conduct process.”

The FSJP press release comes after the university had allegedly dropped criminal charges brought against all protesters arrested at the pro-Palestinian encampment in Gould Plaza three weeks ago, including dozens of students and faculty . Since the encampment, on-campus groups, including FSJP and the NYU Palestine Solidarity Coalition have been demanding that NYU pardon students facing disciplinary action for their involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, divest from companies with ties to Israel, shut down its study away site in Tel Aviv and remove police from campus. 

NYU allegedly began disciplinary hearing for students who were involved with pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus last week, although NYU PSC did not say how many students received misconduct violations or what university policies they were accused of violating. More recently, nine students were suspended and two were given persona non grata status after a demonstration in Bobst Library on Friday, according to NYU PSC. 

Contact Dharma Niles at [email protected] .

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Tana WILLIAMS • May 16, 2024 at 11:22 am

I’m absolutely appalled by what NYU is doing to these students who actually were living their values. It seems as if they want desperately to prove that these intelligent young people were actually influenced by outsiders Rather than accept that these young people, just as we did in my generation with the Vietnam war, we’re standing up for what they Believe is right. Just how far our University officials willing to go to prove their undying loyalty to Israel no matter what Israel does . If things hadn’t ended so quickly the way they did, I, disabled and 74 years old, would have been there in solidarity with these students. Sincerely, Tana S. Williams.

Bob • May 16, 2024 at 7:55 pm

They did not ask these students to change their values. They simply asked that they reflect on the values that led them to violate University policy and communicate those values in a more effective manner. The guidelines given are meant to avoid re- litigating the issue that led to the protest.

Baltimore Orioles | Orioles designate reliever Mike Baumann for…

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Baltimore orioles | preakness 2024: seize the grey goes wire-to-wire, outruns mystik dan in 149th running, baltimore orioles, baltimore orioles | orioles designate reliever mike baumann for assignment, activate grayson rodriguez from il to start saturday vs. mariners, 28-year-old right-hander was out of minor league options: ‘it’s the hardest part of this game’.

Baltimore made the move Saturday morning to make room on its 26-man roster for Grayson Rodriguez, who was reinstated off the injured list to start the club’s late afternoon game against the Seattle Mariners. Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day IL on April 30 with right shoulder inflammation , but the injury was minor enough that he did not need to pitch in rehabilitation games before rejoining the Orioles’ rotation.

Baumann was one of several pitchers in Baltimore’s bullpen with no more minor league options, decreasing the club’s roster flexibility and making the decision on how to create space for Rodriguez a challenging one.

“It’s been a really tough morning,” manager Brandon Hyde said before Saturday’s game. “Mike has been with us for a while. Think about the first half he had for us last year, how many games he helped us win, how good he was. He threw the ball really well last night. On top of all those things, just the incredible person he was, unbelievable teammate, first-class pro in every single way and so well-liked by guys in our clubhouse.

“It’s been a gloomy morning.”

It’s not a surprise that Baumann was the odd man out given the success of the Orioles’ other relievers and the decision to likely move to a six-man rotation soon . But with a veteran relief corps on one of baseball’s best teams — the Orioles (28-14) are on pace to win 108 games — comes challenging choices such as letting Baumann go.

Baltimore will hope to pass him through waivers — or trade him before that process begins — but it’s almost certain his next outing is in a different uniform.

“It’s the hardest part of this game,” reliever Danny Coulombe said. “Me and Mikey are really close. I think we all know how talented he is. There’s no doubt in my mind that there might be better opportunities out there for him. I wouldn’t be shocked in two or three weeks if he’s closing for somebody, you just never know. It’s tough to see, a huge loss to us in the clubhouse and on the field, too.

“He’s a great pitcher, but this is the business we’re in.”

The right-hander has been in the organization since they drafted him in the third round in 2017, pitching 127 1/3 innings with the Orioles since his MLB debut in 2021. He was one of Hyde’s most-trusted relievers last season after the club transitioned him from a starting pitcher into a bullpen arm. He appeared in 60 games last year — fourth most on the team behind Yennier Cano, Coulombe and Cionel Pérez — despite spending a month in the minors to recharge after his heavy workload. Baumann’s 10 relief wins were most by an Oriole since Brad Brach in 2016.

After posting a 3.76 ERA in 2023, the 28-year-old has experienced an up-and-down season so far, although his 3.44 ERA is more than respectable. What made the decision additionally difficult was the fact that Baumann has found his groove recently, recording a 1.04 ERA over his past 8 2/3 innings. With a plus curveball and a mid-90s mph fastball, Baumann matched up well against right-handed batters. Now, the Orioles’ bullpen has four left-handers, potentially posing a challenge against right-handed heavy lineups.

But there were seemingly no other options than to DFA him. Craig Kimbrel, Jacob Webb, Albert Suárez, Cole Irvin, Pérez and Coulombe aren’t able to be sent to the minors, while Cano (2.14 ERA) and Keegan Akin (2.84 ERA) are pitching too well to option.

“It’s going to be tough,” Hyde said on managing the bullpen without flexibility like the organization has had in the past. “It made a decision like this morning very, very hard. Just the way the rules are in place with only being able to carry 13 pitches, having guys that are out of options — you have to make tough decisions.”

Rodriguez carried his strong second half of 2023 into 2024 before his minor shoulder injury, winning four of his six starts with a 3.71 ERA. His start Saturday will be his first since April 29, and Hyde said the fireballer will have a “shorter leash” Saturday with Suárez and Irvin available in long relief. Irvin will likely rejoin the rotation later this month when the club moves to a six-man rotation.

Hyde has largely managed his bullpen this season in a similar way to last year despite the lack of flexibility. The large number of days off have allowed that, but now that the club is in the infancy of a 43-game in 45-day stretch, Hyde expects to alter the way he handles his relievers.

“You definitely have to keep in mind recovery, times that they get up, all those types of things I’m very conscious of. I am already, but especially when you roll into a long stretch,” he said. “You want to keep as many people as fresh as possible [and] a 6-man [rotation] makes it even harder. Not having optionable guys and wanting to keep this group together through this stretch, I’m going to be very aware of usage.”

Hyde hopes to be able to lean on his starters more once the Orioles move to a six-man rotation with each starter receiving an extra day of rest between starts, but he won’t risk their health to do so.

“I’m never going to sacrifice anything to try to get them through an extra inning if we feel like it’s not going to be responsible for them or putting them in harm’s way in any single way,” he said. “A lot goes into pulling a starter — from pitches to stressful innings all those type of things.”

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