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Information Power/Understanding the Assignment*
If you don't understand...
If you don't understand an assignment, there is no way
you can do it well. And here is a secret about college professors and their assignments: 93.667 out of 100 times, you'll be more
successful if you follow the directions.
Here are three bits of related advice:
- Before you start,
read the
directions completely and figure out what you are supposed to do from start to finish.
- Professors are notorious
for
not being clear. If you are confused, don't count on asking another student. If you
weren't able to figure it out, she probably doesn't know what you are supposed to do
either. And for both our sakes [what is a sake anyway?], don't expect the librarians to
know what you are supposed to do. They may have some good ideas, but they won't be the
ones grading your work.
- The best time to ask
is
immediately. Raise your hand and ask the professor before you leave class. Don't wait and
ask another student after the class is over. And, please, don't wait for weeks later or
the day before the assignment is due.
*Author: John Henderson, Ithaca College Library
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/course/assignment.html
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