Whether they’re high stakes or low stakes, writing assignments are more effective when faculty articulate clear expectations, explain necessary steps, detail the rhetorical situation (i.e., audience, purpose, and genre), and name criteria for evaluation. Such assignments set students up for success by leaving the guesswork out of assignment basics so they can focus on more substantive matters such as analysis, evidence, and working with sources. Use the resources below to design writing assignments with these features in mind. After you’ve designed your writing assignment, check out our section on scaffolding assignments and writing-to-learn assignments 

Materials designed by Christopher Basgier, Amy Cicchino, and Amber Simpson 

Faculty who want to integrate writing into their courses can use high stakes assignments, low stakes assignments, or some combination of each. This handout defines each kind of writing and explains how you might integrate it into your course 

• High Stakes and Low Stakes Writing Assignments Handout Word Document 

• High Stakes and Low Stakes Writing Assignments Handout PDF 

This handout introduces you to effective writing assignment design using principles from transparent assignment design and The Meaningful Writing Project 

• Effective Writing Assignment Design Handout Word Document 

• Effective Writing Assignment Design Handout PDF 

Once you have a draft of your assignment sheet, you can use this self-assessment worksheet to reflect on how well your assignment is achieving the principles in the handout above 

• Transparent Assignment Design Self-Assessment Worksheet Word Document 

• Transparent Assignment Design Self-Assessment Worksheet PDF 

Once you have a draft of your assignment sheet, you can work with a colleague in your department or institution and use this peer assignment worksheet to get feedback on how well your assignment is achieving the principles in the handout above 

• Transparent Assignment Design Peer Review Worksheet Word Document 

• Transparent Assignment Design Peer Review Worksheet PDF 

Refresh your writing assignment by asking students to address a new audience, purpose, genre, or medium of communication as they explain their knowledge of content. This handout will explain what it means to create a new rhetorical situation for your assignment 

• Revising Assignments for New Rhetorical Situations Handout Word Document 

• Revising Assignments for New Rhetorical Situations Handout PDF 

This worksheet will help you compare the existing and redesigned assignment across elements of the rhetorical situation, like audience, purpose, genre, language, organization, and content. While not every rhetorical element needs to change in your redesign process, you should reflect on how changes need to influence scaffolding activities and evaluation criteria 

• Revising Assignments for New Rhetorical Situation Worksheet Word Document 

• Revising Assignments for New Rhetorical Situation Worksheet PDF 

This handout will help you think through the process of converting an online multiple choice test into a writing assignment 

• Ditching Multiple Choice: Reasons to Design Writing-Base Assessments Handout Word Document 

• Ditching Multiple Choice: Reasons to Design Writing-Base Assessments Handout PDF 

This handout provides an overview of different kinds of rubrics you might want to use, as well as ways of describing performance levels. It also includes advice for developing a successful rubric 

• Developing Writing Rubrics Handout Word Document 

• Developing Writing Rubrics Handout PDF 

ePortfolios can benefit faculty and staff as they develop their professional brand and communicate their values and work to different stakeholders. An ePortfolio can be one way to tell your professional story through sharing artifacts related to your research, teaching, and service. Use the resources below to help you begin developing an ePortfolio. Be sure to also review our ePortfolio pages that have general information for ePortfolio creators. 

Materials designed by Amy Cicchino 

This worksheet will help you begin developing your personal brand statement 

• Creating a Professional Personal Brand Worksheet Word Document 

• Creating a Professional Personal Brand Worksheet PDF 

This worksheet helps you select and contextualize artifacts through reflective writing 

• Selecting and Contextualizing Artifacts for Faculty and Staff ePortfolios Word Document 

• Selecting and Contextualizing Artifacts for Faculty and Staff ePortfolios PDF 

Research shows that students benefit from timely feedback on their learning based on the specific learning goals that guide a writing assignment. Use these resources to learn strategies for writing feedback, tips for rubric development, and how to manage the labor of writing response.  

Materials designed by Amy Cicchino, Christopher Basgier, and Margaret Marshall

Research shows that students benefit from timely feedback on their learning based on the specific learning goals that guide a writing assignment. Use these resources to learn strategies for writing feedback, tips for rubric development, and how to manage the labor of writing response 

• Strategies for Feedback Handout PDF 

• Strategies for Feedback Handout Word Document 

This handout provides an overview of different kinds of rubrics you might want to use, as well as ways of describing performance levels. It also includes advice for developing a successful rubric 

• Developing Writing Rubrics Handout Word Document 

• Developing Writing Rubrics Handout PDF 

This handout details a range of strategies that you can use when working with students’ writing, whether you're providing feedback, grading final drafts, or staring at a large stack of papers 

• Feedback, Grading, and Managing the Paper Load Handout Word Document 

• Feedback, Grading, and Managing the Paper Load Handout PDF 

This handout will help you think through the process of converting an online multiple choice test into a writing assignment 

• Ditching Multiple Choice: Reasons to Design Writing-Base Assessments Handout Word Document 

• Ditching Multiple Choice: Reasons to Design Writing-Base Assessments Handout PDF 

Grants are a difficult genre for anyone to learn. A straightforward technical description of the proposed project simply won’t do the trick. The resources below will help you consider how to tailor your project to a request for proposals (RFP), consider your audience, and manage the process. 

Materials designed by Christopher Basgier  

This handout compiles common tips and advice related to grant writing 

• Tips and Advice for Grant Writing Handout Word Document 

• Tips and Advice for Grant Writing Handout PDF  

This worksheet helps you reflect on what you already know about grant writing and begin by analyzing a model excerpt from a grant 

• What Is Grant Writing? Worksheet Word Document 

• What Is Grant Writing? Worksheet PDF 

To conduct human-based research, you need approval from Auburn’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). These resources will help you learn about IRB applications and offer tips for creating clear, effective IRB materials.  

Materials designed by Lucus Adelino, Christopher Basgier, Amy Cicchino, and Niki Johnson

This handout will define terms that appear in the IRB application form.  

• IRB Key Terms Handout Word Document 

• IRB Key Terms Handout PDF 

Writing a successful IRB protocol is more than just filling out the form; it requires dutiful attention to your audience and your purpose. This handout has tips to help you write your IRB protocols more effectively 

• Tips for Writing a Successful IRB Handout Word Document  

• Tips for Writing a Successful IRB Handout PDF 

These practice worksheets help you review and give feedback on a sample IRB scenario. By analyzing these samples, we hope you learn strategies for writing and revising your own application and protocols

• 2018 Responding to a Practice IRB Application Scenario Word Document  

• 2018 Responding to a Practice IRB Application Scenario PDF 

• 2021 Responding to a Practice IRB Application Scenario Word Document 

• 2021 Responding to a Practice IRB Application Scenario PDF 

This worksheet will help you give feedback to someone else’s IRB protocol

• IRB Peer Review Worksheet Word Document

• IRB Peer Review Worksheet PDF 

Learn more about Auburn’s IRB by visiting their website, which contains guidelines, application forms, sample information letters and consent documents, and more. 

Peer review can be an effective means for engaging students in writing projects. In peer review, students give one another feedback on a draft of a writing project, or a portion of a writing project, using a set of clear criteria as a guide.  

Materials designed by Christopher Basgier, Amy Cicchino, and Amber Simpson 

This handout will introduce you to peer review and help you learn how to develop a successful peer review for your course 

• Introduction to Peer Review Handout Word Document  

• Introduction to Peer Review Handout PDF 

This handout will help you articulate the role of peer review in your course, both for yourself and for your students. This page includes a set of questions about the role of peer review in your course, and the reverse describes the elements of effective peer feedback 

• Principles of Peer Review Worksheet Word Document 

• Principles of Peer Review Worksheet PDF  

This resource will help you facilitate a successful peer review across four modalities: online (asynchronous), online (synchronous), hyflex, and in-person with safety protocols in place 

• Peer Review across Modalities Handout Word Document  

• Peer Review across Modalities PDF 

This brief handout can communicate peer review guidelines to your students 

• Guidelines for Peer Reviewers Word Document 

• Guidelines for Peer Reviewers PDF  

Dr. Djibo Zanzot developed this writing-to-learn prompt and peer review protocol for his Honors Organismal Biology course 

• Sample Peer Review Protocol Word Document 

• Sample Peer Review Protocol PDF 

Your personal brand is a representation of your work that tells your professional story. Taking time to reflect on and develop your personal brand can help employers, review committees, and graduate schools know who you are, what you do, and what you value. The resources below will introduce you to personal brand and help you begin to develop a personal brand statement. 

Materials designed by Amy Cicchino, Layli Miron, Megan Haskins, and Lauren Schlosser

This handout explains what personal brand is and why it matters

• Defining Personal Brand Handout Word Document  

• Defining Personal Brand Handout PDF 

Once you’ve reviewed the Personal Brand Handout above, use this worksheet to help you begin drafting your personal brand statement 

• Personal Brand Statement Worksheet Word Document  

• Personal Brand Statement Worksheet PDF 

This handout moves to a larger scale, aiding in the creation of mission and vision statements focused towards student organizations

• Writing Mission and Vision Statements Word Document

• Writing Mission and Vision Statements PDF

This worksheet helps faculty and staff consider their professional brand and develop a brand statement 

• Creating a Professional Personal Brand for Faculty and Staff Word Document 

• Creating a Professional Personal Brand for Faculty and Staff PDF 

Reflective writing helps you critically think about your learning, respond to new knowledge, connect your learning experiences, and consider how new knowledge aligns to your professional and developmental goals. Use the resources below to learn more about reflective writing, including how to design reflective writing prompts. 

Materials designed by Amber Simpson, Animal Sciences Academy Team, Christopher Basgier, ePortfolio Project, Heather Stuart, Lindsay Doukopolous, Margaret Marshall, and Parker Wade

This handout provides a brief introduction to reflective writing along with sample questions that can support reflective thinking

• Reflective Writing: What? So What? Now What? Handout Word Document

• Reflective Writing: What? So What? Now What? Handout PDF

This handout introduces you to the six Rs of reflection: reporting, responding, relating, reasoning, reconstructing, and repackaging. Bain, J., Ballantyne, R., Mills, C. & Lester, N. (2002) labeled these levels with the mnemonic “5 Rs of reflection.” We have added a sixth level to this framework to account for the way reflection moves into other genres, such as an ePortfolio or personal narrative

• A Framework for Reflection Handout Word Document

• A Framework for Reflection Handout PDF

This handout will take you through a heuristic process aimed at developing an effective reflective writing assignment for students keeping in mind the expected learning outcomes

• A Heuristic for Developing a Reflective Writing Assignment Word Document

• A Heuristic for Developing a Reflective Writing Assignment PDF

Reflection can take many different forms, and any number of strategies can help you support students’ reflective practices. This handout lists various prompts and questions you can adapt to your specific course context and objectives

• Strategies for Teaching Reflection Handout Word Document

• Strategies for Teaching Reflection Handout PDF

This handout is meant to inform you on the benefits of using reflective writing in lab contexts

• Assigning Reflective Writing Prompts in Lab Settings Handout Word Document

• Assigning Reflective Writing Prompts in Lab Settings Handout PDF

This worksheet guides you in using expressive writing for self-discovery. You will learn about different types of expressive writing, such as answering prompts or making gratitude lists, and can complete several reflective prompts.

• Expressive Writing for Wellbeing Toolkit Word Document

• Expressive Writing for Wellbeing Toolkit PDF

This handout gives three example reflective writing assignments from different disciplines, each fostering a different goal related to reflective practice

• Example Reflective Writing Assignments Handout Word Document

• Example Reflective Writing Assignments Handout PDF

This worksheet will help you consider questions that are important as you develop a reflective writing prompt for your course

• Developing a Reflective Prompt Worksheet Word Document

• Developing a Reflective Prompt Worksheet PDF

Once you’ve developed your reflective writing prompt, this peer reviewguide can help you get feedback.

• Peer Feedback on Reflective Writing Prompts (for Faculty) Word Document

• Peer Feedback on Reflective Writing Prompts (for Faculty) PDF

This worksheet provides examples of student reflections in need of feedback and guidance which you can use to practice providing feedback that helps students improve their reflective writing

• Reflective Writing Feedback Practice Worksheet Word Document

• Reflective Writing Feedback Practice Worksheet PDF

This rubric was created as part of our ePortfolio Project. However, you can use or adapt it to assess reflective writing in ePortfolios

• Critical Thinking through Reflection Rubric Word Document

• Critical Thinking through Reflection Rubric PDF

One type of academic writing is research abstracts, which are important distillations of academic research. In many fields, they are used as conference proposals, and they appear in journal articles to help readers understand the research and decide if they want to read further. Use these materials to better understand research abstracts and begin creating your own research abstracts. 

Materials designed by Christopher Basgier, Layli Miron, and Megan Moeller 

This handout introduces you to abstracts, or the summaries that typically begin a kind of research writing 

• Writing Effective Abstracts Handout Word Document 

• Writing Effective Abstracts Handout PDF 

This resource was designed to introduce readers to abstracts within the College of Human Sciences, in fields such as Nutrition, Hospitality Management, Consumer and Design Sciences, Human Development and Family Science, and Global Education 

• Writing Research Abstracts in the College of Human Sciences Handout and Worksheet Word Document 

• Writing Research Abstracts in the College of Human Sciences Handout and Worksheet PDF 

This worksheet will help you analyze example abstracts from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds 

• Writing Effective Research Abstracts across the Disciplines Handout and Worksheet Word Document 

• Writing Effective Research Abstracts across the Disciplines Handout and Worksheet PDF 

This worksheet features four abstracts accepted into Auburn’s 2018 Research Symposium, which you can analyze to identify the six components of an abstract 

• Examining Model Abstracts Worksheet Word Document 

• Examining Model Abstracts Worksheet PDF 

Scaffolding is a means of breaking down assignments or tasks into manageable chunks in order to promote student learning and success. A well-scaffolded writing assignment should help students understand your expectations, learn course content, communicate with audiences, and write with a purpose in mind. These resources will help you develop scaffolding writing assignments in your course.  

Materials designed by Travis Adams, Christopher Basgier, Margaret Marshall, Alyssa Pratt, and Djibo Zanzot  

This handout details three approaches to scaffolding you might use in your course: checkpoints, parts of the whole, and upping the ante 

• Three Approaches to Scaffolding Assignments Handout Word Document 

• Three Approaches to Scaffolding Assignments Handout PDF 

This handout presents two example assignments aimed at evaluating students’ prior knowledge in a particular area. By determining prior knowledge, you can get a better idea of the support students will need as they complete future assignments related to content knowledge and writing in your course 

• Assignments for Determining Prior Knowledge Handout Word Document 

• Assignments for Determining Prior Knowledge Handout PDF 

This worksheet will help you identify and define a difficult concept, and then map different levels of understanding for that concept. You can use these definitions as a basis for crafting your effective assignments 

• Difficult Concepts and Levels of Understanding Word Document 

• Difficult Concepts and Levels of Understanding PDF 

This handout presents two activities that would help students in scaffolding a research paper. The first one focuses on breaking down the big goal in a series of small tasks so as to provide students with direction. The second one will help you map the syllabus timeline according to the learning required for assignment completion 

• Scaffolding a Research Paper Worksheet Word Document 

• Scaffolding a Research Paper Worksheet PDF 

This handout includes a range of writing assignments and activities you can ask students to complete in your course in order to promote their learning. Many of these assignments can have high stakes or low stakes versions 

• 20 Writing Activities to Enhance Learning Handout Word Document 

• 20 Writing Activities to Enhance Learning Handout PDF 

Writing-to-learn prompts can help you design writing prompts to reinforce content learning in your course. Be sure to check out our section on writing-to-learn. 

If you are a tutor or instructor who wants to improve your teaching of international and multilingual students, these six lessons are for you. You will learn how culture and home language influence writing, and you will consider how to make U.S. academic writing conventions more transparent for diverse learners. The materials were created for the Miller Writing Center’s peer consultants; you are encouraged to adapt them to your own context.

Materials designed by Layli Miron

Lesson 1 covers patterns in multilingual learners' educational experiences and asks you to reflect on your experiences with learning languages and/or with teaching multilingual students

• Lesson 1: Introduction to Multilingual Learners Word Document

• Lesson 1: Introduction to Multilingual Learners PDF 

Lesson 2 identifies the dominant language groups at the Miller Writing Center and invites you to learn about how the features of a student's home language can transfer to English

• Lesson 2: Multilingual Learners at the Writing Center Word Document

• Lesson 2: Multilingual Learners at the Writing Center PDF

Lesson 3 explores how culture influences approaches to learning and writing and asks you to uncover some cultural assumptions of U.S. higher education

• Lesson 3: Learning to Write in a New Culture Word Document

• Lesson 3: Learning to Write in a New Culture PDF

Lesson 4 considers how global educational systems and the U.S. academy can differently define "good writing," including concepts of audience, structure, and correctness

• Lesson 4: Differing Expectations for "Good Writing" Word Document

• Lesson 4: Differing Expectations for "Good Writing" PDF

Lesson 5 grapples with how to balance assimilation to U.S. academic writing conventions with respect for writers' diverse voices

• Lesson 5: Assimilation? Empowerment? Writing Conventions and Linguistic Diversity Word Document

• Lesson 5: Assimilation? Empowerment? Writing Conventions and Linguistic Diversity PDF

Lesson 6 encourages you to extend your learning about multilingual writers and present it to a broader audience

• Lesson 6: Researching & Developing Your Own Project Word Document

• Lesson 6: Researching & Developing Your Own Project PDF

Writing letters of recommendation can be a challenging responsibility for faculty and staff. Use these resources to help you construct letters of recommendations for college or graduate school, scholarships, certain jobs, and elsewhere. 

Materials designed by Christopher Basgier

This handout will help you write powerful letters of recommendation  

• Writing Letters of Recommendation Handout Word Document 

• Writing Letters of Recommendation Handout PDF 

High impact practices (HIPs) have been shown to increase student persistence and engage students in deeper learning. Writing is a key aspect to high-impact teaching and learning.  Use the resources below to learn more about the role of writing in HIPs. 

Materials designed by Amy Cicchino

This handout will introduce you to high-impact practices.  

• High Impact Practices and Writing Handout Word Document 

• High Impact Practices and Writing Handout PDF 

We have a significant number of resources related to ePortfolios on our site. ePortfolios have been called the eleventh high impact practice 

Writing-to-learn activities are low-stakes writing prompts that help students engage with content knowledge, think critically, and practice applying their learning. Use the resources below to learn more about writing-to-learn and how it might play a role in your course.  

Materials designed by Christopher Basgier, Alyssa Pratt, and Djibo Zanzot 

This worksheet is designed to help you understand some of the features of an effective writing-to-learn (WTL) prompt. Remember that these features are not necessarily a checklist: some prompts will include and exclude different features depending on what is appropriate for your course and field 

• Features of Effective Writing-to-Learn Prompts Worksheet Word Document 

• Features of Effective Writing-to-Learn Prompts Worksheet PDF 

This handout includes a range of writing assignments and activities you can ask students to complete in your course in order to promote their learning. Many of these assignments can have high stakes or low stakes versions 

• 20 Writing Activities to Enhance Learning Handout Word Document 

• 20 Writing Activities to Enhance Learning Handout PDF 

This worksheet will help you identify and define a difficult concept, and then map different levels of understanding for that concept. You can use these definitions as a basis for crafting your writing-to-learn assignments 

• Difficult Concepts and Levels of Understanding Word Document 

• Difficult Concepts and Levels of Understanding PDF 

Faculty interested in learning more about ePortfolios and learning should reach out to universitywriting@auburn.edu in addition to exploring the resources below. These resources can either be moved directly into your course as instructional material or will discuss teaching and feedback strategies for ePortfolios. In addition to these resources, we encourage you to visit AAEEBL’s Digital Ethics Principles for ePortfolios, which University Writing was active in creating. 

Materials designed by Christopher Basgier, Amy Cicchino, Megan Haskins, Margaret Marshall, and Heather Stuart

This sample curriculum for a 15-week course introduces students to ePortfolios and Professional Brand. It includes a syllabus, course calendar, and ePortfolio assignment sheet

• ePortfolios and Professional Brand Course Curriculum Word Document

• ePortfolios and Professional Brand Course Curriculum PDF

This handout will introduce your students to ePortfolios 

• Introduction to ePortfolios Handout Word Document 

• Introduction to ePortfolios Handout PDF 

This handout answers Frequently Asked Questions about ePortfolios your students might have 

• Frequently Asked Questions about ePortfolios Word Document  

• Frequently Asked Questions about ePortfolios PDF 

Use this quiz and analysis activity to help your students test and apply their growing knowledge of ePortfolios 

• Check Your Learning: ePortfolio Quiz and Analysis Activity Word Document  

• Check Your Learning: ePortfolio Quiz and Analysis Activity PDF 

This handout has a list of low-stakes activities that can help you develop ePortfolio thinking in your courses  

• Teaching Strategies for ePortfolios Handout Word Document  

• Teaching Strategies for ePortfolios Handout PDF 

This worksheet will help you as a teacher reflect on what students are and are not doing in their ePortfolio reflective writing and identify appropriate next steps in adapting your pedagogy  

• Teaching Reflective Writing for the ePortfolio: Reflecting on your Pedagogy Activity Word Document  

• Teaching Reflective Writing for the ePortfolio: Reflecting on your Pedagogy Activity PDF 

This scavenger hunt activity will take students through exploring an example ePortfolio and analyzing the choices the ePortfolio creator has made 

• ePortfolio Scavenger Hunt Activity Worksheet Word Document 

• ePortfolio Scavenger Hunt Activity Worksheet PDF 

This worksheet is designed to draw your students’ attention to the ways in which an ePortfolio is designed and arranged to tell a particular story to a specific audience 

• Examining ePortfolio Student Samples Worksheet Word Document  

• Examining ePortfolio Student Samples Worksheet PDF 

This worksheet can guide students in a peer review activity as they offer each other feedback on their ePortfolios

• ePortfolio Peer Review Word Document  

• ePortfolio Peer Review PDF 

This checklist guides your students in evaluating the accessibility of their ePortfolio sites by reviewing content and digital design.

• Making Your ePortfolio Accessible Checklist Word Document

• Making Your ePortfolio Accessible Checklist PDF

This worksheet helps ePortfolio creators move from peer review feedback to revision plans

• ePortfolio Workshop Action Plan Word Document  

• ePortfolio Workshop Action Plan PDF 

This formative ePortfolio rubric can be used to help students self-assess where they are in the ePortfolio process as they create and refine their ePortfolios. You can also use this rubric to give them in-process feedback 

• ePortfolio Formative Rubric Word Document  

• ePortfolio Formative Rubric PDF  

This summative ePortfolio rubric can be used or adapted to evaluate student ePortfolios at the end of the ePortfolio creation process. We encourage you consider which competency level best fits your context for teaching and learning 

• ePortfolio Summative Rubric Word Document  

• ePortfolio Summative Rubric PDF 

We encourage you to respect your students as creators and authors by not using their ePortfolios in your teaching, marketing, or assessment procedures without their explicit permission. This is the form we’ve developed to retrieve and track student permission. This is not the same as IRB approval through your institution, which you will need to conduct research on students ePortfolios. This form can be personalized to include information about your department or program and completed by students for a record of ePortfolio permission 

• Getting Permission to Use Your Students’ ePortfolios Word Document  

• Getting Permission to Use Your Students’ ePortfolios PDF 

An ePortfolio is a personal website that communicates one’s professional identity and experiences to a public audience, such as employers, graduate schools, or review committees. The resources below will help you learn about ePortfolios and introduce you to the process of developing an ePortfolio.   

Materials designed by Amy Cicchino and Heather Stuart

Learn about ePortfolios: 

View this short Introduction to ePortfolios Video  

View this longer Introduction to ePortfolios Video  

This handout will introduce you to ePortfolios 

• Introduction to ePortfolios Handout Word Document 

• Introduction to ePortfolios Handout PDF 

This handout answers Frequently Asked Questions about ePortfolios  

• Frequently Asked Questions about ePortfolios Word Document  

• Frequently Asked Questions about ePortfolios PDF 

Use this quiz and analysis activity to help your students test and apply their growing knowledge of ePortfolios 

• Check Your Learning: ePortfolio Quiz and Analysis Activity Word Document  

• Check Your Learning: ePortfolio Quiz and Analysis Activity PDF 

Tour of Example Student ePortfolio with Anna    

You can see more examples of ePortfolios by visiting our ePortfolio gallery