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Quinebaug Valley Academic Writing Skills

What are Professors Really Looking For?

Academic writing assignments are particularly intimidating because it can be difficult to tell what the professor is actually grading you on. When asked to pick a topic, many student feel anxious that they will not pick the "right answer" or may feel that what they are interested in isn't worthy of an essay. In other cases, you may be worried that they don't have enough content to fill the required page count of an essay. Furthermore, every assignment, course, and professor is different, making it even harder to get a sense of what is being asked of you. 

Instead of trying to read your professor's mind, this guide will introduce you to a simple framework for the four academic skills professors are really looking for you to demonstrate. 

The Four Skills

Synthesis Bringing together different ideas and sources to build a clear understanding of a topic.
Analysis Breaking down ideas and sources to understand how they work and why they matter.
Argument / Communication Making clear, evidence-based points and communicating your ideas effectively
Reflection Thinking critically about your own views, growth, or social context.

Learning to break down an assignment into these four skills will help you:

  • Approach academic assignments in a more organized way
  • Structure your assignments according to what your professors are looking for
  • Feel more confident about academic writing and assignments

Each of the pages on this Guide has tips and resources to strengthen your skills in each of these areas.