If a professor provides a grading rubric with an assignment prompt, thank your lucky stars (and your professor). If the professor took the trouble to prepare and distribute it, you can be sure that he or she will use it to grade your paper. He or she may not go over it in class, but it’s the clearest possible statement of what the professor is looking for in the paper. If it’s wordy, it may seem like those online “terms and conditions” that we routinely accept without reading. But you really should read it over carefully before you begin and again as your work progresses. A lot of rubrics do have some useful specifics. Mine, for example, often contain phrases like “makes at least six error-free connections to concepts or ideas from the course,” or “gives thorough consideration to at least one plausible counter-argument.” Even less specific criteria (such as “incorporates course concepts” and “considers counter-arguments”) will tell you how you should be spending your writing time.
Even the best rubrics aren’t completely transparent. They simply can’t be. Take, for example, the AAC&U rubric discussed in Chapter 1 . It has been drafted and repeatedly revised by a multidisciplinary expert panel and tested multiple times on sample student work to ensure reliability. But it is still seems kind of vague. What is the real difference between “demonstrating a thorough understanding of context, audience, and purpose” and “demonstrating adequate consideration” of the same? It depends on the specific context. So how can you know whether you’ve done that? A big part of what you’re learning, through feedback from your professors, is to judge the quality of your writing for yourself. Your future bosses are counting on that. At this point, it is better to think of rubrics as roadmaps, displaying your destination, rather than a GPS system directing every move you make.
Behind any rubric is the essential goal of higher education: helping you take charge of your own learning, which means writing like an independently motivated scholar. Are you tasked with proposing a research paper topic? Don’t just tell the professor what you want to do, convince him or her of the salience of your topic, as if you were a scholar seeking grant money. Is it a reflection paper? Then outline both the insights you’ve gained and the intriguing questions that remain, as a scholar would. Are you writing a thesis-driven analytical paper? Then apply the concepts you’ve learned to a new problem or situation. Write as if your scholarly peers around the country are eagerly awaiting your unique insights. Descriptors like “thoroughness” or “mastery” or “detailed attention” convey the vision of student writers making the time and rigorous mental effort to offer something new to the ongoing, multi-stranded academic conversation. What your professor wants, in short, is critical thinking.
Critical thinking is one of those terms that has been used so often and in so many different ways that if often seems meaningless. It also makes one wonder, is there such a thing as uncritical thinking? If you aren’t thinking critically, then are you even thinking?
Despite the prevalent ambiguities, critical thinking actually does mean something. The Association of American Colleges and Universities usefully defines it as “a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.” [6]
That definition aligns with the best description of critical thinking I ever heard; it came from my junior high art teacher, Joe Bolger. [7] He once asked us, “What color is the ceiling?” In that withering tween tone, we reluctantly replied, “Whiiiite.” He then asked, “What color is it really?” We deigned to aim our pre-adolescent eyes upwards, and eventually began to offer more accurate answers: “Ivory?” “Yellow-ish tan.” “It’s grey in that corner.” After finally getting a few thoughtful responses, Mr. Bolger said something like, “Making good art is about drawing what you see, not what you think you’re supposed to see.” The AAC&U definition, above, essentially amounts to the same thing: taking a good look and deciding what you really think rather than relying on the first idea or assumption that comes to mind.
The critical thinking rubric produced by the AAC&U describes the relevant activities of critical thinking in more detail. To think critically, one must …
(a) “clearly state and comprehensively describe the issue or problem”,
(b) “independently interpret and evaluate sources”,
(c) “thoroughly analyze assumptions behind and context of your own or others’ ideas”,
(d) “argue a complex position and one that takes counter-arguments into account,” and
(e) “arrive at logical and well informed conclusions”. [8]
While you are probably used to providing some evidence for your claims, you can see that college-level expectations go quite a bit further. When professors assign an analytical paper, they don’t just want you to formulate a plausible-sounding argument. They want you to dig into the evidence, think hard about unspoken assumptions and the influence of context, and then explain what you really think and why.
Interestingly, the AAC&U defines critical thinking as a “habit of mind” rather than a discrete achievement. And there are at least two reasons to see critical thinking as a craft or art to pursue rather than a task to check off. First, the more you think critically, the better you get at it . As you get more and more practice in closely examining claims, their underlying logic, and alternative perspectives on the issue, it’ll begin to feel automatic. You’ll no longer make or accept claims that begin with “Everyone knows that …” or end with “That’s just human nature.” Second, just as artists and craftspersons hone their skills over a lifetime, learners continually expand their critical thinking capacities, both through the feedback they get from others and their own reflections . Artists of all kinds find satisfaction in continually seeking greater challenges. Continual reflection and improvement is part of the craft.
As soon as I see the phrase “critical thinking,” the first thing I think is more work . It always sounds as if you’re going to have to think harder and longer. But I think the AAC&U’s definition is on point, critical thinking is a habit. Seeing that phrase shouldn’t be a scary thing because by this point in many people’s college career this is an automatic response. I never expect an answer to a question to be in the text; by now I realize that my professors want to know what I have to say about something or what I have learned. In a paper or essay, the three-step thesis process explained in Chapter 3 is a tool that will help you get this information across. While you’re doing the hard work (the thinking part), this formula offers you a way to clearly state your position on a subject. It’s as simple as: make a general statement, make an arguable statement, and finally, say why it is important. This is my rule of thumb, and I would not want to start a thesis-driven paper any other way!
Critical thinking is hard work. Even those who actively choose to do it experience it as tedious, difficult, and sometimes surprisingly emotional. Nobel-prize winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman explains that our brains aren’t designed to think; rather, they’re designed to save us from having to think. [9] Our brains are great at developing routines and repertoires that enable us to accomplish fairly complex tasks like driving cars, choosing groceries, and having a conversation without thinking consciously and thoroughly about every move we make. Kahneman calls this “fast thinking.” “Slow thinking,” which is deliberate and painstaking, is something our brains seek to avoid. That built-in tendency can lead us astray. Kahneman and his colleagues often used problems like this one in experiments to gauge how people used fast and slow thinking in different contexts: [10]
A bat and ball cost $1.10.
The bat costs one dollar more than the ball.
How much does the ball cost?
Most people automatically say the ball costs $0.10. However, if the bat costs $1 more, than the bat would cost $1.10 leading to the incorrect total of $1.20. The ball costs $0.05. Kahneman notes, “Many thousands of university students have answered the bat-and-ball puzzle, and the results are shocking. More than 50% of students at Harvard, MIT, and Princeton gave the intuitive—incorrect—answer.” These and other results confirm that “many people are overconfident, prone to place too much faith in their intuitions.” [11] Thinking critically—thoroughly questioning your immediate intuitive responses—is difficult work, but every organization and business in the world needs people who can do that effectively. Some students assume that an unpleasant critical thinking experience means that they’re either doing something wrong or that it’s an inherently uninteresting (and oppressive) activity. While we all relish those times when we’re pleasantly absorbed in a complex activity (what psychologist Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi calls “flow” [12] ), the more tedious experiences can also bring satisfaction, sort of like a good work-out.
Critical thinking can also be emotionally challenging, researchers have found. Facing a new realm of uncertainty and contradiction without relying on familiar assumptions is inherently anxiety-provoking because when you’re doing it, you are, by definition, incompetent. Recent research has highlighted that both children and adults need to be able to regulate their own emotions in order to cope with the challenges of building competence in a new area. [13] The kind of critical thinking your professors are looking for—that is, pursuing a comprehensive, multi-faceted exploration in order to arrive at an arguable, nuanced argument—is inevitably a struggle and it may be an emotional one. Your best bet is to find ways to make those processes as efficient, pleasant, and effective as you can .
The thing no one tells you when you get to college is that critical thinking papers are professors’ favorites. College is all about learning how to think individual thoughts so you’ll have to do quite a few of them. Have no fear though; they do get easier with time. The first step? Think about what you want to focus on in the paper (aka your thesis) and go with it.
Kaethe Leonard
As Chapter 1 explains, the demands students face are not at all unique to their academic pursuits. Professional working roles demand critical thinking, as 81% of major employers reported in an AAC&U-commissioned survey , [14] and it’s pretty easy to imagine how critical thinking helps one make much better decisions in all aspects of life. Embrace it. And just as athletes, artists, and writers sustain their energy and inspiration for hard work by interacting with others who share these passions, look to others in the scholarly community—your professors and fellow students—to keep yourself engaged in these ongoing intellectual challenges. While writing time is often solitary, it’s meant to plug you into a vibrant academic community. What your professors want, overall, is for you to join them in asking and pursuing important questions about the natural, social, and creative worlds.
Writing in College Copyright © 2016 by Amy Guptill is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine
Assignments are a common method of assessment at university and require careful planning and good quality research. Developing critical thinking and writing skills are also necessary to demonstrate your ability to understand and apply information about your topic. It is not uncommon to be unsure about the processes of writing assignments at university.
This chapter has a collection of resources that will provide you with the skills and strategies to understand assignment requirements and effectively plan, research, write and edit your assignments. It begins with an explanation of how to analyse an assignment task and start putting your ideas together. It continues by breaking down the components of academic writing and exploring the elements you will need to master in your written assignments. This is followed by a discussion of paraphrasing and synthesis, and how you can use these strategies to create a strong, written argument. The chapter concludes with useful checklists for editing and proofreading to help you get the best possible mark for your work.
It is important that before you begin researching and writing your assignments you spend sufficient time understanding all the requirements. This will help make your research process more efficient and effective. Check your subject information such as task sheets, criteria sheets and any additional information that may be in your subject portal online. Seek clarification from your lecturer or tutor if you are still unsure about how to begin your assignments.
The task sheet typically provides key information about an assessment including the assignment question. It can be helpful to scan this document for topic, task and limiting words to ensure that you fully understand the concepts you are required to research, how to approach the assignment, and the scope of the task you have been set. These words can typically be found in your assignment question and are outlined in more detail in the two tables below (see Table 19.1 and Table 19.2 ).
Topic words | These are words and concepts you have to research and write about. |
Task words | These will tell you how to approach the assignment and structure the information you find in your research (e.g., discuss, analyse). |
Limiting words | These words define the scope of the assignment, e.g., Australian perspectives, relevant codes or standards or a specific timeframe. |
Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the task word requires you to address.
Give reasons for or explain something has occurred. This task directs you to consider contributing factors to a certain situation or event. You are expected to make a decision about why these occurred, not just describe the events. | the factors that led to the global financial crisis. | |
Consider the different elements of a concept, statement or situation. Show the different components and show how they connect or relate. Your structure and argument should be logical and methodical. | the political, social and economic impacts of climate change. | |
Make a judgement on a topic or idea. Consider its reliability, truth and usefulness. In your judgement, consider both the strengths and weaknesses of the opposing arguments to determine your topic’s worth (similar to evaluate). | the efficacy of cogitative behavioural therapy (CBT) for the treatment of depression. | |
Divide your topic into categories or sub-topics logically (could possibly be part of a more complex task). | the artists studied this semester according to the artistic periods they best represent. Then choose one artist and evaluate their impact on future artists. | |
State your opinion on an issue or idea. You may explain the issue or idea in more detail. Be objective and support your opinion with reliable evidence. | the government’s proposal to legalise safe injecting rooms. | |
Show the similarities and differences between two or more ideas, theories, systems, arguments or events. You are expected to provide a balanced response, highlighting similarities and differences. | the efficiency of wind and solar power generation for a construction site. | |
Point out only the differences between two or more ideas, theories, systems, arguments or events. | virtue ethics and utilitarianism as models for ethical decision making. | |
(this is often used with another task word, e.g. critically evaluate, critically analyse, critically discuss) | It does not mean to criticise, instead you are required to give a balanced account, highlighting strengths and weaknesses about the topic. Your overall judgment must be supported by reliable evidence and your interpretation of that evidence. | analyse the impacts of mental health on recidivism within youth justice. |
Provide a precise meaning of a concept. You may need to include the limits or scope of the concept within a given context. | digital disruption as it relates to productivity. | |
Provide a thorough description, emphasising the most important points. Use words to show appearance, function, process, events or systems. You are not required to make judgements. | the pathophysiology of Asthma. | |
Highlight the differences between two (possibly confusing) items. | between exothermic and endothermic reactions. | |
Provide an analysis of a topic. Use evidence to support your argument. Be logical and include different perspectives on the topic (This requires more than a description). | how Brofenbrenner’s ecological system’s theory applies to adolescence. | |
Review both positive and negative aspects of a topic. You may need to provide an overall judgement regarding the value or usefulness of the topic. Evidence (referencing) must be included to support your writing. | the impact of inclusive early childhood education programs on subsequent high school completion rates for First Nations students. | |
Describe and clarify the situation or topic. Depending on your discipline area and topic, this may include processes, pathways, cause and effect, impact, or outcomes. | the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the film industry in Australia. | |
Clarify a point or argument with examples and evidence. | how society’s attitudes to disability have changed from a medical model to a wholistic model of disability. | |
Give evidence which supports an argument or idea; show why a decision or conclusions were made. Justify may be used with other topic words, such as outline, argue. | Write a report outlining the key issues and implications of a welfare cashless debit card trial and make three recommendations for future improvements. your decision-making process for the recommendations. | |
A comprehensive description of the situation or topic which provides a critical analysis of the key issues. | Provide a of Australia's asylum policies since the Pacific Solution in 2001. | |
An overview or brief description of a topic. (This is likely to be part of a larger assessment task.) | the process for calculating the correct load for a plane. |
The criteria sheet , also known as the marking sheet or rubric, is another important document to look at before you begin your assignment. The criteria sheet outlines how your assignment will be marked and should be used as a checklist to make sure you have included all the information required.
The task or criteria sheet will also include the:
Task analysis and criteria sheets are also discussed in the chapter Managing Assessments for a more detailed discussion on task analysis, criteria sheets, and marking rubrics.
Brainstorm or concept map: List possible ideas to address each part of the assignment task based on what you already know about the topic from lectures and weekly readings.
Finding appropriate information: Learn how to find scholarly information for your assignments which is
See the chapter Working With Information for a more detailed explanation .
Academic writing tone and style.
Many of the assessment pieces you prepare will require an academic writing style. This is sometimes called ‘academic tone’ or ‘academic voice’. This section will help you to identify what is required when you are writing academically (see Table 19.3 ). The best way to understand what academic writing looks like, is to read broadly in your discipline area. Look at how your course readings, or scholarly sources, are written. This will help you identify the language of your discipline field, as well as how other writers structure their work.
Is clear, concise and well-structured | Is verbose and may use more words than are needed |
Is formal. It writes numbers under twenty in full. | Writes numbers under twenty as numerals and uses symbols such as “&” instead of writing it in full |
Is reasoned and supported (logically developed) | Uses humour (puns, sarcasm) |
Is authoritative (writes in third person- This essay argues…) | Writes in first person (I think, I found) |
Utilises the language of the field/industry/subject | Uses colloquial language e.g., mate |
Essays are a common form of assessment that you will likely encounter during your university studies. You should apply an academic tone and style when writing an essay, just as you would in in your other assessment pieces. One of the most important steps in writing an essay is constructing your thesis statement. A thesis statement tells the reader the purpose, argument or direction you will take to answer your assignment question. A thesis statement may not be relevant for some questions, if you are unsure check with your lecturer. The thesis statement:
Your thesis statement helps you to structure your essay. It plays a part in each key section: introduction, body and conclusion.
When planning and drafting assignments, it is important to consider the structure of your writing. Academic writing should have clear and logical structure and incorporate academic research to support your ideas. It can be hard to get started and at first you may feel nervous about the size of the task, this is normal. If you break your assignment into smaller pieces, it will seem more manageable as you can approach the task in sections. Refer to your brainstorm or plan. These ideas should guide your research and will also inform what you write in your draft. It is sometimes easier to draft your assignment using the 2-3-1 approach, that is, write the body paragraphs first followed by the conclusion and finally the introduction.
Clear and purposeful introductions and conclusions in assignments are fundamental to effective academic writing. Your introduction should tell the reader what is going to be covered and how you intend to approach this. Your conclusion should summarise your argument or discussion and signal to the reader that you have come to a conclusion with a final statement. These tips below are based on the requirements usually needed for an essay assignment, however, they can be applied to other assignment types.
Most writing at university will require a strong and logically structured introduction. An effective introduction should provide some background or context for your assignment, clearly state your thesis and include the key points you will cover in the body of the essay in order to prove your thesis.
Usually, your introduction is approximately 10% of your total assignment word count. It is much easier to write your introduction once you have drafted your body paragraphs and conclusion, as you know what your assignment is going to be about. An effective introduction needs to inform your reader by establishing what the paper is about and provide four basic things:
The below example demonstrates the four different elements of an introductory paragraph.
1) Information technology is having significant effects on the communication of individuals and organisations in different professions. 2) This essay will discuss the impact of information technology on the communication of health professionals. 3) First, the provision of information technology for the educational needs of nurses will be discussed. 4) This will be followed by an explanation of the significant effects that information technology can have on the role of general practitioner in the area of public health. 5) Considerations will then be made regarding the lack of knowledge about the potential of computers among hospital administrators and nursing executives. 6) The final section will explore how information technology assists health professionals in the delivery of services in rural areas . 7) It will be argued that information technology has significant potential to improve health care and medical education, but health professionals are reluctant to use it.
1 Brief background/ overview | 2 Indicates the scope of what will be covered | 3-6 Outline of the main ideas (structure) | 7 The thesis statement
Note : The examples in this document are taken from the University of Canberra and used under a CC-BY-SA-3.0 licence.
You should aim to end your assignments with a strong conclusion. Your conclusion should restate your thesis and summarise the key points you have used to prove this thesis. Finish with a key point as a final impactful statement. Similar to your introduction, your conclusion should be approximately 10% of the total assignment word length. If your assessment task asks you to make recommendations, you may need to allocate more words to the conclusion or add a separate recommendations section before the conclusion. Use the checklist below to check your conclusion is doing the right job.
Conclusion checklist
This below example demonstrates the different elements of a concluding paragraph.
1) It is evident, therefore, that not only do employees need to be trained for working in the Australian multicultural workplace, but managers also need to be trained. 2) Managers must ensure that effective in-house training programs are provided for migrant workers, so that they become more familiar with the English language, Australian communication norms and the Australian work culture. 3) In addition, Australian native English speakers need to be made aware of the differing cultural values of their workmates; particularly the different forms of non-verbal communication used by other cultures. 4) Furthermore, all employees must be provided with clear and detailed guidelines about company expectations. 5) Above all, in order to minimise communication problems and to maintain an atmosphere of tolerance, understanding and cooperation in the multicultural workplace, managers need to have an effective knowledge about their employees. This will help employers understand how their employee’s social conditioning affects their beliefs about work. It will develop their communication skills to develop confidence and self-esteem among diverse work groups. 6) The culturally diverse Australian workplace may never be completely free of communication problems, however, further studies to identify potential problems and solutions, as well as better training in cross cultural communication for managers and employees, should result in a much more understanding and cooperative environment.
1 Reference to thesis statement – In this essay the writer has taken the position that training is required for both employees and employers . | 2-5 Structure overview – Here the writer pulls together the main ideas in the essay. | 6 Final summary statement that is based on the evidence.
Note: The examples in this document are taken from the University of Canberra and used under a CC-BY-SA-3.0 licence.
Paragraph writing is a key skill that enables you to incorporate your academic research into your written work. Each paragraph should have its own clearly identified topic sentence or main idea which relates to the argument or point (thesis) you are developing. This idea should then be explained by additional sentences which you have paraphrased from good quality sources and referenced according to the recommended guidelines of your subject (see the chapter Working with Information ). Paragraphs are characterised by increasing specificity; that is, they move from the general to the specific, increasingly refining the reader’s understanding. A common structure for paragraphs in academic writing is as follows.
This is the main idea of the paragraph and should relate to the overall issue or purpose of your assignment is addressing. Often it will be expressed as an assertion or claim which supports the overall argument or purpose of your writing.
The main idea must have its meaning explained and elaborated upon. Think critically, do not just describe the idea.
These explanations must include evidence to support your main idea. This information should be paraphrased and referenced according to the appropriate referencing style of your course.
This should explain why the topic of the paragraph is relevant to the assignment question and link to the following paragraph.
Use the checklist below to check your paragraphs are clear and well formed.
Paragraph checklist
Make sure all the sentences in your paragraphs make sense. Each sentence must contain a verb to be a complete sentence. Avoid sentence fragments . These are incomplete sentences or ideas that are unfinished and create confusion for your reader. Avoid also run on sentences . This happens when you join two ideas or clauses without using the appropriate punctuation. This also confuses your meaning (See the chapter English Language Foundations for examples and further explanation).
Use transitions (linking words and phrases) to connect your ideas between paragraphs and make your writing flow. The order that you structure the ideas in your assignment should reflect the structure you have outlined in your introduction. Refer to transition words table in the chapter English Language Foundations.
Paraphrasing and synthesising are powerful tools that you can use to support the main idea of a paragraph. It is likely that you will regularly use these skills at university to incorporate evidence into explanatory sentences and strengthen your essay. It is important to paraphrase and synthesise because:
Paraphrasing is changing the writing of another author into your words while retaining the original meaning. You must acknowledge the original author as the source of the information in your citation. Follow the steps in this table to help you build your skills in paraphrasing (see Table 19.4 ).
1 | Make sure you understand what you are reading. Look up keywords to understand their meanings. |
2 | Record the details of the source so you will be able to cite it correctly in text and in your reference list. |
3 | Identify words that you can change to synonyms (but do not change the key/topic words). |
4 | Change the type of word in a sentence (for example change a noun to a verb or vice versa). |
5 | Eliminate unnecessary words or phrases from the original that you don’t need in your paraphrase. |
6 | Change the sentence structure (for example change a long sentence to several shorter ones or combine shorter sentences to form a longer sentence). |
Please note that these examples and in text citations are for instructional purposes only.
Original text
Health care professionals assist people often when they are at their most vulnerable . To provide the best care and understand their needs, workers must demonstrate good communication skills . They must develop patient trust and provide empathy to effectively work with patients who are experiencing a variety of situations including those who may be suffering from trauma or violence, physical or mental illness or substance abuse (French & Saunders, 2018).
Poor quality paraphrase example
This is a poor example of paraphrasing. Some synonyms have been used and the order of a few words changed within the sentences however the colours of the sentences indicate that the paragraph follows the same structure as the original text.
Health care sector workers are often responsible for vulnerable patients. To understand patients and deliver good service , they need to be excellent communicators . They must establish patient rapport and show empathy if they are to successfully care for patients from a variety of backgrounds and with different medical, psychological and social needs (French & Saunders, 2018).
A good quality paraphrase example
This example demonstrates a better quality paraphrase. The author has demonstrated more understanding of the overall concept in the text by using the keywords as the basis to reconstruct the paragraph. Note how the blocks of colour have been broken up to see how much the structure has changed from the original text.
Empathetic communication is a vital skill for health care workers. Professionals in these fields are often responsible for patients with complex medical, psychological and social needs. Empathetic communication assists in building rapport and gaining the necessary trust to assist these vulnerable patients by providing appropriate supportive care (French & Saunders, 2018).
The good quality paraphrase example demonstrates understanding of the overall concept in the text by using key words as the basis to reconstruct the paragraph. Note how the blocks of colour have been broken up, which indicates how much the structure has changed from the original text.
What is synthesising?
Synthesising means to bring together more than one source of information to strengthen your argument. Once you have learnt how to paraphrase the ideas of one source at a time, you can consider adding additional sources to support your argument. Synthesis demonstrates your understanding and ability to show connections between multiple pieces of evidence to support your ideas and is a more advanced academic thinking and writing skill.
Follow the steps in this table to improve your synthesis techniques (see Table 19.5 ).
1 | Check your referencing guide to learn how to correctly reference more than one author at a time in your paper. |
2 | While taking notes for your research, try organising your notes into themes. This way you can keep similar ideas from different authors together. |
3 | Identify similar language and tone used by authors so that you can group similar ideas together. |
4 | Synthesis can not only be about grouping ideas together that are similar, but also those that are different. See how you can contrast authors in your writing to also strengthen your argument. |
Example of synthesis
There is a relationship between academic procrastination and mental health outcomes. Procrastination has been found to have a negative effect on students’ well-being (Balkis, & Duru, 2016). Yerdelen, McCaffrey, and Klassens’ (2016) research results suggested that there was a positive association between procrastination and anxiety. This was corroborated by Custer’s (2018) findings which indicated that students with higher levels of procrastination also reported greater levels of the anxiety. Therefore, it could be argued that procrastination is an ineffective learning strategy that leads to increased levels of distress.
Topic sentence | Statements using paraphrased evidence | Critical thinking (student voice) | Concluding statement – linking to topic sentence
This example demonstrates a simple synthesis. The author has developed a paragraph with one central theme and included explanatory sentences complete with in-text citations from multiple sources. Note how the blocks of colour have been used to illustrate the paragraph structure and synthesis (i.e., statements using paraphrased evidence from several sources). A more complex synthesis may include more than one citation per sentence.
What does this mean.
Throughout your university studies, you may be asked to ‘argue’ a particular point or position in your writing. You may already be familiar with the idea of an argument, which in general terms means to have a disagreement with someone. Similarly, in academic writing, if you are asked to create an argument, this means you are asked to have a position on a particular topic, and then justify your position using evidence.
In order to create a good and effective argument, you need to be able to:
For tips on how to read and write critically, refer to the chapter Thinking for more information. A formula for developing a strong argument is presented below.
As can be seen from the figure above, including evidence is a key element of a good argument. While this may seem like a straightforward task, it can be difficult to think of wording to express your argument. The table below provides examples of how you can illustrate your argument in academic writing (see Table 19.6 ).
Introducing your argument | • This paper will argue/claim that... • ...is an important factor/concept/idea/ to consider because... • … will be argued/outlined in this paper. |
Introducing evidence for your argument | • Smith (2014) outlines that.... • This evidence demonstrates that... • According to Smith (2014)… • For example, evidence/research provided by Smith (2014) indicates that... |
Giving the reason why your point/evidence is important | • Therefore this indicates... • This evidence clearly demonstrates.... • This is important/significant because... • This data highlights... |
Concluding a point | • Overall, it is clear that... • Therefore, … are reasons which should be considered because... • Consequently, this leads to.... • The research presented therefore indicates... |
Once you have finished writing your first draft it is recommended that you spend time revising your work. Proofreading and editing are two different stages of the revision process.
As can be seen in the figure above there are four main areas that you should review during the editing phase of the revision process. The main things to consider when editing include content, structure, style, and sources. It is important to check that all the content relates to the assignment task, the structure is appropriate for the purposes of the assignment, the writing is academic in style, and that sources have been adequately acknowledged. Use the checklist below when editing your work.
Editing checklist
There are also several key things to look out for during the proofreading phase of the revision process. In this stage it is important to check your work for word choice, grammar and spelling, punctuation and referencing errors. It can be easy to mis-type words like ‘from’ and ‘form’ or mix up words like ‘trail’ and ‘trial’ when writing about research, apply American rather than Australian spelling, include unnecessary commas or incorrectly format your references list. The checklist below is a useful guide that you can use when proofreading your work.
Proofreading checklist
This chapter has examined the experience of writing assignments. It began by focusing on how to read and break down an assignment question, then highlighted the key components of essays. Next, it examined some techniques for paraphrasing and summarising, and how to build an argument. It concluded with a discussion on planning and structuring your assignment and giving it that essential polish with editing and proof-reading. Combining these skills and practising them, can greatly improve your success with this very common form of assessment.
Academic Skills Centre. (2013). Writing an introduction and conclusion . University of Canberra, accessed 13 August, 2013, http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/conclusions
Balkis, M., & Duru, E. (2016). Procrastination, self-regulation failure, academic life satisfaction, and affective well-being: underregulation or misregulation form. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 31 (3), 439-459.
Custer, N. (2018). Test anxiety and academic procrastination among prelicensure nursing students. Nursing education perspectives, 39 (3), 162-163.
Yerdelen, S., McCaffrey, A., & Klassen, R. M. (2016). Longitudinal examination of procrastination and anxiety, and their relation to self-efficacy for self-regulated learning: Latent growth curve modeling. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16 (1).
Writing Assignments Copyright © 2021 by Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Gen ed writes, writing across the disciplines at harvard college.
Gen Ed courses transcend disciplinary boundaries in a variety of ways, so the types of writing assignments that they include also often venture outside the traditional discipline-specific essays. You may encounter a wide variety of assignment types in Gen Ed, but most can be categorized into four general types:
Traditional academic.
For most of us, these are the most familiar types of college-level writing assignments. While they are perhaps less common in Gen Ed than in departmental courses, there are still numerous examples we could examine.
Two illustrations of common types include:
Example 1: Short Essay Professor Michael Sandel asks the students in his Gen Ed course on Tech Ethics to write several short essays over the course of the semester in which they make an argument in response to the course readings. Because many students will never have written a philosophy-style paper, Professor Sandel offers students a number of resources—from a guide on writing in philosophy, to sample graded essays, to a list of logical fallacies—to keep in mind.
Example 2: Research Paper In Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Cares?, a Gen Ed course co-taught by multiple global health faculty members, students write a 12–15 page research paper on a biosocial analysis of a global health topic of their choosing for the final assignment. The assignment is broken up into two parts: (1) a proposal with annotated bibliography and (2) the final paper itself. The prompt clearly outlines the key qualities and features of a successful paper, which is especially useful for students who have not yet written a research paper in the sciences.
In Gen Ed, sometimes assignments ask students to engage in academic work that, while familiar to faculty, is beyond the scope of the typical undergraduate experience.
Here are a couple of examples from Gen Ed courses:
Example 1: Design a conference For the final project in her Gen Ed course, Global Feminisms, Professor Durba Mitra asks her students to imagine a dream conference in the style of the feminist conferences they studied in class. Students are asked to imagine conference panels and events, potential speakers or exhibitions, and advertising materials. While conferences are a normal occurrence for graduate students and professors, undergraduates are much less likely to be familiar with this part of academic life, and this kind of assignment might require more specific background and instructions as part of the prompt.
Example 2: Curate a museum exhibit In his Gen Ed class, Pyramid Schemes, Professor Peter Der Manuelian's final project offers students the option of designing a virtual museum exhibit . While exhibit curation can be a part of the academic life of an anthropologist or archaeologist, it's not often found in introductory undergraduate courses. In addition to selecting objects and creating a virtual exhibit layout, students also wrote an annotated bibliography as well as an exhibit introduction for potential visitors.
One of the goals of Gen Ed is to encourage students to engage with the world around them. Sometimes writing assignments in Gen Ed directly mirror types of writing that students are likely to encounter in real-world, non-academic settings after they graduate.
The following are several examples of such assignments:
Example 1: Policy memo In Power and Identity in the Middle East, Professor Melani Cammett assigns students a group policy memo evaluating "a major initiative aimed at promoting democracy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)." The assignment prompt is actually structured as a memo, providing context for students who likely lack experience with the format. It also outlines the key characteristics of a good memo, and it provides extensive advice on the process—especially important when students are working in groups.
Example 2: Letter In Loss, Professor Kathleen Coleman asks students to write a letter of condolence . The letter has an unusual audience: a mother elephant who lost her calf. Since students may not have encountered this type of writing before, Professor Coleman also provides students with advice on process, pointing to some course readings that might be a good place to start. She also suggests a list of outside resources to help students get into the mindframe of addressing an elephant.
Example 3: Podcast Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular in Gen Ed classes, as they are in the real world. Though they're ultimately audio file outputs, they usually require writing and preparing a script ahead of time. For example, in Music from Earth, Professor Alex Rehding asks students to create a podcast in which they make an argument about a song studied in class. He usefully breaks up the assignments into two parts: (1) researching the song and preparing a script and (2) recording and making sonic choices about the presentation, offering students the opportunity to get feedback on the first part before moving onto the second.
These are the types of assignments that perhaps are less obviously "writing" assignments. They usually involve an artistic or otherwise creative component, but they also often include some kind of written introduction or artist statement related to the work.
The following are several examples from recently offered Gen Ed courses:
Example 1: Movie Professor Peter Der Manuelian offers students in his class, Pyramid Schemes, several options for the final project, one of which entails creating a 5–8 minute iMovie making an argument about one of the themes of the course. Because relatively few students have prior experience making films, the teaching staff provide students with a written guide to making an iMovie as well as ample opportunities for tech support. In addition to preparing a script as part of the production, students also submit both an annotated bibliography and an artist’s statement.
Example 2: Calligram In his course, Understanding Islam and Contemporary Muslim Societies, Professor Ali Asani asks students to browse through a provided list of resources about calligrams, which are an important traditional Islamic art form. Then they are required to "choose a concept or symbol associated with God in the Islamic tradition and attempt to represent it through a calligraphic design using the word Allah," in any medium they wish. Students also write a short explanation to accompany the design itself.
Example 3: Soundscape In Music from Earth, Professor Alex Rehding has students create a soundscape . The soundscape is an audio file which involves layering sounds from different sources to create a single piece responding to an assigned question (e.g. "What sounds are characteristic of your current geographical region?"). Early on, as part of the development of the soundscape, students submit an artist's statement that explains the plan for the soundscape, the significance of the sounds, and the intention of the work.
Assignment Decoder
Welcome to this informative article that will guide you on how to write an effective email for the submission of your assignment. If you’re unsure about how to draft an email for submitting your assignment, this article is here to help you!
Table of Contents
What to include in the email.
When composing your email for assignment submission, it’s important to include the following parts:
Choose a subject line that clearly indicates the purpose of your email. For example, “Assignment Submission – [Course Name]”. This helps the recipient identify the email’s content quickly.
Begin your email with a polite and professional greeting, such as “Dear Professor [Last Name],” or “Hi [Instructor’s Name],”. Use the appropriate salutation based on your relationship with the recipient.
In the body of the email, mention any relevant details or specific instructions provided by your instructor. Clearly state that you are submitting your assignment and acknowledge the due date. If there are any additional comments or questions related to the assignment, include them here.
End your email with a courteous closing, such as “Thank you,” or “Best regards,” followed by your full name and contact information. This shows professionalism and makes it easy for the recipient to respond if necessary.
Subject: Assignment Submission – [Course Name] Dear Professor/Instructor [Last Name], I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to submit my assignment for the [Course Name]. The assignment is attached in the required format. I have completed the assignment as per the given guidelines and it is ready for submission. The due date for the assignment is [Due Date]. If you have any further instructions or clarifications, please let me know. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Best regards, [Your Full Name] [Your Contact Information]
Watch CBS News
By James LaPorta
Updated on: August 9, 2024 / 12:40 AM EDT / CBS News
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz 's military record has come under renewed scrutiny following Vice President Kamala Harris' announcement of Walz as her running mate on the Democratic ticket.
On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, who is an Iraq War veteran, seized the opportunity to target his opponent's military record, resurfacing claims about his deployments and his retirement from the guard.
Walz served honorably in both the Nebraska and Minnesota Army National Guards, earning medals and deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. But his final days of service have been called into question, centering on his rank and if he retired to avoid a 2005 deployment to Iraq.
A CBS News review of Walz's military record and statements from the Minnesota Army National Guard show Walz achieved the rank of command sergeant major but was reduced in rank to master sergeant after retirement since he had not completed coursework for the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.
On Iraq, records show Walz had retired before his battalion was mobilized and deployed to Iraq. A 2005 statement from his website indicates Walz was initially prepared to deploy to Iraq amid his bid for Congress. CBS News has asked Walz for comment on when he decided to retire.
Walz retired from the Minnesota Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery in 2005 after more than 24 years in service, the Minnesota Army National Guard told CBS News.
Walz first enlisted in the Nebraska Army National Guard in April 1981, serving as an infantry senior sergeant and administrative specialist. In 1996, Walz transferred to the Minnesota Army National Guard, where he first worked as a cannon crewmember and field artillery senior sergeant.
Minnesota National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Kristen Augé told CBS News that Walz "held multiple positions within field artillery such as firing battery chief, operations sergeant, first sergeant, and culminated his career serving as the command sergeant major for the battalion."
Walz earned several Army commendation and achievement medals during his more than 24 years of service.
Walz deployed in August 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Minnesota National Guard told CBS News the battalion supported security missions at various locations in Europe and Turkey. Walz was stationed at Vicenza, Italy, at the time and returned to Minnesota in April 2004.
On Wednesday, Vance resurfaced claims that Walz retired from the National Guard to avoid deploying to Iraq.
"When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country I did it. I did what they asked me to do, and I did it honorably and I'm very proud of that service," said Vance.
He added: "When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him — a fact that he's been criticized for aggressively by a lot of the people he served with."
The Harris-Walz campaign responded with a statement saying: "After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he [served as the ranking member] of Veterans Affairs and was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform — and as Vice President of the United States he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families." The statement incorrectly stated Walz chaired the Veterans Affairs committee.
The campaign also said, "In his 24 years of service, the Governor carried, fired and trained others to use weapons of war innumerable times. Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American's service to this country -- in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It's the American way."
The claims raised by Vance first gained prominence when Walz ran for governor of Minnesota in 2018. At the time, retired Army veterans Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr, who both served as command sergeant majors, posted on Facebook a lengthy letter accusing Walz of "embellishing" his military career and abandoning his Army National Guard battalion ahead of a 2005 deployment to Iraq.
In the letter, Behrends and Herr write that in early 2005, Walz's unit — 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery — was slated to deploy to Iraq. At the time, Walz was serving as the unit's command sergeant major.
Behrends and Herr claimed that from the time the unit was told to prepare for an Iraq deployment and when Walz retired, he told other Army leaders he would be going to Iraq but later resigned his position before the deployment to avoid going to a combat zone.
Walz has said he left the guard to run for Congress, according to the Star Tribune . In 2006, Walz won his election to Congress against a six-term Republican incumbent.
Records show Walz officially filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Feb. 10, 2005.
In March 2005, the National Guard announced a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard, according to an archived press release from Tim Walz for U.S. Congress.
"I do not yet know if my artillery unit will be part of this mobilization and I am unable to comment further on the specifics of the deployment," said Walz in the March 2005 statement .
The statement continued: "As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or Iraq," said Walz, who indicated at the time he had no plans to drop out of the race. "I am fortunate to have a strong group of enthusiastic support and a very dedicated and intelligent wife. Both will be a major part of my campaign, whether I am in Minnesota or Iraq."
The Minnesota Army National Guard told CBS News that Walz retired on May 16, 2005. CBS News has asked Walz to clarify when he submitted his retirement papers.
The Minnesota National Guard told CBS News that Walz's unit — 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery — received an alert order for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005 – two months after Walz retired, according to Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, who serves as the Minnesota National Guard's director of operations. The official mobilization order was received on August 14 of the same year, and the unit mobilized in October.
CBS News reviewed the deployment history for the Minnesota Army National Guard which shows that in the fall of 2005, 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery was mobilized in preparation for a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion trained at Camp Shelby in Mississippi and deployed to Iraq as a motorized security task force.
In 2018, Tom Hagen, a military reservist who served in Iraq, wrote a letter to The Winona Daily News claiming Walz was not being candid about his service record and wanted people to know that the future Minnesota governor did not serve in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Walz responded in the same newspaper and criticized Hagan as dishonoring a fellow veteran, according to MPR News. Walz wrote: "There's a code of honor among those who've served, and normally this type of partisan political attack only comes from one who's never worn a uniform."
Joseph Eustice, a 32-year veteran of the guard who also led Walz's battalion, told CBS Minnesota that while he doesn't agree with Walz's politics, he does believe Walz's record in the military is sound.
"Tim Walz as a soldier, he was a good soldier. I don't think anyone can honestly say that he wasn't," Eustice said. "...He was a good leader in those 24 years that he served."
Official biographies on the Minnesota government website and Vice President Kamala Harris' website have described Walz as a "retired Command Sergeant Major." However, documents reviewed by CBS News show this is not accurate; while Walz served at one point as a command sergeant major, he retired at a lower rank.
Army veteran Anthony Anderson, who routinely obtains military records from the Defense Department using the Freedom of Information Act and has worked with CBS News on similar stories, provided Walz's records for review. CBS News has also requested the documents from the National Guard.
One of the documents shows Walz reverted back to master sergeant from command sergeant major when he retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005.
Army soldiers promoted to the rank of sergeant major or command sergeant major are required to attend the Sergeants Major Course, or what was formerly known as the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.
Lt. Col. Augé, the Minnesota National Guard spokesperson, told CBS News that Walz retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for "benefit purposes" because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.
While Walz can say he served as a command sergeant major in the Minnesota Army National Guard, his official biographies are incorrect in referring to him as a "retired Command Sergeant Major."
On Aug. 8, the campaign website updated its description of his service. It omits his rank upon retirement and now reads, "The son of an Army veteran who served as a command sergeant major, Walz was the ranking member on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, where he passed legislation to help stem veterans' suicides."
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to address an error in the statement from the Harris-Walz campaign.
Caroline Cummings contributed to this report.
James LaPorta is a verification producer with CBS News Confirmed. He is a former U.S. Marine infantryman and veteran of the Afghanistan war.
Sara Swann, PolitiFact Sara Swann, PolitiFact
Leave your feedback
This fact check originally appeared on PolitiFact .
Republican vice presidential nominee and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance sought to negatively frame the 24-year military career of newly minted Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, Minnesota’s current governor.
“When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it,” Vance said Aug. 7 at the Shelby, Michigan, police department. Vance served as a combat correspondent for the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007 and deployed to Iraq for six months in 2005 but did not experience combat .
Vance continued, “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him. … I think it’s shameful.” At a different event, Vance used the phrase “ stolen valor ” to describe his accusations against Walz.
On X, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, made a claim similar to Vance’s, writing, “Tim Walz TURNED HIS BACK on the soldiers in his unit because he was TOO afraid to deploy to Iraq!!”
READ MORE: Democrats defend Walz’s military record as Vance, GOP begin attacks
Walz retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005. He had submitted retirement paperwork five to seven months beforehand, Fox News reported , citing the Minnesota National Guard.
In March 2005, Walz’s battalion had been notified about a possible deployment to Iraq within two years, Walz’s congressional campaign said in a news release that month, citing the National Guard Public Affairs Office. The Minnesota National Guard said the battalion then received an official order about mobilizing for deployment to Iraq in July 2005, after Walz retired.
Vance’s statement misleads by distorting the timeline. Walz had not been “asked by his country to go to Iraq,” as Vance said. He had been given a two-year window for a potential, not definite, deployment. And the official deployment notice came after Walz’s retirement.
Walz has said since before his Army retirement that he left to run for Congress. He filed his candidacy paperwork in February 2005, before the March 2005 notification about the potential deployment.
This is not a new line of attack. When Walz ran for a second term as Minnesota governor in 2022, his Republican opponent, who did not serve in the U.S. military, criticized Walz for leaving the National Guard before his unit deployed to Iraq.
Two retired Minnesota National Guard command sergeant majors also penned a paid letter to a Minnesota newspaper in 2018 claiming Walz “embellished and selectively omitted facts” about his military service. This letter resurfaced on X after Vice President Kamala Harris tapped Walz as her running mate. Other guard members who served with Walz have defended him.
Walz’s spokesperson in the Minnesota governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment, and the Harris-Walz campaign declined to comment.
When reached by The New York Times , a Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson didn’t provide new details about Walz’s retirement timeline and instead highlighted Walz’s record advocating for veterans and their families.
When contacted for comment, Vance’s campaign spokesperson sent links to the 2005 Walz campaign news release about the potential deployment and several news stories that quote former members of Walz’s battalion who were upset with him for not deploying to Iraq.
Walz enlisted in the Nebraska National Guard on April 8, 1981, two days after his 17th birthday. In 1996, Walz transferred to the Minnesota National Guard, where he served in the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery until he retired May 16, 2005, Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, Minnesota National Guard’s state public affairs officer, told PolitiFact in a statement.
During his service, Walz responded to floods and tornadoes, specialized in heavy artillery and was recognized for his proficiency in sharpshooting and hand grenades, Minnesota Public Radio reported .
On Aug. 3, 2003, Walz and his battalion were deployed to Italy to support U.S. operations in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom. Walz returned to Minnesota in April 2004, Augé said.
WATCH: A look at Walz’s record and how he could bolster Democratic support in the Midwest
In May 2005, Walz, then 41, officially retired from the Minnesota National Guard to campaign for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District. He filed his statement of candidacy paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Feb. 10, 2005. Walz was elected to Congress in November 2006.
Al Bonnifield, who served with Walz in the Minnesota National Guard, told Minnesota Public Radio in 2018 that Walz weighed his retirement from the guard and congressional run “very heavy.” Bonnifield reiterated this to The Washington Post on Aug. 7.
“Would the soldier look down on him because he didn’t go with us? Would the common soldier say, ‘Hey, he didn’t go with us, he’s trying to skip out on a deployment?’ And he wasn’t,” Bonnifield said in 2018.
Doug Julin, who served as a more senior command sergeant major in Walz’s battalion, said Walz went over his head to get retirement approval before the unit’s deployment was official, because Julin would have “analyzed it and challenged him,” the New York Post reported Aug. 8.
Others who served in Walz’s battalion have said he “ditched” them and his actions were “dishonorable,” Fox News reported .
Walz’s unit received an “alert order” for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005, Army Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, Minnesota National Guard’s director of operations, told PolitiFact in a statement.
The unit received the official Department of the Army mobilization order Aug. 14, 2005, and mobilized Oct. 12, 2005, Rossman said.
The unit deployed to Iraq in March 2006 and was deployed for 19 months, according to an October 2007 congressional resolution .
The two retired Minnesota National Guard command sergeant majors who wrote the 2018 letter said the battalion received a “warning order” in early 2005 “to prepare to be mobilized for active duty for a deployment to Iraq.” They did not specify the warning letter’s date. Augé of the Minnesota National Guard told PolitiFact the agency doesn’t have information about any unofficial orders that might have been sent to the battalion.
An archived March 20, 2005, press release from Walz’s congressional campaign website said the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced March 17, 2005, “a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard.” The announcement said a portion of Walz’s battalion could be mobilized to serve in Iraq within the next two years.
Walz said in his campaign’s press release, “As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington, D.C., or in Iraq. I don’t want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race.”
Although Walz had been promoted in 2004 to command sergeant major, he retired in 2005 as a master sergeant, one rank below command sergeant major, “for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy,” Augé said.
Joseph Eustice, a 32-year military veteran who served in and led the same guard unit as Walz, told The New York Times and NewsNation in Aug. 7 interviews that when Walz decided to retire in May 2005, their unit had heard rumors of a potential deployment to Iraq, but had not received official orders.
Vance said, “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him.”
Vance’s statement ignores that Walz’s unit was not officially ordered to go to Iraq until July 2005, two months after Walz officially retired.
After 24 years of military service, Walz said he retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005 to run for Congress. He had submitted retirement paperwork five to seven months beforehand. He filed candidacy paperwork in February 2005.
READ MORE: 5 things to know about Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ VP pick
There’s an element of truth in Vance’s statement because in March 2005, before Walz officially retired, his battalion was notified of possible deployment to Iraq within two years. Walz was aware at the time of his retirement that deployment could be possible and one of his fellow guard members described Walz’s retirement decision as “very heavy.”
But the March 2005 notification gave a time frame of two years for a possible — not definite — deployment that would not occur immediately, which is the way Vance’s statement framed it.
At PolitiFact, the burden of proof is on the speaker, Vance, who did not provide details to support his statement. We rate it Mostly False.
PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.
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Mr. Walz, the governor of Minnesota, worked as a high school social studies teacher and football coach, served in the Army National Guard and chooses Diet Mountain Dew over alcohol.
By Simon J. Levien and Maggie Astor
Until recently, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota was a virtual unknown outside of the Midwest, even among Democrats. But his stock rose fast in the days after President Biden withdrew from the race, clearing a path for Ms. Harris to replace him and pick Mr. Walz as her No. 2.
Here’s a closer look at the Democrats’ new choice for vice president.
1. He is a (very recent) social media darling . Mr. Walz has enjoyed a groundswell of support online from users commenting on his Midwestern “dad vibes” and appealing ordinariness.
2. He started the whole “weird” thing. It was Mr. Walz who labeled former President Donald J. Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, “weird” on cable television just a couple of weeks ago. The description soon became a Democratic talking point.
3. He named a highway after Prince and signed the bill in purple ink. “I think we can lay to rest that this is the coolest bill signing we’ll ever do,” he said as he put his name on legislation declaring a stretch of Highway 5 the “Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway” after the musician who had lived in Minnesota.
4. He reminds you of your high school history teacher for a reason. Mr. Walz taught high school social studies and geography — first in Alliance, Neb., and then in Mankato, Minn. — before entering politics.
5. He taught in China in 1989 and speaks some Mandarin. He went to China for a year after graduating from college and taught English there through a program affiliated with Harvard University.
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I am learning English and feeling very difficulty in framing sentence. I need following sentences into proper sentence please help me in this.
Yesterday my manager as assigned some work to do and today I completed that work. I have to inform my manager that I completed the task and attached the documents regarding assignment.
I'm interpreting your question as to how to inform your manager you have done what he asked you to do. Hence,
I've completed the work/task/project/assignment you required and attached the necessary documents.
As I answered on the other site already, a simple solution is almost what you wrote:
Dear [manager], I completed the task and attached the documents related to the assignment.
If you want to elaborate a bit, you could write something like:
Dear [manager], I have finished the assignment you gave me yesterday. Please find attached the documents I prepared for this assignment. Kind regards, Praveen
I'll offer an edited version of your whole question just in case that helps; your English is pretty clear already!
I am learning English and experiencing a lot of difficulty in framing a sentence. I need to edit the following sentences into proper sentences. Please help me with this. Yesterday, my manager assigned me some work to do, and today I completed that work. I have to inform my manger that I completed the task, and have attached the documents regarding the assignment.
Walz served in the minnesota national guard for 24 years before leaving to run for congress., alex kasprak, published aug. 12, 2024.
During an Aug. 7, 2024, campaign rally in Michigan, GOP U.S. vice presidential candidate JD Vance reopened a series of old attacks against his Democratic counterpart, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, challenging his military record. "When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did?" Vance said at the rally. "He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him."
All told, Vance's statements have placed renewed focus on three allegations that have previously been leveled against Walz by political opponents:
He "abandoned" his National Guard unit right before he would have been deployed to Iraq.
He has lied about serving "in war."
He has lied about the rank at which he retired.
Walz has faced these allegations from the same small group of local politicians and former Minnesota National Guardsmen in virtually every election he has participated in since his first campaign for Congress in 2006. In 2018, when he was running for governor of Minnesota, two former members of Walz's unit wrote an open letter that went viral then , and which resurfaced in 2024:
When the nation called, he quit. He failed to complete the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. He failed to serve for two years following completion of the academy, which he dropped out of. He failed to serve two years after the conditional promotion to Command Sergeant Major. He failed to fulfill the full six years of the enlistment he signed on September 18th, 2001. He failed his country. He failed his state. He failed the Minnesota Army National Guard, the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion, and his fellow Soldiers. And he failed to lead by example. Shameful.
Here, Snopes dissects each allegation:
Walz served in the Army National Guard for 24 years , joining the Nebraska Guard at age 17. He underwent basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, that year, in 1981. He returned for his senior year of high school while drilling with his unit. Service in the National Guard involves an initial period of training, then a commitment of one weekend a month and two weeks a year of exercises and training.
Walz became an artillery specialist and helped train soldiers on the use of field artillery weapons. He met his wife and moved with her to Minnesota in 1996, continuing his teaching and military careers in parallel. With that move, he transferred to a National Guard outfit based near his new job — 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery Unit, or the 1-125th FA. He rose through the ranks, as he described in a 2009 Library of Congress interview :
I taught sixth-grade history for a while teaching in Nebraska. That's where I met my wife, and she moved me back to Minnesota … . I said as far as guard units, you're able to transfer to ones. And they found me one near my hometown in Mankato, Minnesota, where I was moving with my wife that was a field artillery unit in St. James, Minnesota. So I joined the 1st [Battalion] of the 125th Field Artillery, which was part of the 34th Division, the Red Bulls, and became part of that division artillery and then moved through the ranks, everything from gunnery sergeant, chief of the firing battery, a first sergeant and then eventually being the sergeant major for the battalion.
Domestically, the battalion was involved in several natural-disaster responses: tornado cleanups, flooding disasters, and Yellowstone wildfires. Though Walz's initial commitment to the Guard ended in 2001, he re-enlisted following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. After Sept. 11, the 1-125th participated in overseas deployments, though not in combat roles.
Walz and his unit provided "force protection" at Air Force bases in Italy, demobilizing in early 2004. Upon his return from that deployment, Walz was promoted to command sergeant major, making him the most senior enlisted member of the 1-125th.
In early 2005 , Walz announced his run for U.S. Congress. When he began his campaign, he was enlisted and considered the possibility of campaigning while on active duty or facing deployment, but later decided to retire to focus on the run. At the time , he was 41 and had a 4-year-old daughter.
The allegation that Walz "abandoned" his unit originated, in large part, from the National Guardsman who went on to take Walz's place as command sergeant major in the 1-125th and who co-wrote the aforementioned open letter. Centrally, this line of attack alleges that Walz's congressional run allowed him to avoid combat.
Walz announced his run for Congress in February 2005, before the March 17, 2005, announcement that the 1-125th would potentially be deployed to Iraq. While Walz did announce his intention to run before that announcement , it is certainly possible he knew his unit was likely to see action in Iraq based on increased mobilization of National Guard troops for the War on Terror and due to his senior rank.
At the time of the mobilization announcement, Walz said he was still considering remaining enlisted during his campaign. Ultimately, he decided to retire. Though it is unclear when he filed his decision to retire, May 17, 2005, was his last day with the Guard. His unit deployed in March 2006.
The suggestion that a possible future combat deployment played a role in his decision to retire is speculative, and pushed in large part by that small but vocal group of former members of the 1-125th. Others who served with Walz disagree, saying he had every right to retire when he did. As the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported , for example :
Joseph Eustice, a 32-year veteran of the guard who led the same battalion as Walz, said the governor fulfilled his duty. "He was a great soldier," Eustice said. "When he chose to leave, he had every right to leave." Eustice said claims to the contrary are ill-informed and possibly sour grapes by a soldier who was passed over for the promotion to command sergeant major that went to Walz. … Like Walz, Eustice said that he also left in the middle of a six-year re-enrollment because members are free to leave at any time after their initial six-year stint. "If you choose to re-up, you can walk in any day and be done," Eustice said.
Other former members of the unit who remember Walz have also spoken highly of him, as reported by Minnesota Public Radio in 2022:
Jeff Bertrang outranked Walz in the unit and retired as a brigadier general. Now the New Ulm schools superintendent, Bertrang has a fond recollection of Sgt. Walz. "His willingness to learn and to inspire others, he had a go-get-em' attitude," Bertrang said. "It wasn't sit back and wait to see what happens." They spent time stationed together in the far reaches of Norway, where Guard troops trained with NATO allies, doing drills in the snow in 30-below-zero temperatures. Bertrang said Walz was good at putting his colleagues at ease and demonstrated an appreciation for varying viewpoints and differing backgrounds, all of which could transfer to politics.
The Minnesota National Guard, which could have blocked his retirement, had no objections to his leaving at the time he did, an official with the Guard told The Washington Post in August 2024.
In describing his time in the military, Walz has never claimed to have served in any combat role. He makes this point explicit in nearly all published interviews on the subject. Speaking during his 2009 Library of Congress interview about his unit's deployment in a support role during Operation Enduring Freedom, for example, Walz described some of his men's disappointment at their noncombat assignment:
We were under the assumption we could fire artillery [during Operation Enduring Freedom]. That's what we had trained for. … All of us, first and foremost, were infantry and all of us did need to provide whatever was required of us. So we ended up providing part of the … base security for Air Force bases. … And I think in the beginning, many of my troops were disappointed.
Some conservative outlets, such as the Washington Free Beacon, have argued that Walz's statements about his deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom misleadingly suggest he claimed to have served in Afghanistan. Walz has never made such a claim, though, and he has always described his 2003 deployment as one that supported security operations at U.S. Air Force bases in Europe.
The closest thing to a statement made by Walz suggesting he is a combat veteran comes from a 2018 statement he made as governor of Minnesota when he advocated for tighter gun-control legislation: "We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war." The Harris campaign recently shared the statement on X and other social media platforms.
Walz's phrasing here is inaccurate, as he did not carry weapons "in war." Though he was exposed to enough percussive power from the artillery he trained on, and taught others how to use, to require ear surgery later in life , he did not handle those weapons of war in an actual war.
On Aug. 9, 2024, a Harriz-Walz campaign spokesperson told The Washington Post that Walz "misspoke," explaining:
In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke. He did handle weapons of war and believes strongly that only military members trained to carry those deadly weapons should have access to them, unlike Donald Trump and JD Vance who prioritize the gun lobby over our children.
His language in this instance was imprecise and potentially misleading, but it requires a literal reading of a rhetorical point about gun violence to cast this statement as his claiming the status as combat veteran in light of his transparency on the topic elsewhere.
The dispute about Walz's rank is, at its core, a semantic one. When Walz was promoted to command sergeant major on Sept. 17, 2004, his promotion was conditional on his completing certain training. It is not uncommon for such promotions to precede the required training. He began, but did not complete , training for this role at that time, as described by the military-focused media outlet Task and Purpose:
The course Walz failed to complete was a 750-hour course in the Army's Sergeants Major Academy, which would have included 86 hours in residence at Ft. Bliss, Texas. Completing the course is mandatory for E-9s, though completing the training after being promoted is not uncommon.
Regardless, Walz served for seven months as command sergeant major. When he decided to retire, he left without completing that training. As a result, his official retirement rank is a step lower. The demotion occurred after he left, and it was administrative, not punitive . The change primarily affects Walz's military-retirement package.
The Minnesota National Guard has regularly stated that it is appropriate for Walz to say he "served as" command sergeant major. Capt. Holly Rockow, a public affairs officer for the Minnesota National Guard, told Minnesota Public Radio in 2018 that it "is legitimate for Walz to say he served as a command sergeant major."
Walz's opponents take umbrage with Walz saying he is a retired command sergeant major due to this demotion. On Aug. 8, 2024, the Harris campaign, which had originally described Walz as a "retired command sergeant major" on its website, changed the language to more accurately state that he served at the rank of command sergeant major.
A minority of veterans from the 1-125th, as well as political activists, begrudge Walz for retiring in 2005 before a long deployment in Iraq, and for using the phrase "retired as" a command sergeant major. The National Guard accepted his retirement without issue at the time and has stated that he did "serve as" a command sergeant major. Despite characterizations to the contrary, Walz has never explicitly claimed to have served in combat.
Walz served honorably in the National Guard for 24 years, and served (but did not retire) at the highest rank possible for an enlisted man. As a soldier he participated in disaster-relief deployments domestically and provided security assistance at European U.S. Air Force bases during Operation Enduring Freedom.
"Army National Guard." Goarmy.Com, http://www.goarmy.com/content/goarmy/en/explore-the-army/army-structure/national-guard.html. Accessed 9 Aug. 2024.
Assessing Claims about Tim Walz's Military Service - The Washington Post. 9 Aug. 2024, https://web.archive.org/web/20240809132937/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/09/assessing-claims-about-walz-service/.
Britzky, Jeremy Herb, Haley. "Vance Reopens Line of Attack into Walz's Military Record as Two Veterans Now Vie to Be Vice President | CNN Politics." CNN, 7 Aug. 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/07/politics/tim-walz-military-record-vance-attack/index.html.
"'Citizen Soldier' Walz Honed Leadership in Uniform." MPR News, 3 Oct. 2018, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/10/03/tim-walz-national-guard-career-minnesota-governor-race.
Coolican, J. Patrick. Tim Walz's Campaign for Minnesota Governor Aims to Bridge the Great Divide. 14 Oct. 2018, https://www.startribune.com/tim-walz-s-campaign-for-minnesota-governor-aims-to-bridge-the-great-divide/495297961.
History of the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery. https://minnesotanationalguard.ng.mil/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1st-battalion-125th-field-artillery-history.pdf.
Nieberg, Matt White, Patty. "The 'Swift Boating' of Tim Walz Has Begun. What Is the Truth?" Task & Purpose, 7 Aug. 2024, https://taskandpurpose.com/news/swift-boat-walz/.
"Paid Letter: The Truth About Tim Walz." West Central Tribune, 2 Nov. 2018, https://www.wctrib.com/community/letters/the-truth-about-tim-walz.
Ross, Chuck. Tim Walz Falsely Claimed He Served in Afghanistan. When a Local Vet Called Him Out, His Office Did Nothing. 7 Aug. 2024, https://freebeacon.com/elections/tim-walz-falsely-claimed-he-served-in-afghanistan-when-a-local-vet-called-him-out-his-office-did-nothing/.
Senator JD Vance Campaigns in Shelby Township, Michigan | C-SPAN.Org. https://www.c-span.org/video/?537607-1/senator-jd-vance-campaigns-shelby-township-michigan. Accessed 9 Aug. 2024.
Tim Walz Congressional Biography. https://www.congress.gov/115/meeting/house/105558/witnesses/HHRG-115-HA00-Bio-WalzT-20170215.pdf.
"Timothy James Walz Collection." Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.69125/. Accessed 9 Aug. 2024.
Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime.
IMAGES
COMMENTS
I have submitted the application, and await your feedback. is correct. Present perfect tense is used, because the actions related to your application (review and decision) are in the present time frame. Past perfect would be correct if those actions were completed: I had submitted the application, but the position was already filled.
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.
Yuri was in his first year at university, studying History. He was rather a lazy student, and he tended to avoid (work) whenever he could. In the middle of the semester, his history professor gave out an assignment, due in two weeks. Yuri intended (do) the assignment, but he postponed (write) it for a week. The following week, he forgot (do) it.
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 ...
Error: He submitted his assignment, he forgot to write his name. Correction: He submitted his assignment, but he forgot to write his name. Fused Sentences. Fused sentences, like run-on sentences, are made up of two independent clauses. The difference is that in fused sentences, the clauses are completely joined without any punctuation.
Use Grammarly's free sentence checker to ensure your writing is clear, compelling, and easy to read. Just enter your text where it says "check my sentences" to check for run-on sentences, tone, clarity, and more. Step 1: Add your text, and Grammarly will underline any issues. Step 2: Hover over the underlines to see suggestions.
Reading the relevant texts closely (e.g. for literary analysis ). Collecting data using relevant research methods (e.g. experiments, interviews or surveys) From a writing perspective, the important thing is to take plenty of notes while you do the research. Keep track of the titles, authors, publication dates, and relevant quotations from your ...
2.2 Understanding the Writing Assignment: Quick Reference Robin Jeffrey; Emilie Zickel; Kathy Anders; and Terri Pantuso. Before you begin working on an essay or a writing assignment, don't forget to spend some quality time analyzing the assignment sheet. By closely reading and breaking down the assignment sheet, you are setting yourself up ...
Your professor wants to see you work through complex ideas and deepen your knowledge through the process of producing the paper. Each assignment—be it an argumentative paper, reaction paper, reflective paper, lab report, discussion question, blog post, essay exam, project proposal, or what have you—is ultimately about your learning.
Tip 3: Plan Your Work. Effective planning is a cornerstone of assignment writing. Develop a structured plan that includes creating a timeline for your assignment. Break down the work into smaller tasks, allocate sufficient time for research, outlining, drafting, and proofreading. A well-organized plan will keep you on track and reduce stress.
Each assignment—be it an argumentative paper, reaction paper, reflective paper, lab report, discussion question, blog post, essay exam, project proposal, or what have you—is ultimately about your learning. To succeed with writing assignments (and benefit from them) you first have to understand their learning-related purposes.
Writing Assignments Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine. Figure 19.1 Assignments are a common method of assessment at university and require careful planning and good quality research. Image by Kampus Production used under CC0 licence. Introduction. Assignments are a common method of assessment at university and require careful planning and good quality research.
W hen Texas third-grader Ethan Rozental penned a letter to US President Joe Biden in November as part of a school assignment, asking the leader to support Israel following Hamas's October 7 ...
High quality example sentences with "I had submitted the assignment" in context from reliable sources - Ludwig is the linguistic search engine that helps you to write better in English
Sometimes writing assignments in Gen Ed directly mirror types of writing that students are likely to encounter in real-world, non-academic settings after they graduate. The following are several examples of such assignments: Example 1: Policy memo In Power and Identity in the Middle East, Professor Melani Cammett assigns students a group policy ...
The sports governing body announced it had determined the inquiry submitted on behalf of Chiles "was raised after the conclusion of the one-minute deadline … and is determined to be without ...
Dear Professor/Instructor [Last Name], I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to submit my assignment for the [Course Name]. The assignment is attached in the required format. I have completed the assignment as per the given guidelines and it is ready for submission. The due date for the assignment is [Due Date].
A New York judge ruled Monday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s ballot-access petition in the state is invalid, delivering the first major blow to the independent presidential candidate's bid for ...
Delta told the plaintiff that the refund for the canceled flights would be automatic but 10 days later told them they would have to submit a request for a refund, according to the lawsuit.
Dilbert is working on an essay assignment. He finds sources and copy/pastes them to his document. Later, he changes the wording of the original a bit to make it his own. Towards the end of writing his essay, he isn't sure which words he copy/pasted and which he wrote himself. He turns in the essay and it is flagged as 50% similar.
report flag outlined. he submitted the assignment which he wrote. Explanation: Because the verb Is in past tense therefore the second verb also became past tense. Advertisement.
The Minnesota Army National Guard told CBS News that Walz retired on May 16, 2005. CBS News has asked Walz to clarify when he submitted his retirement papers.
7. He submitted the assignment which he had written (write). He already wrote the assignment, so past perfect tense is used here. 8. Since when did Mr.Ghosh have (be) the head of the department? have is used here because he already left then the question is asked. 9. My father said that he had left (leave) the house before the letter came.
Mr. Walz was deployed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, but not in a combat zone. "The governor carried, fired and trained others to use weapons of war ...
On X, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, made a claim similar to Vance's, writing, ... He had submitted retirement paperwork five to seven months beforehand. He filed candidacy paperwork in February 2005.
For example, "John has submitted his application for the internship." exact ( 60 ) He has submitted his findings to The Astronomical Journal. 1. The New York Times - Science. In one, the narrator's editor challenges, apparently correctly, the authenticity of a story he has submitted. 2. Independent.
4. He reminds you of your high school history teacher for a reason. Mr. Walz taught high school social studies and geography — first in Alliance, Neb., and then in Mankato, Minn. — before ...
Dear [manager], I completed the task and attached the documents related to the assignment. If you want to elaborate a bit, you could write something like: Dear [manager], I have finished the assignment you gave me yesterday. Please find attached the documents I prepared for this assignment. Kind regards, Praveen
He comes up with snarky, disparaging names for anyone he doesn't like. He denigrates people of color and insulted Native Americans at an event honoring the Navajo Code Talkers. He denigrates women ...
In 2018, when he was running for governor of Minnesota, two former members of Walz's unit wrote an open letter that went viral then, and which resurfaced in 2024: