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150 Inspiring Picture Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity (Free Google Slides)

Use a picture to write a thousand words!

Creative writing is a challenge for many students, often because they can’t come up with anything to write about. That’s why we love picture writing prompts. Each one sparks the imagination and helps young writers jump right into crafting a story to match. We rounded up a whole collection of intriguing images to help kids in grades K-12 along. Plus we designed a set of free Google Slides featuring all of the prompts so you can easily share them with students.

Tip: Start by showing students the picture (or let them choose from among several) without making any comment about what they’re seeing. For kids who still struggle to get started, suggest a potential title or opening sentence, like the examples included here.

Don’t miss our free downloadable. Grab your full set of ready-to-go Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides with all of the prompts below.

Elementary Picture Writing Prompts

Middle school picture writing prompts, high school picture writing prompts, art picture writing prompts.

When kids first see these picture writing prompts, they may or may not immediately feel inspired. Try asking general questions like these to get them started:

• What are the names of the people or animals in the picture?
• How do you think the people or animals in the picture are feeling?
• How would you describe the setting, including the weather, sounds, smells, etc.?
• What do you think the people or animals are saying or are about to say?
• What happened right before this picture was taken? What will happen next?

Included below are more questions for each image to boost creativity, along with potential titles and opening lines.

Opening Line Idea: When Larry fell in love, he fell hard.

Jump-Start Questions: Where did the dog get the rose? Who or what is the dog bringing the rose to? Can the dog talk like a human?

Ask for a Sign

Opening Line Idea: When the new sign appeared on Main Street, everyone in town wondered exactly what it meant. ADVERTISEMENT

Jump-Start Questions: Does the sign read “ask,” or do the letters A-S-K stand for something else instead? Who put up the sign, and why? Why is the sign lit up during the day when no other lights are on?

Snowy Footprints

Opening Line Idea: After that crazy day, all that was left to show for it was footprints in the snow.

Jump-Start Questions: How many different people made these prints? Is this snow, or could it be some other white substance? Were the people who made these prints walking or running?

Dinosaur Bones

Opening Line Idea: “Come with me if you want to live!” Ash said, reaching out a hand.

Jump-Start Questions: What creature is this the skull of? Why is the person inside the skull in the first place? Is the person in the picture asking for help or inviting someone to join them inside the skull?

Undersea Treasure

Opening Line Idea: For years, no one saw the locked treasure chest but the local fish, who wondered what it could contain.

Jump-Start Questions: Who left this treasure chest here, and when? What are three different things that could be inside? Do the bubbles mean there’s something alive inside the chest?

A Game of Fetch

Opening Line Idea: To Scout, it was a game, but to Mr. Freezy, it was much more.

Jump-Start Questions: Are the dog and snowperson friends? Who built the snowperson, and where did they get the hat? Who does the dog belong to?

Ladybug Gossip

Opening Line Idea: The ladybug’s picnic was an excellent chance to meet up with old friends and hear all the latest gossip.

Jump-Start Questions: Are these ladybugs friends or enemies? Are the leaves very small, or are the ladybugs very big? Was this picture taken in a garden, a wild meadow, or some other place?

Opening Line Idea: We met them when they peeked into our window, watching us as we watched cartoons.

Jump-Start Questions: Are these children looking into their own house or someone else’s? Do they want to come inside or would they rather stay outside? Who is looking at the children from the other side of the window?

King of the Jungle

Opening Line Idea: It wasn’t the crown that made Amari the king of all he surveyed.

Jump-Start Questions: Is this lion in the wild or in captivity like a zoo? Is the crown real, or is the lion imagining it? How does the person taking the photo feel about the lion?

The Final Pitch

Opening Line Idea: It all came down to this—the final pitch in a game that was tied 2-2.

Jump-Start Questions: Does the player hit the ball, and if so, do they make it to a base? What is the score of the game so far? How did the player get dirt on their knees?

Doggie Massage

Opening Line Idea: Every dog in the neighborhood knew that Rocky gave the best massages and was always willing to lend an ear too.

Jump-Start Questions: Do these two dogs know each other, or did they just meet? Is the dog on the right feeling happy, annoyed, or something else? Give three different reasons why the dogs are sitting like this.

Skateboard Life

Opening Line Idea: When Charli got her first skateboard, she made herself a promise.

Jump-Start Questions: What does the graffiti on the wall mean, and how did it get there? Where did this girl get her skateboard from? Who taught her how to skateboard?

Garden of the Past

Opening Line Idea: The woman walked in the garden every day, never saying a word.

Jump-Start Questions: Where and when does this garden grow? Who planted this garden and why? What will the woman do with the flowers she is picking?

Sunset Friends

Opening Line Idea: They met on the jungle gym every day at sunset, sharing everything about their days.

Jump-Start Questions: Was this photo taken in the morning or the evening? What time of year is it? Are the children playing on the jungle gym or just hanging out and talking?

Pink Umbrellas

Opening Line Idea: When the pink umbrellas first appeared, Toni thought they might be magic.

Jump-Start Questions: Where and when was this picture taken? Who hung the pink umbrellas? Who lives in the buildings along this alley?

Firefly Forest

Opening Line Idea: Olivia was surprised to discover that the fireflies didn’t just glow, they also sang.

Jump-Start Questions: Are all the lights in this picture fireflies, or is something else glowing? What does this forest sound and smell like? Would you want to be in this forest alone in the middle of the night?

Robot Spider

Opening Line Idea: When it first crawled ashore, the mechanical spider moved slowly.

Jump-Start Questions: Was this robot spider built by humans, or does it come from another planet? Does the spider run on its own, or is there a person or creature inside it? Where is the spider now, and where is it going?

Fallen House

Opening Line Idea: Staring at their house, which was now on its side, the whole family was in shock.

Jump-Start Questions: Who used to live in this house? Was anyone inside the house when it fell, and are they OK? What caused the house to fall but not be completely destroyed?

Red Riding Hood

Opening Line Idea: If only she’d been riding her faithful steed the day she’d met the Big Bad Wolf, things might have been very different.

Jump-Start Questions: Why is the girl barefoot? Why is the horse wearing a necklace? Who gave the girl her red hood and cape?

Kangaroo Fall

Opening Line Idea: “Well, this is embarrassing,” thought Bouncer, as laughter filled the air around him.

Jump-Start Questions: Did this kangaroo fall over, or is it just lying down? Where does the kangaroo live? Is there anything in the picture to explain what the kangaroo is doing?

Opening Line Idea: Daci’s big brother said her signs wouldn’t help them find their runaway cat, but he was wrong.

Jump-Start Questions: Is this sign about a real lost cat? Who drew the picture? Does anyone ever find the lost cat?

Penguin Bookshop

Opening Line Idea: A visit to Sir Pickerel’s Penguin Bookshop is always an adventure.

Jump-Start Questions: Does the penguin own the bookstore, or is he only shopping there? Where did the penguin get his hat? What kind of books does the penguin like best?

Opening Line Idea: Of all the eggs in the carton, Ella was the one who could always crack you up.

Jump-Start Questions: Who colored these eggs? Are these real bird eggs or are they made of something else? Where are these eggs, and why are they there?

Opening Line Idea: That was the year Min was finally tall enough to ride the Sky Swings, but now she wasn’t so sure.

Jump-Start Questions: How high are these swings? Would you want to ride the swings? How would you feel if you were soaring through the air?

Rubber Duck Parade

Opening Line Idea: It was truly an honor to be asked to lead the Spring Duck Parade.

Jump-Start Questions: Who put these ducks in the gutter? Are the ducks having fun, or are they being forced to be there? What would you do if you were walking along and saw these ducks?

Teddy Story Time

Opening Line Idea: Every afternoon, the three friends gathered for story time in their favorite spot in the woods.

Jump-Start Questions: What book are the bears reading? Where did the bears get the book? Are the bears all the same age?

Underwater School

Opening Line Idea: Nia thought going to school underwater would be exciting, but some days she really missed going outside for recess.

Jump-Start Questions: How does the child in the picture feel as she looks out the window? Where is the child? Why does the room look so dark?

Opening Line Idea: The day Amos started his journey down the river, the sun was shining brightly.

Jump-Start Questions: What body of water is the ball floating in? How did it get there? Who does the ball belong to?

Turtle Trouble

Opening Line Idea: “None shall pass,” growled the old sea turtle, blocking the way.

Jump-Start Questions: What body of water is the turtle swimming in? How old is the turtle? How did the person who took the picture get so close to the turtle?

Dinosaur Race

Opening Line Idea: Pia was supposed to keep Balthazar on a leash, but once they reached the forest, she set him free and they both began to run.

Jump-Start Questions: What kind of dinosaur is this? Where are the girl and the dinosaur running to (or running from)? Is the dinosaur wild or the girl’s pet?

Finally Seeing Eye to Eye

Opening Line Idea: “So, we meet at last, face-to-face,” Lord Squeakerton said to his enemy, the Count of Catnip.

Jump-Start Questions: How did the mouse get onto the cat’s nose? How does the cat feel about the mouse being there? Are the cat and mouse friends or enemies?

Opening Line Idea: It takes a lot to surprise a monkey, but you don’t see something like this every day.

Jump-Start Questions: What is the monkey looking at? How was the monkey feeling at that moment? If there was a speech bubble coming out of the monkey’s mouth, what would it say?

Not Coming Out

Opening Line Idea: The day started out normally enough, but by the end, Chris knew he was in over his head.

Jump-Start Questions: Is the child hiding, playing, or doing something else? Is the child at home or at someone else’s house? Are the child’s feet cold without socks?

Life on Other Planets

Opening Line Idea: “Hurry up,” Grnklor told his robopup. “We have to get back inside before nightfall.”

Jump-Start Questions: What planet is this? Are the creatures robots, aliens, or something else? Could you breathe the air if you were standing on this planet?

Reindeer Games

Opening Line Idea: The wind had died down, but the setting sun seemed to take all the warmth of the day with it.

Jump-Start Questions: Is the sun rising or setting? Who does the tricycle on the right belong to? Where are the child and the reindeer going, and why is the deer wearing a harness?

Something To Celebrate

Opening Line Idea: Their classmates could hear their shouts of joy from all the way down the hall.

Jump-Start Questions: What is showing on the computer screen? How do these kids know each other? Where are these kids?

Home Sweet Mushroom

Opening Line Idea: When the fairies that lived in the garden invited her to stay with them for awhile, Maria wasn’t sure what to expect.

Jump-Start Questions: Who lives in the mushroom? Is this mushroom very big, or are the creatures who live in it very small? Did the mushroom grow this way, or did someone turn it into a house?

Loch Ness Mystery

Opening Line Idea: “There it is! I told you Nessie is real!” Angus whispered to Lee.

Jump-Start Questions: Is the creature in the picture real or a statue of some kind? If it’s a statue, who put it there and why? How was the person who took this picture feeling at this moment?

Lonely Bear

Opening Line Idea: It was hard to say who was lonelier that night, Amil or his lost stuffed bear, Jasper.

Jump-Start Questions: Who does the bear belong to? Is its owner nearby, or is the bear lost? How old is the bear?

Sometimes You Lose

Opening Line Idea: When his team lost the championship, Miguel was crushed, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him.

Jump-Start Questions: Why is the boy upset? What would the boy’s friends say to him? What would his parents say to him?   

Middle school writing prompts can be a little more complex, with pictures that have a lot of potential interpretations. You can use the same questions to kick-start creative thinking as you would with elementary students (see above), plus deeper questions like these:

• How does the picture make you feel?
• Who took the picture and why?
• What incidents led up to the moment of the image?
• What are three different things that could happen next?
• Does this picture take place in the past, present, or future?

Opening Line Idea: Morgan was incredibly proud of those shoes, paid for entirely with money from after-school jobs.

Jump-Start Questions: Who is wearing the shoes? Would you like to have shoes like this? Imagine the shoes a year from now, dirty and worn; how did they get that way?

Never Lose Hope

Opening Line Idea: With his last bit of energy, Kai scrawled his message in the wet paint.

Jump-Start Questions: Who wrote this message and why? Where is this message written? Who might see and be inspired by the message?

Opening Line Idea: The keyboard button could only be used once, and no one knew exactly what happened when you pressed it.

Jump-Start Questions: Who created this keyboard? Would you press the button? How would you keep from pressing this button accidentally?

Piano Lessons

Opening Line Idea: Before she could even speak, Arya was drawn to the black and white keys.

Jump-Start Questions: Where is this piano, and who does it belong to? Will the child touch the keys gently or bang on them loudly? What song would you play on this piano?

Opening Line Idea: There was no doubt about it, this was was indeed a very special kind of garden.

Jump-Start Questions: Is this a very tiny baby or a very large fern? Who does the baby belong to? Would you like to sleep rolled up in a plant?

Opening Line Idea: No matter how you looked at it, it had been a very rough day to be the Easter Bunny.

Jump-Start Questions: How did the bunny get so dirty? Is this a large bunny, or a person wearing a bunny suit? Where has the bunny been, and where is it going?

Empty Chairs

Opening Line Idea: By sunset, all four chairs were empty, and the only signs of life were the gulls swooping down from above.

Jump-Start Questions: Why is one chair a different color from the others? Are these chairs abandoned or just empty temporarily? Why are the seagulls so interested in the chairs?

Floating Treasure

Opening Line Idea: To the birds, it was simply a convenient place to land, but Ali and I knew it was much more than that.

Jump-Start Questions: Would you open this chest if you found it, without knowing what’s inside? What are the spiky shapes on the left side of the picture? Is the bird on the right really there, or is it just a shadow?

Shadow Question

Opening Line Idea: That was the day they discovered that just because you were invisible didn’t mean your shadow was.

Jump-Start Questions: How was this image created, and why? Who do the shoes belong to? How do optical illusions make you feel?

Letter and Key

Opening Line Idea: The day she turned 12, Vivi’s aunt handed her an envelope containing a key … and the family secret.

Jump-Start Questions: What would you hope to find in an old letter like this? How old is the key? Where has this letter been before now?

Space Target

Opening Line Idea: Onyx paused, knowing that once their arrow hit the target, there was no knowing what would happen.

Jump-Start Questions: Is this planet in our galaxy? Is the person pictured a human, a robot, or an alien? What will happen if the person hits the target or misses it?

Mermaid Mystery

Opening Line Idea: It was a mermaid—or was it?

Jump-Start Questions: Is this creature floating in water or in the air? What would you do if you woke up like this one day? How is the creature feeling at this moment?

World on a String

Opening Line Idea: Her dad had promised to give her the world, but she wasn’t expecting three more planets as well.

Jump-Start Questions: Why is the girl holding a suitcase? Who gave the girl the balloons? What does it mean to “have the world on a string”?

Bee Standoff

Opening Line Idea: “This flower ain’t big enough for the both of us!” said Bianca.

Jump-Start Questions: Are the bees from the same colony or rival colonies? Why is this flower so special to the bees? Do you think the bees are cute or scary?

Solitary Seat

Opening Line Idea: For as long as anyone could remember, Angus McGee spent his evenings in the same chair next to the woodstove.

Jump-Start Questions: How long has it been since anyone sat in this chair? What are the books on the floor? What do you think is in the bag on the left?

Best Friends

Opening Line Idea: When you decide to run away from home forever, you can’t possibly leave your best friend behind.

Jump-Start Questions: How is the girl feeling? How far do you think she has already walked? If you were running away from home, what would you take with you?

Dinosaur Demise

Opening Line Idea: In retrospect, setting the time machine to randomly choose any day and time in the past might not have been such a good idea.

Jump-Start Questions: If you were standing here watching this scene, what would you do? Do these dinosaurs survive whatever happens next? Would you stop the asteroid from killing off the dinosaurs if you could?

Magic Lamps

Opening Line Idea: “Choose wisely,” said the old shopkeeper, “for only one of these lamps is truly magic.”

Jump-Start Questions: Are these lamps brand-new or very old and well cared for? Do you think a magic genie living in a lamp would be good or evil? What wishes would you make, and what would happen if they came true?

Message in a Bottle

Opening Line Idea: The message floated at sea for more than 50 years before the day we found it on the beach.

Jump-Start Questions: If you found a bottle like this, would you open it on your own or invite others to join you? What would you do with the letter inside? How far do you think this bottle has traveled?

Barrel Boat

Opening Line Idea: Of all the ways to impress someone, Jonah thought to himself, this had to be one of the most ridiculous.

Jump-Start Questions: Why is this person in a barrel instead of a boat? Do you think this looks like fun, or would it be scary? Why is the person wearing a life jacket?

Dragon Guardian

Opening Line Idea: When your parents give you your own dragon guardian, your childhood is bound to be enchanted.

Jump-Start Questions: Is this dragon real or the child’s imaginary friend? Is the dragon young or old? How does the child feel about the dragon?

Octopus’s Garden

Opening Line Idea: Wouldn’t you like to be under the sea, in an octopus’s garden in the shade?

Jump-Start Questions: Where was this picture taken? Is the octopus attacking the person or just swimming nearby? How much oxygen does the person have left in their tank?

Around the Corner

Opening Line Idea: After finally pressing “send,” she couldn’t resist peeking around the corner to watch him read the text.

Jump-Start Questions: Do these kids know each other? Does the person in front know the other person is watching them? Who does the car in the distance belong to?

Beam Me Up!

Opening Line Idea: Milo’s earliest memory was of watching his beloved tricycle float into the sky above him, caught in a beam of light.

Jump-Start Questions: Is the tricycle going up or coming down? Where is the light coming from? How does the child in the picture feel right now?

Poison Apple

Opening Line Idea: To join the club, all Aaron had to do was creep up and snatch the apple from the skeleton’s hand without being seen.

Jump-Start Questions: Whose skeleton is this? Is the apple safe to eat? Would you eat this apple?

Giraffe Council

Opening Line Idea: “It is now 3 p.m., and I call this meeting of the Mighty Council of Giraffes to order,” announced Imari.

Jump-Start Questions: Why are these giraffes gathered together? What do giraffes like to talk about? Would you like to be a giraffe?

Mystery Creature

Opening Line Idea: At first glance, it was hard to tell whether the little creature was friend or foe.

Jump-Start Questions: Is this creature big or small? Is it alone, or are there others like it? Would you keep this creature as a pet?

Opening Line Idea: As the sky turned orange, Keisha ran faster than ever and used the last of her energy to push off and soar over the water below.

Jump-Start Questions: Why is this person running? Do they make the jump or fall into the water? Is this person jumping or floating?

The End of Days

Opening Line Idea: Despite their best efforts, they arrived too late—the battle had already begun.

Jump-Start Questions: Is the person going to the city or away from it? Who is attacking and why? What would you do if you saw this scene taking place?

Out of the Book

Opening Line Idea: “Happily ever after” was about to take on a whole new meaning.

Jump-Start Questions: Where is the light coming from in the book? Does the woman know she’s a book character? What will the mouse do when it sees the woman?

Stopped Clock

Opening Line Idea: I was sure that the time on the broken clock was the clue to solving the mystery.

Jump-Start Questions: How long has this clock been stopped at 11:17? Does the clock still work? Who does the clock belong to?

Dueling Webs

Opening Line Idea: It’s never a good idea to build your web too close to another spider’s, but this time she had no choice.

Jump-Start Questions: How do spiderwebs and spiders make you feel? Were these webs made by one spider or two? Would you knock down these webs or leave them alone?

Do Shoes Grow on Trees?

Opening Line Idea: The day I threw my own shoes into the tree was the day I really started to grow up.

Jump-Start Questions: Who threw the first pair of shoes into the tree and why? If you saw a nice pair of shoes, would you try to get them down? Would you throw your own shoes into the tree?

Abstract Art

Opening Line Idea: “So,” asked their art teacher, “what do you think this painting means?”

Jump-Start Questions: Is the paint wet or dry? Is this the whole painting or a small part of a larger one? Who chose these colors and why?

Wandering Robots

Opening Line Idea: Everything about NB-317 was made of cardboard except his heart—that was made of flesh and blood and very capable of being broken.

Jump-Start Questions: Who built this robot? Can the robot smell the flowers? Does the robot belong to someone, or is it an independent being?

Dream Come True

Opening Line Idea: It all started when Quinn watched her favorite movie the night before they assigned partners for the eighth grade science fair project.

Jump-Start Questions: What is in the balloons to allow them to lift and carry a house? Is the house coming up or going down? Would you want to be inside the house right now?

Mysterious Cave

Opening Line Idea: The cave was unlike anything we’d ever seen before, and what was more, it almost seemed like the rock was alive.

Jump-Start Questions: What made these shapes? What do the shapes look like to you? If this were a rock formation, would you want to explore it?

Storm at Sea

Opening Line Idea: As the rain lashed his face and lightning tore apart the sky, Kiran had to admit he’d always thought it would be a lot more fun being a pirate.

Jump-Start Questions: Is anyone on the ship, or is it abandoned? If you were the captain, what would you be thinking right now? What would happen if the ship capsized or was struck by lightning?

Grasshopper Close-Up

Opening Line Idea: That’s when Javed realized it wasn’t that the grasshopper was too big—it was that he was suddenly very, very small.

Jump-Start Questions: Is this grasshopper cute or scary? What is the grasshopper looking at? Would you pick up this grasshopper or shoo it away?

UFO Parking

Opening Line Idea: “Well, that’s convenient,” Javdok remarked to Qabow when they saw the sign.

Jump-Start Questions: Where is this sign located, and who hung it? Would spaceships need parking lots on land, or could you just leave them in the sky and beam down? Do you think this parking lot is free, and if not, how much does it cost to park a spaceship?   

High school writers are ready to dig deep, exploring character development and detailed plots. These pictures offer a jumping-off point to set their imaginations free. Try questions like these:

• What mood does the picture evoke?
• If your friend texted you this picture with no explanation, what would you think?
• What would you say to the person in the picture?
• Write five words for each of the five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) related to the picture.
• Is this picture the beginning, the middle, or the end of the story?

Cyborg Girl

Opening Line Idea: When she was 14, Tasha’s parents finally told her the truth about what she really was.

Jump-Start Questions: Is the cyborg crying or malfunctioning? Who chose the cyborg’s clothes? Has the girl always known she is a cyborg?

BBQ Cookout

Opening Line Idea: “So, I’m guessing no one told you I’m a vegetarian?” asked Sadie with a smile.

Jump-Start Questions: What would you do if you were invited to a meal where there was nothing you could eat? Does this meal look delicious or disgusting? Would you rather be the one grilling or the one cleaning up afterward?

Opening Line Idea: The latest app was like a time machine, allowing people to look back in time, but it also had a dark side.

Jump-Start Questions: What is the man thinking about? Why is the baby picture the only part of the image that’s in color? Would you like to be able to see a picture of what you’ll look like when you’re 80 years old?

Opening Line Idea: She was surrounded by people but never felt more alone.

Jump-Start Questions: What does the woman’s sign say? Is this person homeless, or is she sitting on the street for another reason? Where will this person sleep tonight?

Hippo Troubles

Opening Line Idea: Like all parents, hippos sometimes really need a break from their kids.

Jump-Start Questions: Where do these hippos live? Does the mother hippo feel love for her baby? What would happen if a bee flew into the baby hippo’s mouth?

iPad Farmer

Opening Line Idea: Grandpa Jack never failed to surprise us.

Jump-Start Questions: What will the man do with the vegetables on his lap? Is this man a farmer or just someone who likes to garden on the weekend? Does it surprise you to see this man using technology in this setting?

Marching Band Blues

Opening Line Idea: Kaleel sat sadly on the bench, watching the rest of the band march away in jaunty time to the music.

Jump-Start Questions: Where is the rest of the marching band, and why isn’t this man with them? How long has the man owned the instrument, and who taught him to play? What kinds of music does this man like to listen to?

Never-Ending Tunnel

Opening Line Idea: The tunnel seemed to stretch to infinity, but Jayma knew what was at the end, and it terrified her.

Jump-Start Questions: Does this tunnel scare you or intrigue you? Would you rather walk, run, Rollerblade, or ride a skateboard from one end to the other? If the lights suddenly went out, what would you do?

Carving Out Love

Opening Line Idea: For years, we wondered who “WP” was, and who it was who loved them so much they carved it into a tree for all to see.

Jump-Start Questions: Would you ever carve someone’s initials in a tree? Is carving initials in a tree the same as spray-painting graffiti? Would you feel bad if you had to cut this tree down and burn it for firewood?

Glowing Globe

Opening Line Idea: Just then, the globe began to glow, and Jaxson knew he was about to leap through space and time once again—destination unknown.

Jump-Start Questions: What causes the globe to glow? Is the globe of Earth or another celestial body? What is the man pointing to?

See No Evil

Opening Line Idea: It seemed like a funny joke to pose the skeletons in front of old Mrs. Petoski’s house, but then she turned up dead, and the police said it was murder.

Jump-Start Questions: Who put these skeletons here and why? Which is worse: seeing evil, hearing evil, or speaking evil? How would you feel if you knew these were actual human skeletons, not props?

Upside Down

Opening Line Idea: It’s an odd feeling to wake up one morning and find yourself able to walk on the ceiling.

Jump-Start Questions: What would the advantages and disadvantages of defying gravity be? Can this person go outside without floating away? Why is the microwave on top of the tall refrigerator?

Face at the Fence

Opening Line Idea: So much depended on which side of the fence you were on.

Jump-Start Questions: Is this child on the outside looking in or the inside looking out? What might the fence be separating the child from? What would happen if the child tried to climb the fence?

Bicycle Race

Opening Line Idea: Finley had trained too hard for this race to come in third—it just wasn’t good enough.

Jump-Start Questions: Are these bikers competing, working as a team, or just biking for fun? What does the front biker’s arm tattoo symbolize? Is coming in second or third the same as losing?

Family Travels

Opening Line Idea: In the picture, my grandmother’s expression is hard to interpret, but she’s told me the story many times.

Jump-Start Questions: What’s in the bags? If you saw this family pulled over on the side of the road, would you stop and ask if they needed help? Who gave the girl the ring she’s wearing on her finger?

Laundromat Antics

Opening Line Idea: Dani never expected to meet her first love feet first.

Jump-Start Questions: Is it safe for this person to be inside the washing machine? What would happen if someone closed the door and walked away? Would you ever crawl inside a washing machine or dryer?

Opening Line Idea: Molly’s mom probably didn’t mean for her to be the one to find the note, but that’s how things turned out.

Jump-Start Questions: What would you do if you found this note and ring? What is the writer sorry for? Would you ever leave a note like this?

Through the Storm

Opening Line Idea: Javier knew it would have been smarter to stay put, but he had to make sure his mom was safe before the worst of the storm arrived.

Jump-Start Questions: Do you think it would be fun to be driving this truck or too dangerous? What would make you drive around in a storm like this? What will the scene look like after the storm has passed?

Lifetime Friends

Opening Line Idea: They’d been friends for as long as they could remember—even longer, in fact.

Jump-Start Questions: Who is holding the babies, and how do they know each other? What are the expressions on the babies’ faces right now? Is the baby on the right reaching for the other baby’s pacifier?

Stray Kitten

Opening Line Idea: “I am NOT taking you home with me,” Kai told the tiny mewling kitten firmly.

Jump-Start Questions: Would you pick this kitten up and take it home? Is the kitten’s mother nearby? Why is the kitten meowing at the person?

Abandoned Greenhouse

Opening Line Idea: Willow was free to leave at any time, but she couldn’t make herself go.

Jump-Start Questions: Who built this structure and when? How did the woman get inside? Would you rather knock this structure down or renovate it?

Opening Line Idea: Amani’s earliest memory was razor wire—miles and miles of it.

Jump-Start Questions: Does this fence make you feel safe or anxious? What does this fence separate? If you had to get past this fence, what would you do?

Church Graveyard

Opening Line Idea: Everyone feels differently in a graveyard, but for me, they’re very peaceful places.

Jump-Start Questions: Who wrote the epitaphs on the front two graves? Do you find this cemetery peaceful or creepy, and would you feel differently at night? Does anyone ever bring flowers to these graves?

Orb of Death

Opening Line Idea: “Do you really want to know?” Death asked. “Because once you know, you won’t be able to forget.”

Jump-Start Questions: Is the globe showing a reflection or a vision? If Death offered to reveal your future, would you accept? Who did the skull on the left belong to in life?

Missed Shot

Opening Line Idea: Steve was sure his shot would make it, but it bounced off the rim just as the buzzer rang to end the game.

Jump-Start Questions: Is the player in front happy, sad, or something else? Would you rather be playing in the game or watching the game? What is the referee thinking about?

First Contact

Opening Line Idea: This was it—the moment that would change what it meant to be human forever.

Jump-Start Questions: What is reflected in the astronaut’s mask? Will the alien and the human be able to communicate with each other? How would you feel if you were the first human to meet an alien?

One Life To Live

Opening Line Idea: His face said his life had been a hard one, but his eyes told a different tale.

Jump-Start Questions: Where and when did this man get his hat? If you could ask this man one question, what would it be? Why did this man decide to grow a mustache?

Winter Walk

Opening Line Idea: Snow fell, creating a blank canvas to record the story of that fateful walk.

Jump-Start Questions: How would you feel if you were walking in the snow in this scene? How would you find out what made the tracks? How far from civilization was this picture taken?

Train to Nowhere

Opening Line Idea: It certainly wasn’t the most luxurious way to travel, but then again, no one really wanted to make this trip in the first place.

Jump-Start Questions: What would it feel like to sleep here? Why has this place been abandoned? If you looked through the windows, what would you see outside?

Modern Mary Poppins

Opening Line Idea: She dropped into our lives on a gray day in midwinter, a hint of the spring that was to come.

Jump-Start Questions: What is in the person’s bag? What are they waiting for? Who made the tracks in this field?

All That Remains

Opening Line Idea: Dust motes filled the air of the abandoned hallway, replacing the voices once heard there.

Jump-Start Questions: Where is the light coming from? What is written on the walls? What would you hear if you were standing here?

Opening Line Idea: From the day he found the little creature, Luis refused to go anywhere without him.

Jump-Start Questions: How would you feel if you were talking to this person and the animal suddenly poked its head out? What will happen when the creature is too big to fit in the pocket? Would you like a pocket-size pet?

The Question

Opening Line Idea: Their happily ever after began quietly, with a bouquet of wildflowers.

Jump-Start Questions: What is the person in front about to say to the other person? Did they pick the flowers themselves, and do they have any special meaning? Where do the railroad tracks come from and go to?

Night Lights

Opening Line Idea: Misty rain both blurred and emphasized the lights that lit Suri’s way home that evening.

Jump-Start Questions: What is this person thinking about as they walk along? If this were you, would feel safe walking alone at night? What do you think the various signs say?

Forest of Fear

Opening Line Idea: At first, Mateo thought it was a joke, but the screams that followed told him there was nothing remotely funny about it.

Jump-Start Questions: Are there people behind the trees, or are the arms coming out of the trees themselves? Would you investigate or run away? What would you say to these people?

Opening Line Idea: At the elite level, being a spy meant serious commitments.

Jump-Start Questions: Would you like a cybernetic eye? What would you do if you woke up and found yourself with one against your will? Is this a human with an artificial eye or a very human-like cyborg?

The Yellow Door

Opening Line Idea: On their 14th birthday, every resident of Fresnia was required to stand before the Wall of Doors and make a choice.

Jump-Start Questions: Would you have painted this door yellow or chosen a different color? Do all the doors lead to the same place? Would you open the yellow door first, last, or not at all?

Graffiti Palace

Opening Line Idea: To strangers, it seemed random, but every mark on those walls had deep meaning for us.

Jump-Start Questions: Do you see this graffiti as vandalism or art? If you found a can of spray paint here, would you add your own contribution? What did this building used to be?

Fossil Fish

Opening Line Idea: Millions of years ago, the fish gave one final flop before lying still in the deep mud.

Jump-Start Questions: How did this fish die? How was it different from modern fish? What other fossils do you think might be found nearby?

On the Rails

Opening Line Idea: Aliyah stood on the tracks, uncertain of where to go next.

Jump-Start Questions: Is it safe for this person to be walking along these railroad tracks? What kind of music does the person like to play on their guitar? Is the person alone by choice?

These picture prompts are all works of art, some more well known than others. Try providing them to students without sharing the titles first, then offer up the titles if they need some help getting started. We’ve also provided some opening line ideas.

The Dance Class (Edgar Degas)

Opening Line Idea: The studio was dusty, noisy, and crowded, but it was also home.

Greek Funerary Plaque (520-510 BCE)

Opening Line Idea: With one final tap and last dab of paint, the tablet was complete at last.

Washington Crossing the Delaware (Emanuel Leutze)

Opening Line Idea: Was it bravery or sheer foolish bravado?

Kyōsai’s Pictures of One Hundred Demons

Opening Line Idea: “So this is where the wild things are,” she thought.

First Steps, After Millet (Vincent van Gogh)

Opening Line Idea: After so many years of hope and disappointment, this child made it all worthwhile.

Lady Lilith (Dante Gabriel Rossetti)

Opening Line Idea: Every night, without fail, 100 slow and steady strokes, just like her mother taught her.

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (Georges Seurat)

Opening Line Idea: At what point does afternoon become evening?

After the Hurricane, Bahamas (Winslow Homer)

Opening Line Idea: The skies were clearing, but the seas raged on.

Drawing Lots for Prizes (Kitagawa Utamaro)

Opening Line Idea: It was fun at first, but I soon grew tired of the never-ending parties, dancing, music, and false laughter.

Portions of Field Armor (Jacob Halder)

Opening Line Idea: The armor shone in the morning sun; by evening it would be scratched, worn, and covered in blood.

Sadie Pfeifer, a Cotton Mill Spinner (Lewis Wickes Hine)

Opening Line Idea: She’d never realized the factory would be so incredibly loud, the noise unrelenting and cruel.

Still Life With Monkey, Fruits, and Flowers (Jean Baptiste Oudry)

Opening Line Idea: “This is why we can’t have nice things,” she complained.

Man Leading a Giraffe, 5th Century Byzantine

Opening Line Idea: At this point, he couldn’t help but wonder: Was he leading the giraffe or was the giraffe leading him?

The Three Skulls (Paul Cézanne)

Opening Line Idea: Nothing bothered her more than the empty, vacant eyes.

The Madame B Album (Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier)

Opening Line Idea: “Definitely a new species,” confirmed the curator.

Coiled Trumpet in the Form of a Snarling Feline Face (c. 100 BCE to 500 CE)

Opening Line Idea: The trumpet called them all to attention, and the audience fell silent in an instant.

Crazy Quilt With Animals (Florence Elizabeth Marvin)

Opening Line Idea: Every stitch and scrap spun a story.

Storytime (Eugenio Zampighi)

Opening Line Idea: They could spend hours there, and they often did.

Cubist Village (Georges Gaudion)

Opening Line Idea: The Land of Oz looked very different from how Dorothy had described it.

Zig-Zag Passenger and Freight Train (Unknown)

Opening Line Idea: Frankly, I didn’t care where the train was going, or how long it would take to get there.

The Power of Music (William Sidney Mount)

Opening Line Idea: Sammy wanted to join in and lift his voice, but he knew they’d never welcome him in.

The Large Tree (Paul Gauguin)

Opening Line Idea: Outsiders saw it as paradise, and they weren’t far off.

After the Bath (Mary Cassatt)

Opening Line Idea: Motherhood was exhausting, but she found the rewards very sweet indeed.

Wedding Gown (Korea, Late 1800s)

Opening Line Idea: It was the most important gown she’d ever wear, and she begrudged every single stitch it took to make it.

The Contemplator (Eugène Carrière)

Opening Line Idea: Looking back, she seemed to see everything through a strange, dusty haze.

The Girl I Left Behind Me (Eastman Johnson)

Opening Line Idea: She was an old woman now, but when I thought of her, it was always as a brave, stoic child, standing tall atop the hillside as we trudged into the distance.

24c Curtiss Jenny Invert Single

Opening Line Idea: “Do you think anyone will notice?” asked Mr. Semple nervously.

Creeping Baby Doll Patent Model

Opening Line Idea: “Well, that’s mighty unsettling,” Pa said.

Wrecked Zeppelin (British Library)

Opening Line Idea: The wreckage drew crowds for weeks, but the great balloon’s demise made little difference in the end.

Skeleton (Tales of Terror Frontispiece)

Opening Line Idea: “Here we go again,” Cedric moaned, as the skeletons pulled him from the grave once more.

Get Your Free Picture Writing Prompt Google Slides

Just click the button below to fill out the form and get instant access to free downloadable Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides with all the prompts included above.

How do you use picture writing prompts in your classroom? Come share ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

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70 Picture Prompts for Creative Writing (with Free Slides)

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Visual writing prompts help young writers generate new ideas and overcome writer’s block. We’ve put together 70 picture prompts for creative writing that you can use for morning work or in your writing centers or lesson plans to get your students’ creative juices flowing.

The Benefits of Using Visual Writing Prompts

Writers of all ages and experience levels can get stuck thinking about what to write. Writer’s block is not just a challenge for reluctant writers. Even professional writers have days when they feel less than inspired.

Visual prompts can result in a vast array of story ideas. A single image viewed by ten writers will result in ten completely different short stories. Even if you use verbal cues to get students thinking about the picture, each student will still write a unique response to the image.

Visual creative writing prompts are fantastic for elementary school because younger students often relate more to a pictorial prompt than a written one, but don’t shy away from using these with high school and middle school students as well. Pictures make a fun alternative to your typical writing prompts and story starters and can help shake up your regular English language arts routine.

How to Use Picture Prompts for Creative Writing

There’s no limit to the ways you can use writing prompts. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate image prompts into your weekly lesson plans .

• Writing Center. Print cards or writing pages with these images on them and put them in a writing center for your students to discover at their own pace.
• Specific Skills. Use story picture prompts to help kids work on specific writing skills. For example, you could work on descriptive writing by having them describe the setting of the picture in detail, character development by having them make up a history for a person (or animal) in the picture, or narrative writing by having them make up a story based on the picture.
• Warm-up Activity: Download the slides that accompany this post and project an image on a screen or whiteboard for the first fifteen minutes of class and have students work on a short story as soon as they enter. This helps jumpstart the creative process before you move into your regular writing program.
• Independent Work: If you need a fun activity for kids to do when they’ve completed their assignment and are waiting for other students’ to finish, keep a supply of these images on hand and challenge them to write flash fiction of 250 words or less while they wait.
• Sub binders: Want to have some easy, no-prep projects on hand for those days when you’re unexpectedly away? Elementary picture writing prompts are perfect for substitute teachers to do with your students in your absence.
• Distance learning: If you are working with students whom you don’t see face-to-face, picture writing prompts are a great way to inspire them. You can use them in a virtual lesson to kickstart a discussion on brainstorming story ideas or post a few of these images to your learning management system and let students select the one they want to write about.

No matter how you decide to use them—whether at home or in the classroom—photographic writing prompts are a great way to cultivate a daily writing habit and encourage kids to explore new topics.

Picture Writing Prompts for Kids

We’ve selected 70 of the most interesting pictures we could find for this exercise. When choosing photos for writing prompts, we look for high-quality photos with intriguing subject matter, but we try to go beyond that. We want to share images that suggest a story, that make the viewer ask questions and wonder why things are the way they are.

We want to feel propelled to explore questions like, What happened before the photo that led to this moment? What are we witnessing in this photo? What’s about to happen?

A photo doesn’t make much of a story starter if it doesn’t suggest that there might be a bigger picture lurking beneath the surface.

We hope you and your students love these picture prompts for creative writing as much as we do. If you love them, go ahead and fill out the form below to grab your own copy.

Sign Up for Your FREE Picture Writing Prompt Slides

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We’ve included a couple of questions with each picture that you could use to spark pre-writing conversations in your classroom, which can be helpful when working with younger students who might need a little more direction.

Bear in mind though that some kids really struggle with these types of questions that ask them to make inferences about details that they can’t possibly know the ‘answer’ to. When you ask them things like, “What was the author probably trying to do?” they have no idea and won’t dare to hazard a guess. If you are working with kids who feel paralyzed by these questions, now is not the time to push them. Ignore the questions completely and have them simply focus on the picture.

It could be a good idea to write a few short stories yourself based on a single picture to show demonstrate how there are no wrong answers in this exercise—only endless possibilities.

70 Picture for Story Writing with Guiding Questions

• Whose cat is this? What is he looking at? Where is he?

2. What is the owl thinking about? Is he alone? What does he hope to eat for dinner?

3. Who are these frogs? What is their relationship with each other? Why are they taking photos?

4. How did the dog get a phone? Why is he taking selfies? What is he doing with the pictures he takes?

5. This cat doesn’t look too happy. What’s bugging him? Did he get too many phone calls or is he waiting on an important call that’s taking too long to come?

6. What do these chicks think of the dog? What does the dog think of the chicks? Do you think they can communicate with each other? If so, what would they say?

7. Where do these lemurs live? What are they looking at? What is something unusual that might happen to them?

8. What is this fox doing? Is he yawning and stretching or is he trying to scare someone away? What kind of mischief does he like to get up to?

9. Is this wolf alone? If not, who is with him? What is he planning to do? Does he have a family to feed or protect?

10. What is this child doing on the laptop? Can he actually read and type or is he just playing? If he can read and type, how did he learn that at such a young age? What other cool things can he do?

11. Where is this woman? Is she lost? How did she get to this street? What interesting things might she discover as she explores this new city?

12. Why is the dog wearing glasses? Can he see through them? What are he and the girl doing? How does he feel about it?

13. Who are these two little boys? What is their relationship with each other? What is the teddy bear’s story?

14. Who are these children? Why are they running? Is it a race or are they playing a game? Who’s going to win?

15. Whose horse is this? Does the little boy own it or does he just visit it? Can the horse talk? How does the boy feel when he’s with the horse?

16. What is this boy reading? Does the book have a magical power? Does the boy? Do the stories in the book become real or does something else special happen?

17. Where is this man? How did he get there? What is he looking for?

18. Who is walking over the bridge? What’s on the other side? Is it worth the risk?

19. What are these people doing on the elephant? Where are they? Are they tourists or is the elephant their pet? What would life with an elephant be like?

20. Who made this map? It looks old. Has it been hidden away for a long time? Who discovered it and how? What does it lead to?

21. Whose typewriter is this? What important or secretive thing might they be working on? What could happen if the wrong person finds their work?

22. Who are these three stuffed animals? Are they living? What is their story?

23. Whose ukulele is this? Why did they leave it here? Who might find it?

24. Where is the owner of the bike? Where does this path lead? What if the bike’s not there when the owner returns?

25. Whose shoes are these? Why did they leave them here? Why are they so dirty?

26. Who was reading the newspaper? What was the most interesting thing they read? Where have they disappeared to?

27. Who put this sign on the old truck? What do you think of it? How did the truck end up in its current condition and location?

28. Who set the table? Who are they expecting? What special occasion are they celebrating? What could go wrong?

29. Whose birthday cake is this? Are they having a party? Who is there? Who did they want to have there that didn’t show up?

30. Who lives here? How do they access their home? What is their life like?

31. Who built the igloo? Where is it? How does it feel to spend the night inside it?

32. What is the history of this castle? Who lives in it now? Does it have any special or magical features?

33. Is this barn abandoned or do people live on the property? What kind of animals might live here? How do they keep themselves entertained?

34. What is it like living on a houseboat? What kind of community do you think forms among the neighbors? Imagine you live on one of these boats and think about how your daily life might change. What interesting things could you do if you lived here? What would you miss the most?

35. Where is this hut? Who lives here? What mystery might unfold if a stranger came knocking at their door?

36. What is this lighthouse called? Who runs it? How often do they leave? What is the most memorable experience they’ve had as a lighthouse operator?

37. How did this house get here? Does anyone live in it? What would life be like here?

38. Where is this festive street? Are the people there celebrating something? Where is everybody?

39. Who lives here? How did they build this house? Are they hiding from something? What does it look like inside?

40. Whose notebook is this? Why did they leave it here? What’s written in it and how might it change the life of the person who finds it?

41. What are these women doing? What are they supposed to be doing? Will they be in trouble if they get caught?

42. Who might be represented in this statue? Why is she being pulled by lions? What amazing things might she have done to deserve a statue in this prominent place?

43. Where is this? Who is riding in the hot air balloons? Where are they going and why?

44. How old is this large tree? Where is it? What are some of the most fascinating stories it could tell?

45. Where is this carousel? Who is riding it? Can you think of a special or strange story about how it came to exist in this particular place?

46. What are these people thinking about? What’s at stake for them? What happens if one of them sneezes?

47. Where are these penguins? What are they talking about? Which one of them is the leader?

48. What is this place? Was it designed to be open like this or was it once part of someone’s home or a public building? How have people’s opinions of this place changed over time?

49. Who are these kids? Is this what they’re supposed to be doing? What happens when their teacher sees them?

50. Who is supposed to ride in this boat? Where are they going? Will they make it there?

51. Is this plane special to someone? What did they have to do to get it/build it? Where will they fly to in it?

52. Who decorated this train car? Which passengers will fill it up? What will they talk about?

53. Whose skis are these? Why are they sticking out of the snow? How did their owner get down the mountain without them?

54. Where does this gondola go? Who rides it? How does it feel to ride it?

55. Who’s driving the monster truck? Why is it at the beach? What is it going to crush? Who is watching?

56. Where is the boat going? Who is on it? What is their mission?

57. What city is the helicopter flying over? Why? Is the driver looking for something specific or do they have a special delivery?

58. What’s the little boy doing in the boat? Is he alone or is someone with him? Where is he trying to go?

59. Who is in the sub? What’s it like inside? What are they doing?

60. Whose book is this? What’s it about? What’s happening to it?

61. How did that piece of land with the house on it break off from the rest of the world? Why? Where is it going? Is anyone in the house?

62. Who is this girl? Where is she? Who is she shooting at?

63. Where does this scene take place? Is the lizard/dragon good or bad? What is its relationship with the girl?

64. What do these books represent? What kind of world is this? What (or who) is inside the books?

65. What are these dinosaurs discussing? Where are they? What do they do for fun?

66. Whose cottage is this? Do they still live there? If not, where have they gone? If so, what do they do there?

67. What is the moth thinking about? Is it alone? What’s the biggest challenge it faces in this moment?

68. Who is the owl looking at? Has it read these books? What is its greatest talent?

69. Where are these trees? Why are they pink? Do they have any special powers or features?

70. What are these best friends thinking about? Do they have something to hide? What adventures do they go on together?

What do you think? Which kind of pictures do you like best for creative writing prompts ? Let us know in the comments.

Thursday 18th of July 2024

This was fun

Thursday 9th of May 2024

I love this website because I was using it with my kindergartners and it work so so so well!!!!

Monday 20th of May 2024

That's wonderful. Thanks for sharing!

Tuesday 5th of March 2024

I LOVE these! My daughter has always struggled with written story prompts and an internet search this week convinced me of the value of picture prompts for reluctant readers/writers (https://youcanjournal.com/journal-picture-prompts/ if you're interested!). I'll definitely be using these to help improve her writing skills. Thanks so much!

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

I think the idea of using picture prompts is a great idea. It initiates oral language thus building vocabulary. It allows lends itself to students working in small groups to stimulate new ideas. The prompts engage the students and gives the teacher the opportunity to focus on specific writing skills.

luke elford

Wednesday 13th of December 2023

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Picture Prompts

A Year of Picture Prompts: Over 160 Images to Inspire Writing

By Michael Gonchar and Katherine Schulten

• June 1, 2017

Update, Feb. 15, 2019: Learn more about how to use our 1000s of writing prompts by watching our free on-demand webinar: “ Give Them Something to Write About: Teach Across the Curriculum With New York Times-Inspired Daily Prompts. ”

This school year we added a new feature to our daily lineup of student activities. Called “ Picture Prompts ,” these short, accessible, image-driven posts feature photographs and illustrations from The Times, and invite a variety of written or spoken responses — from creative storytelling to personal narrative to constructing an argument or analyzing what a work of “op-art” might be saying.

Teachers tell us they use these prompts to inspire student writing — whether in their journals , as a timed opportunity or to practice inferring meaning “without worrying about getting the right or wrong answer.”

They also use them with a variety of learners, from high school to middle or elementary school students to English Language Learners of all ages. As one teacher put it, she uses them “for helping teenagers to start talking to each other. ”

Below, we’ve categorized the 160+ prompts we published during the 2016-17 school year based on the type of writing they primarily encourage students to do. All are still open for comment. Plus, we have a lesson plan on how to teach with Picture Prompts, along with other Times images , in case you’re looking for more inspiration.

If you use this feature with your students, or if you have other ideas for how to use images and writing prompts with students, let us know in the comments section.

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Explore captivating Free Assignment Pictures, ideal for classroom use. These Assignment Photos, including diverse images like school work, write, still life, enhance educational materials. Discover a wide array of related Photos, each offering unique perspectives.

Every Image, when downloaded is automatically cited with the author and the Creative Commons License. This serves as a fantastic tool for creating visually engaging and informative class content while teaching digital citizenship.

Composing Effective Writing Assignments

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Resources for Teaching Writing

Course & assignment design, examples of effective writing assignments.

• Scaffolding Writing to Support Student Learning
• Creating Assignments for Miami Plan Capstone Courses
• Teaching Literature Reviews
• Using Threshold Concepts to Design Assignments and Courses
• Teaching Grammar Rhetorically 
• Structuring Purposeful Group & Team Work
• Mentoring Graduate Writers

Feedback & Assessment

• Using ePortfolio Assignments 
• Giving Feedback to Writers
• Facilitating Meaningful Online Discussions
• Engaging Students in Effective Peer Response

Teaching Online and with AI

• Providing Online Writing Support
• Integrating AI to Guide Learning

Writing is a valuable educational tool for learning. In the classroom, writing can help students grapple with and understand content more deeply and help students learn disciplinary ways of knowing and communicating. For instructors, writing can help evaluate students’ understanding of course content, and help assess students’ prior knowledge and gauge how well they’re understanding current material.

In this resource, we provide some recommendations based on best practices in writing studies research to help you compose meaningful writing assignments that promote deep learning. You can also view our companion resource “Scaffolding Writing to Support Student Learning” to see more ideas on how to scaffold and teach writing day-to-day in your courses.

Before we get started, we encourage you to pull up the writing assignment you are reworking, or to open a new document as you plan a brand new assignment. Take some notes as you read through each step and engage with our questions. Planning course assignments is a learning activity just like any other that benefits from writing about it.

Recommendations for Composing Effective Writing Assignments

• Identify your learning goals for the course. We often assign writing because we think we should, or because that’s how we were taught in school, or for some other reason unrelated to the purpose of the course. But sometimes writing, or more likely the type of writing we assign, isn’t the best way for students to learn, achieve, and demonstrate learning of course goals. Therefore, we suggest you start at the end by first identifying your course goals; then consider how you could use writing to achieve and assess those goals. Defining your goals and then aligning assignments to those goals leads to assignments that are targeted and cohesive within your course. (In this process, you may also find that writing isn’t the best way to assess your learning goals; yet read on, because writing has many other uses.)
• Explicitly articulate the audience for an assignment. Oftentimes students will write assignments with their teacher in mind as the audience, even as they will write for a broad array of audiences in the workplace. To encourage your students to explore the real power and impact of the writing they will do in the world, consider more explicitly identifying audiences in each of your assignments. Will a CEO be reading this business memo? Concerned parents in a school district? Eligible voters across an entire county with various interests? A important first section in an assignment prompt can be articulating audience, even if that’s asking students to identify and describe audiences themselves. 
• Differentiate between declarative and procedural knowledge in your course. When determining course goals, remember that there are two types of knowledge: declarative knowledge (knowing “about” something, such as what the various parts of a microscope are) and procedural knowledge (knowing “how to” do something, such as actually using the microscope during a lab). Procedural knowledge tends to lag behind declarative knowledge. Knowing about something doesn’t necessarily mean that you know how to do something with that knowledge. Declarative knowledge is often learned through reading and lecture. Procedural knowledge requires practice, and if complex, requires practice of the component parts while building to the whole, with ongoing feedback and additional practice of those parts. It can be helpful to determine which kind of knowledge you want students to learn in your course, and then which assignments can teach which specific knowledge. Consider using this declarative and procedural knowledge worksheet as a place to get started.
• problem-focused activities
• critical thinking skills
• case studies
• synthesized reviews of literature
• assigned positions 
• real world applications

Consider reframing your writing assignments to more closely appear as one of these tasks.

• Name assignments to illustrate the goals and genre . In line with the above, research also indicates that giving your assignments relevant, descriptive names (rather than “Paper 1”) can improve students’ disciplinary knowledge and knowledge transfer. For example, “Company Stakeholder Analysis” or “Marketing Change Plan” to get at some of the more specifics of what the assignment entails and is about.
• Think about how many assignments you have in the course, and how long students will need to complete this writing assignment. A lot of faculty organize their courses into units or modules, with a set number of weeks for each. Keeping in mind the kinds of declarative and procedural knowledge you wish students to learn, take stock of how many units and assignments you have overall, and think about how long students will need to complete your desired writing assignment. To do so, also consider what component skills students will need to require each task, and how much class time you might need to devote to those skills. Check out this backwards planning worksheet to help keep track of skills, tasks, and assignments in your course as you plan.
• Explain expectations clearly. Research shows that providing clear expectations can improve student engagement and the quality of their final product (Anderson et al 2016). Clear expectations can include identifying the purpose of the assignment, how it relates to other assignments/other courses, audiences for the assignment, grading criteria, and more. Try to include clear expectations in every assignment for improved clarity and to help students meet your expectations. You can even ask students to help write and codify instructions with you, helping provide them with agency in the process. 

Economics 344: Country Report Project

Created by: Dr. Ling Shao , Assistant Teaching Professor

Context from Faculty

ECO 344 is a general elective for economics major, but it is a required course for International Studies major and International Business minor. Therefore, students enrolled in the course come from a variety of majors besides economics. They have varied levels of preparedness in math and economics training. For this reason, the course is not heavy in math. Instead, it focuses on presenting essential international trade and international macroeconomic theories in a relatively simple way. The Country Report Project (CRP) is created so that students can apply their learning of these theories to real world data and policy discussions.

The CRP is a series of assignments closely tied to the weekly content of the course. I chose this format over a single big project after learning about the merits of scaffolding. Students will have a country to work on. Depending on the number of students, it can be done individually or as a group. The country will either be assigned by the instructor or be decided by students themselves. It works well in both face-to-face and online classes. I used the CRP in Fall 2019, Spring 2020, and Summer 2020.

Sample Assignment for Economics 344

Module 1 | discussion.

For this discussion, please decide on a country that you are interested in and use the World Trade Organization (WTO) database to look at actual data on your country’s exports and imports.

Discuss the following questions based on your country’s data:

• Does your country run a surplus or deficit in total merchandise trade? How about the balances on certain smaller categories of merchandise trade such as agriculture and manufactures?
• Please include a data table in your discussion with exports and imports side by side to support your responses.

Module 2 | Discussion

For this discussion, please continue to use your country’s trade data that you have obtained. You will discuss winners and losers from trade based on your country’s top exports and top imports. Relate it to the specific-factors model. In addition, you can share any knowledge of your country’s attitude toward trade and comment if it makes sense from an economic perspective. Any trade protests you have witnessed or read about you can share as well.

This discussion will be completed through a video recording:

• 2 - 3 minutes
• Must show yourself
• You can use a few powerpoint slides if it helps make your discussion easier to follow, but it is not required.

Please respond to at least two videos from your classmates. Comment on the substance of the discussion with a critique, a question, a suggestion, or anything you see fit.

Module 3 | Discussion

For this discussion, you will discuss your country’s tariff policy. Please visit the World Trade Organization’s website. From the homepage, click “WTO membership” box in the upper middle. Find and click on the country of your interest. On the country page, please click on the pdf link under “Tariff profile” on the lower left side. Please respond to the following questions and include a screen capture of the pdf in your discussion:

• In the summary box at the top of the pdf, what is the country’s average MFN tariff rate in the most recent year?
• How does the MFN tariff compare to other summary tariff stats (e.g., final bound, trade weighted average)?
• In part A.2 of the pdf, find the product group that has the highest MFN tariff. What is that product group’s share of imports? Who do you think benefits from the tariff on the product? Who do you think is hurt by the tariff?

You must also respond to at least two posts from your classmates. Comment on your impression of their country’s tariff policy and whether their response to the winners and losers of tariff makes sense or not.

Module 4 | Discussion

Below are a few tariff case studies:

• History of U.S. Steel Protectionism
• Welfare Cost of U.S.-China Trade War

Module 5 | Discussion

For this discussion, please decide on a country (excluding the U.S.) that you are curious about and explore the history of its exchange rate policy using this paper. Click on the red PDF icon to access the paper. Please discuss the following questions:

• How many different exchange rate regimes does your country have over time?
• Select one regime change and provide some historical background on this change.
• What is the current exchange rate policy in your country?
• How has your country’s currency been performing against the U.S. dollar in the past year?

You must also comment on at least two posts from your classmates.

Module 6 | Discussion

In this discussion, you will select a country (other than the U.S.) and get exchange rates and inflation data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Then you will use the data to rest if relative PPP holds between your country and the U.S. Then discuss the following questions using the data:

• Compare your country’s inflation rates to the U.S.
• Briefly summarize how your country’s currency has been performing against the dollar over time.
• Test to see how well relative PPP holds up using the data from your country and the US.

You must also respond to at least one post from your classmates. Comment on whether the data looks right or not, and whether their understanding of relative PPP is correct or not.

Module 7 | Discussion

For this discussion, imagine you are an advisor from the International Monetary Fund and you are assigned to advise the central bank of an emerging economy on macroeconomic policy issues. Some research beyond the textbook may be necessary. Please discuss the following in a video (must show yourself; dress properly; use of PPT and visuals allowed; 3 - 4 minutes):

• What data would you collect about this economy to help you make recommendations?
• What exchange rate policy would you suggest, fixed or floating? Why?
• Would you recommend the country open up its capital market (e.g., stock market) to foreign investors or not? Why?
• If the central bank wants to know whether or not it can use monetary policy to influence domestic economics, what would you say?

Please vote for your favorite advisor (other than yourself) by posting a reply. Explain briefly what made you decide to vote for him/her.

Module 8 | Discussion

For this discussion, you will select a country (other than the U.S.) to explore its current account.

Current Account Data:

• Go to IMF BOP data site
• Click on the table titled “1. Balance of Payments Analytic Presentation by Country”
• In the country drop-down menu, select your country
• Is the current account in surplus or deficit in recent years? Any trends?
• Out of TB, NFIA, and NUT, what seems to be the determining factor of your country’s CA outcome? Is this consistent with your country’s development and income status? Why?

You must also respond to at least one post from your classmates. Please comment on whether their data analysis is correct or not and the explanation provided makes sense or not.

Economics 347: Economics of Developing Countries Analysis

Created by: Dr. Janice Kinghorn , Teaching Professor & Assessment Director

Context from the HCWE

This assignment breaks down a complex semester-long analysis into more manageable parts, by having students focus on one or two concepts they are learning each week as they build to the full analysis. The assignment explains the purpose/objectives of the assignment, specifies an audience and genre, provides detailed instructions, and describes explicitly how economists think and write so that students can practice and model those disciplinary ways of knowing.

Sample Assignment for Economics 347

The objective of this project is to allow you to apply ideas and concepts we discuss in class to a specific context - a developing country. Through completing the steps in the project you should gain a better understanding of:

• The usefulness of standard development indicators for understanding the economy of a country
• The difficulties in finding and using standard development indicators in low income countries
• The process of generating hypothesis about development by examining data
• How economists use theory to better understand development experiences
• How economists use evidence to make arguments
• How to communicate like an economist

Students will choose a developing country to work on during the semester and complete a series of assignments, mostly memos, applying what we talk about in class to that country. Through that process I expect students to become experts on their particular country and thus be able to develop a thesis about economic development and write a strong argumentative essay using economic theory to make an argument supported by evidence by the end of the term.

The implied audience for the memos and the final paper is the U.S. ambassador to that country. Remember that the ambassador is busy so it is your job to provide just enough, and never too much information. The communication should be concise, easy to read, and clearly convey your point. More detail on how to write a business memo is at http://www.fsb.miamioh.edu/fsb/content/programs/howe-writing-initiative/HWI-handout-memo.html . Another source on how to write a business memo is here.

General Notes: In the assignments I often ask you to describe. Economists tend to describe by using graphs and tables. As you are learning the field of economics, I want you to follow this convention. Of course your graphs and tables must be correct, clearly labeled, your source data must be cited in a way the reader can easily find it, and they must be original. Excellent graphs and tables will clearly communicate to the reader without making the reader work too hard to understand your point. The objective is not to demonstrate to the instructor that you found the requested data - I’m assuming you did that - rather to make a clear point with that data.

I will assume that you mean everything you write. Be careful that you don’t use generalizations for stylistic reasons that you can not back up. Be careful of using vague words that you can not define. For example, “country X’s growth rate was huge” would be more appropriately written as “country X’s growth rate averaged 6% over the past ten years”.

I expect all data and claims to be sourced (APA style). Remember that I am trying to teach you to write like an economist, so in this project I’m not only concerned that you know things, but that you can appropriately write about them.

General Grading Criteria : Most assignments, unless otherwise specified, will be graded based on:

• Is the memo on time, complete, and conforming to requirements?
• Is the memo professional - free of errors, easy to read, shows evidence of thoughtful tailoring to the audience
• Is the work properly cited?
• Do the claims demonstrate that the student can accurately apply the course concepts?
• Does the application go beyond formulaic to add to an understanding of the country’s experience?

Assignment 1: Millennium Development Goals

Choose a country, which must be approved by your instructor. You must choose a low or middle income country, NOT a high income country. See http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups#High_income (Links to an external site.). to check and see if your country is high income. You must choose a country with a population of greater than five million. You may not choose a country in which you have lived. You may not choose a country in which war, political instability, or other political factors make the economic situation highly atypical (your instructor will make the judgement about which countries to exclude for this reason). No more than 3 people may choose the same country, and you may benefit from discussing your country with others who are also doing research, but your assignments must be entirely your own. See the shared Google doc linked under the assignment to “sign up” for a country.

Once you have received approval for your country, investigate how well that country achieved the Millenium Development Goals. 1. Choose two goals that you would argue were a success for that country. a. Describe why you can claim they were successful (with evidence) and b. how they were successful (find at least one credible, high quality source). 2. Describe two that they still need to work on, and give evidence for your claim. You might find it helpful to consult http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Host.aspx?Content=Data/snapshots.htm .

Assignment 2: Income

• Describe the income, over time, and in context of your country. In class we discuss ways to measure income, so in this assignment I will not specify which you are to use, but you must justify why you chose the measure you did. You must use a professional looking graph that you have created (not copied from the internet) to communicate. You will need to choose what is meant by over time and in context. We will talk about this in class, but in general I want you to make your description meaningful by the inclusion of time and context.
• Describe the HDI for your country, and comment on the individual components. Pick one other indicator of development that is interest to you, not income or the components of HDI, and describe it for your country. The United Nations publishes data on the HDI at http://hdr.undp.org/en/data .

Assignment 3: Models of Development

We discussed models of development in chapters 3 and 4. Choose two of the models and discuss why they might be applicable to the development experience of your country. This is different from the other assignments because it asks you to apply models to the situation of the country that you have been learning about. To make your argument about applicability you will likely want to use historical experiences, as you are discussing change over time or historical conditions that have an effect on the country today. This assignment may require more library research than the others. In your final paper you will need to use theory to make an argument, so this is an opportunity to try that out. You do not need to stick with what you write for this assignment in your final paper, but you may do so.

Be sure your argument does not rely on “economist x writing in journal y thinks this model is applicable”, rather I want you to make the arguments and provide the evidence yourself. Note that the argument and evidence does not need to be complex - but it does need to be specific, and evidence does need to back up the argument. Because this assignment may be difficult, please discuss with with me if you are having difficulty. This is a great time to come to office hours to brainstorm ideas. You may also want to reach out to the business librarian at this point to help you find high quality resources for background research. You can find more information at https://libguides.lib.miamioh.edu/ECO347 .

Assignment 4: Poverty and Inequality

Describe the level of poverty and inequality in your country using standard measures of income and multidimensional poverty (UNDP has this data) that we discussed in class. Do you see any indication that there is a kuznets curve? What are the characteristics of those living in poverty (gender, ethnic origin, age, etc.)?

Assignment 5: Demographic Situation

a. Create a population pyramid for your country. The U.S. Census has this data at https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/idb/informationGateway.php. If your excel skills are a bit rusty you can find tutorials on the web. One is at https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/idb/informationGateway.php. b. How may the demographic situation in your country affect development? I have not specified what I mean by “demographic situation” so you have some latitude to choose which concept/measure from our class discussion is relevant for your country. You will need to be sure and describe (see the notes above for hints on how economists describe) the situation and make an argument connecting it to development. Note that I have also not specified how you must define “development”, so you will have to make that decision thinking about our discussion at the beginning of the term, but be sure you are intentional both in your work and in your communication.

Assignment 6: Thesis Statement

Develop a thesis about economic development in your country. Unlike the other assignments, the product is not a memo, but a one-sentence thesis. In the prior assignments you were asked to explain something that is straightforward once you did the research to find the “facts”. This assignment is different in that it asks you to take your understanding of “facts” and develop an argument by using what you know about the country and what you know about the theory of development. The following examples may get your thinking started:: country x can improve development indicator y by taking z action, country x is underdeveloped because of action y, X is a binding constraint on development of country y. A thesis is a statement of an argument. A good thesis:

• Tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• Serves as a road map for the paper; tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• Is usually a single sentence that presents your argument to the reader in a nutshell (for this assignment you are required to submit a single sentence).

For more help with writing a good thesis see this handout from the Howe center http://miamioh.edu/hcwe/handouts/thesis-statements/index.html . You are also encouraged to take advantage of the consultations available at the center. More information is at Howe Writing Center . Note that all students in this class may use the Howe Center for Business Writing, even if you are not an FSB student. If you have not looked at the resources our business librarian has put together when you were doing assignment 3 you may want to do so now. See https://libguides.lib.miamioh.edu/ECO347 . Assignment 6 will be graded based on how many times it takes you to get it right. If you submit an excellent thesis on the first try, you will get full credit. If you are asked to revise your thesis you must submit the first thesis and the revision. The more time it takes for you to get it right, the lower the grade, however you may not write the paper until you get this right.

Assignment 7: Draft

Submit a complete draft of your paper. A complete draft will 1. Have all parts complete (bibliography, footnotes, etc.) 2. Be well proofread (it should not by any means be your first draft). Details of the paper are below. For information about how to properly cite an idea or a direct quote see here. You must make sure you are fully aware of Miami’s policy on plagiarism  and take steps to prevent it. Please also review the FSB’s interpretation of the Miami policy.

Assignment 8: Peer Review

Peer review at least two students’ papers. The peer review will happen in class and you will receive instructions about what I want you to do. This assignment asks you to report on your learnings from that exercise. Write a memo describing 1. two pieces of feedback you received on your paper and how you will respond to them. Note that you do not have to accept the feedback, but if you choose not to make changes based on feedback please note your reasoning. Also describe 2. Two pieces of feedback you gave to each of two classmates and why you think this feedback would make their paper more effective.

Assignment 9: Final Paper

Your final paper should be no more than 1500 words (strictly enforced) not including bibliography (APA style) and good papers are often less. I will not specify a minimum number of sources but your sources should be sufficiently diverse so that you are confident you have an understanding of multiple perspectives and your arguments and evidence are properly sourced. I will check your sources - that is, I will find them and evaluate their quality, so be sure your citations provides enough information that I can easily find them, and make sure you are comfortable with their quality (do you know who the author is? Is the author qualified? Is the argument/evidence subject to peer review or editorial review?)

The format of the paper should be an argumentative essay - you will make an argument, supported by evidence, to substantiate your thesis. More information about this type of writing can be found  here .

Because this paper is the culmination of your semester-long effort to apply class material to your country it should be grounded in theories and concepts we used in this class. A paper which may be otherwise excellent but does not reflect the learning in this class this term will not be accepted.

Rubric for Assignment 9 Final Paper

Assignment 10: Class presentation

The audience for the presentation is your classmates. Your objective is to teach them something about development by showing them how a concept we discussed is class applies to your country. Parts of the presentation are:

• Background: give the class enough information about your country so that they can understand the argument you will make, but they do not necessarily need to know everything about the country that you have learned - be strategic in what you want to share.
• Problem/thesis: Share with the class what your thesis is, and also why it is important (what is the larger development issue that is at stake)
• Argument: Clearly make your argument in a way your classmates will easily follow
• Evidence: Convince your classmates that you are correct

Your presentation should be no longer than ten minutes, and you should expect to answer questions. You are expected not only to give a professional presentation but also be professional during your classmates’ presentations. That means your demeanor should indicate to the speaker that you are interested, you should not come in late while someone is speaking, you should occasionally raise your hand to ask questions.

Rubric for Assignment 10 Class Presentation

Due Dates: Fall 2019

A late assignment is an inferior assignment, thus you will receive a 20% reduction per day for an assignment submitted past the due date. Please see Canvas for updated due dates.

History: Dear Reader Memo

Created by: Dr. Erik Jensen , Associate Professor of History

The Dear Reader memo, sometimes called a Writer’s Note, is an assignment developed by Nancy Sommers, Harvard Writing Project , that establishes communication between the writer and the instructor and/or peers (whoever will read the draft) about the state of the draft and the writer’s perceptions of it, both positive and negative, and provides an opportunity for the writer to ask the reader for specific advice. A Dear Reader memo gives the writer an opportunity to reflect on their writing process and in later drafts often includes information about what was revised and why. Instructors should provide a prompt explaining what they want students to include in their memo and should also assign some points or other incentive for completing it.

Sample Assignment

Submit a “Dear Reader” memo (maximum 250 words) at the same time as the draft and a new “Dear Reader” memo at the same time as the final version, but always as a separate document to its own location on Canvas.

The memo for the draft is your opportunity to tell me and your peer reviewer the three aspects of your draft that you are most concerned about, so that we can focus our attention and comments on those three things in particular. (For instance, you might wonder if your organization makes sense, or you might wonder about some particular pieces of evidence that you use.) Your peer reviewer and I will comment on other areas, too, if we see problems and issues in your draft, but your memo should highlight three areas, in particular.

The memo for the final version is your opportunity to tell me how you’ve incorporated my feedback and that of your peer reviewer into this final version. You should highlight specific revisions that you’ve made. You can also use this memo to justify your reasons for not making certain changes that I or your peer reviewer may have recommended, but with which you disagreed.

• Due with your peer-reviewable draft on Tuesday, November 17, by class. Submitted either entirely via Canvas, or by hard copy in class and via Canvas (if we are face to face).
• Due with your polished final draft by Tuesday, December 8, at 5:00pm. Submitted electronically, via Canvas.

History 111: Primary Source Analysis Essay

Created by: Dr. Lindsay Schakenbach Regele , Robert H. and Nancy J. Blayney Assistant Professor of History

This is a scaffolded writing assignment for the class HST111 Survey of American History I. It's intended to introduce students (usually students who are new to history as a discipline) to primary source analysis and thesis-writing in the historical discipline. I created several pre-paper assignment deadlines to get students thinking about their document ahead of time and enable me to help students work through any interpretive issues they were having. Also, I allow students to select their own document to hopefully spark feelings of curiosity and ownership.

Sample Assignment for History 111

*Please read through the assignment description, guidelines and rubric. Following this information, there is a timeline for completing the assignment.

Primary sources form the base that supports historians’ reconstructions of the past. Historians are always trying to discover both the meaning and the significance of a piece of historical evidence. By meaning, we are trying to reconstitute what that document might have meant (or how it might have been understood) by the historical actors in that era. By significance, we attempt to relate how that evidence contributes to a particular interpretation of the past.

This assignment will give you practice in interpreting historical evidence . A good document analysis will focus upon both the text itself (with attention to the specifics and nuances of language used) and the context (the broader picture of the history of that period that informs the document. Never will simply describing what happened be sufficient as an historical interpretation of a document. No outside research is needed for this, just a familiarity with the material in your textbook.

Choose ONE primary source document from your Voices of Freedom book.

In 3-5 double-spaced pages, address the following sets of questions:

• Who wrote the document, and for whom was it written? What does this suggest about the point of view reflected in the document and any potential biases?
• Why was the document written, and how does the style/structure help or hinder its purpose?
• What do the document's author, audience, and style tell us about the historical context in which this document was produced?
• What other kinds of sources would you want to examine to corroborate the document’s claims and understand its context?

Begin your essay with a sentence or two about the author, the date and title of the text, the occasion for which the text was written, and the general subject of the document. If the author's identity is unknown, try to determine as much as you can about the type of person who was responsible for the production of the document. If the document was written after the events it describes, explain what impact that might have had on its construction.

In your introductory paragraph, present a brief summary of your interpretation of the author’s perspective, method, and purpose in writing the text. Your introduction should include a thesis statement that makes an argument about the document’s significance for understanding that period of American history (a good thesis statement requires evidence to support, and could be argued against).

In the body of your essay, you may find that the most efficient and effective way to discuss and analyze the text is to move step by step through the text. After all, that is how the author intended the text to be read or heard. As you present the points that the author makes (offer quotations from the text as evidence for your discussion), you will construct your own analysis, building and developing your interpretation as your essay progresses. Give yourself time to revise your essay, so that you can go back through the essay and refine your interpretation.

In your essay, use the simple past tense to describe what the author wrote: this serves to remind both you and your readers that the author wrote for an audience of his/her contemporaries. Whenever possible, use sentence constructions with the active voice rather than passive voice. Active verbs reiterate the author’s active role in creating the text and the argument, and they encourage you to make connections and draw conclusions about the author and the text.

The essay will be graded according to the following rubric*:

• Builds on the preparatory work you’ve done /100
• Makes a cogent thesis statement /50
• Demonstrates an understanding of the document's main points by successfully answering the questions /200 (50 points for each question)
• Supports the thesis statement with clearly written and well-organized evidence from the documents /200
• Total /500 *Please see the sample essays for what a “cogent thesis statement” and “well-organized evidence,” etc., look like.

In order to help you prepare your essay, I’m asking you to do some work ahead of time. This will help ensure that you understand both the assignment and the document you’ve chosen. It will also allow me to intervene if there are major questions or misunderstandings about the documents. (I expect you to struggle with them a little bit—Primary sources are difficult!)

• Before September 11 , select your document and read through the examples of successful essays that I’ve posted
• On the Canvas discussion board, post your selection and answer the questions that follow the document., DUE Friday, Sept. 11
• Look through other students’ posts, and post 5-7 sentences reflecting on your thoughts after reading other students’ choices and if you would like to change the document you have selected (which you are permitted to do) DUE Friday, Sept. 18
• Upload your answers to the assignment questions (Word document; these can be in draft note form), DUE Friday, October 16
• Upload final primary source analysis essay (Word document), DUE Friday, November 6

History 198: Continuity/Change Essay

I focused extensively in this course on creating a writing-feedback-rewriting framework. HST 198 (“World History since 1500”) engaged students at all levels of the curriculum, both majors and non-majors. I developed a scaffolded approach to the writing assignments that followed this template:

• A best-effort draft
• “Dear Reader” memo for the draft
• Peer review memo about your partner’s draft
• Polished final draft with “Dear Reader” memo for the polished, final draft in which the writer addresses instructor comments on the draft as well as peer reviewer’s comments

Note: I used this framework for all three courses I taught during the same semester—HST 198 (“World History since 1500”), HST 331 (“Nineteenth-century Europe”), and HST 410 (“Twentieth-century Germany”). Each of these classes, which I taught all in one semester, has two or three writing assignments. I’ve provided one sample for HST 198 below.

Sample Assignment for History 198

• Due as a peer-reviewable draft on Tuesday, November 17, by class. Submitted either entirely via Canvas, or by hard copy in class and via Canvas (if we are face to face).
• Due as a polished final draft by Tuesday, December 8, at 5:00pm. Submitted electronically, via Canvas.

Why am I having you write this Essay?

This assignment hones your ability to present a clear argument that is supported by evidence and written in a manner that is accessible to people who may have a limited background in the subject matter. This is a job skill. Whether submitting grant proposals for a non-profit organization or assessing business models for a consulting firm, an ability to write thoughtfully and persuasively will serve you well.

By prompting you to examine the explicit, implicit, and perhaps even unconscious arguments, assumptions, and experiences represented in the five texts for our course, this essay also encourages you to do the historian’s work of interpreting and presenting a vision of the past. This is an unavoidably subjective enterprise, and it makes your engaged and critical reading of these texts so important.

Other than in its expanding size and power, the general nature and purpose of the state has not changed that much over the past five hundred years. Based on your readings and comparison of The Death of Woman Wang, The History of Mary Prince, Abina and the Important Men, Spider Eaters, and The Origins of the Modern World, do you agree or disagree? Why?

The Process

In a well-organized essay of around 2,000 words (roughly 7 pages, double-spaced), answer the question based on your reading of the five assigned texts from this course. You must include at least fourteen (14) direct quotations from the texts, with at least four (4) coming from Spider Eaters; at least four (4) coming from The Origins of the Modern World; and at least two (2) coming from each of the three remaining texts. Explain each quotation’s relevance to your larger argument.

Since this is an historical essay, use dates in order to provide the necessary context for a given quotation, event, or trend. You should cite the source of the quotation in a footnote or an endnote. Here’s an example:

In Chapter 5, Robert Marks argues that transformations in economic production led to the emergence of new forms of identity, noting that "industrialization created new social classes, especially the urban working class and the capitalist class."[1] (This example also highlights the fact that you should introduce every quotation.) For subsequent quotations that come from the same source as the preceding quotation, do this.[2]

Focus on the prompt. Your answer to it constitutes your thesis, which your entire essay should then seek to support. If a piece of information does not advance your thesis, do not include it. You can just as easily write an "A" paper that disagrees with the prompt as one that agrees with it. The skill, clarity, and integrity with which you craft your argument determines your grade.

• No quotation should be longer than 40 words (i.e. NO block quotations).
• Introduce each quotation so that the reader knows who has written the words that appear within the quotation marks and can put those words in context.
• Always underline the title of a book, like this, or place it in italics, like this.

The Audience

Provide enough background information so that a person will understand the logic of your argument and the relevance of your examples even without having read any of the five texts in question.

Academic Integrity

If you are strapped for time before the final version is due, *request an extension,* which in this case might mean asking for an Incomplete for the semester. An “I” is far preferable to a conviction for academic dishonesty. Know the policies stated in the student handbook regarding academic integrity. For this assignment, you should not use any source other than the assigned text (in paper or e-book format) and the in-class discussions. If you have any questions at all about what is appropriate to use, please see me.

Grading (and Peer-Review) Rubric

• Is the thesis clear, and does it address the prompt?
• Does the introductory section provide a “roadmap” that succinctly summarizes the author’s main points and organization of the essay?
• If the essay acknowledges the opposing argument, is that acknowledgment brief and concluded with a reiteration of the thesis?
• What pieces of evidence support the argument?
• What types of evidence might be missing?
• Does the author include at least the minimum number of quotations, and does the author effectively frame each one to show how it supports the argument?
• Does the essay stay focused on its thesis and adhere to its organizational roadmap?
• Are transitions between the paragraphs smooth, and does each paragraph have a topic sentence and clear focus?
• Does the essay have a forceful conclusion?
• Are the quotations, dates, and historical context accurate? Are words and names spelled correctly? Peer reviewers: Circle anything that looks suspicious, so that the author knows to double check it.
• Has the author written clearly – avoiding repetition, using comfortable vocabulary, and employing passive voice only where it makes sense to do so?

History 331: Power Essay

I focused extensively in all three courses [taught during one semester] on creating a writing-feedback-rewriting framework. I developed two or three writing assignments in each class. The three courses—HST 198 (“World History since 1500”), HST 331 (“Nineteenth-century Europe”), and HST 410 (“Twentieth-century Germany”)—engaged students at all levels of the curriculum, both majors and non-majors. For all three classes, I developed a scaffolded approach to the writing assignments that followed the same template:

Sample Assignment for History 331

By prompting you to make an argument about which sets of forces you think had the greatest impact on people’s lives during a particular period of time, this essay also emboldens you to “do history,” which entails interpreting, presenting, and supporting with evidence your vision of the past.

The state (governments, judicial systems, laws, national and local bureaucracies) shaped people's lives in the 19th century more profoundly than did broader cultural, social, economic, or environmental forces or non-state institutions. Based on do you agree or disagree? Why?

In a well-organized essay of around 3,000 words (roughly 10-11 pages, double-spaced), answer the question based on your reading of The Transformation of the World, The Communist Manifesto, and A Doll’s House. You must include at least fourteen (14) direct quotations from The Transformation of the World, at least eight (8) of which must come from the last nine chapters (Chapter XI through the Conclusion), and from five different ones among those last nine. In addition, you must include at least three (3) direct quotations from The Communist Manifesto and three (3) from A Doll’s House. Explain each quotation’s relevance to your larger argument.

In Chapter VII, on "Frontiers," Osterhammel seems to downplay the pervasiveness of territorial acquisitions, when he writes, "In nineteenth-century Europe, especially outside Russia, colonial landgrabs on a large scale became a rarity."[1] (This example also highlights the fact that you should introduce every quotation.) For subsequent quotations that come from the same source as the preceding quotation, do this.[2]

Provide enough background information so that a person will understand the logic of your argument and the relevance of your examples even without having read The Communist Manifesto, A Doll’s House, or The Transformation of the World.

• What pieces evidence support the argument?
• Are they the strongest pieces of evidence

References: 1. Jürgen Osterhammel, The Transformation of the World: A Global History of the Nineteenth Century, trans. Patrick Camiller (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2014), 323. 2. Ibid.,115.

HST 410: Dictatorship Essay

Sample assignment for history 410.

• Due as a peer-reviewable draft on Tuesday, November 19, by class. Submitted either entirely via Canvas, or by hard copy in class and via Canvas (if we are face to face).

The individual motivations for cooperating with, opposing, or simply tolerating the Nazi and East German regimes were broadly similar. Based on your reading of Kershaw and Funder, do you agree or disagree? Why?

When you are looking at cooperation, opposition, or toleration/submission, you will want to consider an array of motivations, including patriotism, peer pressure, familial ties, material desire, longing for greater rights, obedience, and so on. Our class discussions will play a central role in helping us to think through these motivations.

In a well-organized essay of around 3,000 words (roughly 10-11 pages, double-spaced), answer the question based on your reading of The End and Stasiland. You must include at least sixteen (16) direct quotations, eight (8) of which must come from Kershaw and eight (8) of which must come from Funder. Draw these quotations from different chapters throughout both works, rather than from just a single chapter or section. Explain each quotation’s relevance to your larger argument.

In his discussion of the role of Jews during the Revolutions of 1848, Elon notes the multi-generational nature of this involvement when he writes, "An older generation of Jewish militants found a role as well." [1] (This example also highlights the fact that you should introduce every quotation.) For subsequent quotations that come from the same source as the preceding quotation, do this.[2]

Provide enough background information so that a person will understand the logic of your argument and the relevance of your examples even without having read The End or Stasiland.

References: 1 . Amos Elon, The Pity of It All: A Portrait of the German-Jewish Epoch , 1743-1933 (New York: Picador, 2002), 163. 2. Ibid.,197.

Gerontology 354: Rhetorical Analysis

Created by: Dr. Kate de Medeiros, Professor & O'Toole Family Professorship

For this undergraduate class, students work on a final persuasive paper based on a controversy of their choice over the course of the semester. I wanted them to read carefully to see how written language can be used to set a tone, to subtly persuade, to speak with authority, to leave one with a certain emotion, and so on. They first complete the rhetorical analysis on controversy articles from the “Opposing Viewpoints” database. After they write their draft, they use the same rhetorical analysis steps to provide a peer review on a classmate’s paper.

Sample Assignment from Gerontology 354

A critical part of writing well is learning to read with a discerning eye. A rhetorical analysis is a close reading of someone else’s work where you pay very close attention to not only what the writer says, but how the writer uses language – word choices, sentence structures, opposing arguments, tone, arguments structure, and others – to convey their point.

• Navigate to the “Opposing Viewpoints” database via the library’s website. Here is a brief video that shows you how to do this in case you are not familiar.
• Select a topic that is different than your own but is related to aging.
• Read the viewpoint essay for the topic you selected. Write or paste the title of the essay here, as well as the url.
• Who is the intended audience of this piece? How do you know? I am not asking you to simply guess based on the title, but see if there are subtle ways that the author conveys this.
• What is the purpose of the piece – the thesis? Either copy a sentence that you believe is the thesis or rephrase in your own words.
• What is the effect the author intends to have on readers? How do you know? Include “evidence” in your response (e.g., copy a sentence, some phrases – whatever makes your case.)
• What are the main arguments that the author uses to support his/her case? (You can cut and paste sentences from the text or explain in your own words.) Does the author bring up counter-arguments? (You can cut and paste sentences from the text or explain in your own words.) Overall, how effective would you say the author’s arguments are? Please explain your response.
• Does the author support his/her argument with additional information or data? Please give examples. How believable/reliable is that data? Please explain.
• Overall, what feelings are you left with after reading the piece (e.g., anger, sadness, outrage, etc.) Since emotions in a text are a direct result of the specific words, among other things, find words in the essay that contribute to your feelings.
• Another effective strategy that writers use is varied sentence length. Focus on one paragraph in the essay. How long are each of the sentences? Is there any relationship you see between sentence length and the message and/or emotions conveyed? Explain your answer and provide support.
• After reading this, what, if any, of the literary devices would you apply to your own work? What literary devices in this piece would you not apply to your own work. Please explain.
• In your opinion, was the essay a good piece of writing? Why or why not? (There is no right answer but be sure to support your response with clear examples and/or explanations.)

Gerontology 602: Theory Project

Created by: Dr. Jennifer Kinney , Professor and Director of Graduate Studies

Sample Assignment for Gerontology 602

At this point in the semester you have a good overview of gerontology (in large part on de Medeiros, 2017) and are beginning to read a variety of genre (journal articles, encyclopedia entries, book chapters) written for an academic gerontology audience. Over the remainder of the semester you will continue to learn about gerontological theory and its application. During this time, in addition to your assigned out-of-class reading and our class sessions, you will complete a theory project. For this project, you will explore a specific gerontological concept that you are particularly interested in/that will be most helpful to you as you prepare to be a gerontologist. Specifically, you will document the development of the concept in gerontology and its theoretical underpinnings. You will complete the project in specific steps, and receive feedback/be evaluated on each step of the project. For several of the steps you will revise your work based on the feedback you get from your peers and/or me, and incorporate the feedback into a revision that is included in the final step of the project. At the end of the semester you will present an overview of your paper to the class.

Specific instructions for each step of the project (1-8) are listed below.

Step 1: Your Initial Idea

Pick a contemporary concept in gerontology in which you are particularly interested. If a topic does not immediately come to mind, you might think about: 1) your previous work with/on behalf of older adults; 2) what interested you when you were applying to graduate school; 3) new interests that have emerged through your classwork, GA work, and other experiences and/or an area that you would like to learn more about. For Step 1, please turn in the following:

• List the top 1- 3 ideas or concepts that you have learned from your prior knowledge/experience related to gerontology.
• For each of the concepts listed, how does your prior knowledge relate to what we have read so far or what you are interested in learning more about?
• What do you need to know (e.g., more theories, applicable examples) to gain more insight into the concept/theory that you are most interested in?

Step 1 of your theory project is due during week 4 of the semester and is worth 5 possible points (2% of the written theory project, which is worth a total of 210 points).

Step 2: Identifying and Reflecting on Your Topic

Last week, I asked you to start thinking about a topic you'd like to explore. Now I am asking you to commit to that topic.

• Step 2 Product: Write a 1-2 paragraph description of what concept you plan to explore, and why you chose that concept. The audience for this concept description is me— your course instructor/a gerontology faculty member. Because of the audience, this should be well thought out and well written. You will get feedback from me about your concept description and should take this feedback into account when you complete Step 3.
• How much of your topic relies on your previous learning or experience?
• What new information/perspective do you hope to gain through your topic?
• How do you hope to apply your topic to your future work in the GTY program?
• What additional challenges will you need to face (e.g., mastering a new literature, changing previous ways of thinking) to accomplish your goal for this project?

Your concept description and reflection (in one document) is due during week 5 of the semester and is worth 15 possible points (7% of the written theory project, which is worth a total of 210 points).

Step 3: Contemporary Thinking on Your Topic

• Step 3 Product: For three of the sources (i.e., articles or book chapters) you identified, prepare a summary. You can either prepare a 1-page narrative summary for each source, or you can use a modified version of the Howe Writing Center matrix (similar to the one we have used in class).

Regardless of the format you choose, your summary should include definition of the key concept(s); what lens/perspective/theory the authors use to contextualize and/or ground the concept; and the purpose, major points/findings, and what you learned from each source. The audience for the summary(ies) is primarily yourself and your instructor/consultant who will give you feedback about your ideas (as opposed to the quality of your writing). Be sure that your ideas/writing are clear enough that another reader can understand what you are saying.

Your summary(ies) and the three sources are due during week 7 of the semester and is worth 30 possible points (14% of the written theory project, which is worth a total of 210 points).

Step 4: Looking Back/Historical Influences

• Step 4 Product: Prepare one combined summary for the three sources you identified. In contrast to your summaries from Step 3, which could be in the form of an narrative for each source or a modified version of the Howe Writing Center matrix (either one matrix per source, or one matrix with all three sources), the focus of your Step 4 summary should be how the articles “talk” to one another (e.g., how your concept developed from the earliest to the most recent article, the gerontological lens/perspective/theory used in each source, the commonalities and discrepancies across the three sources), and it should be in the form of one narrative or one matrix for all three sources. The summary (whether it is a narrative or matrix) can address the following topics:
• definitions of the concept
• how the concept is used in the conceptualization/research
• strengths and weaknesses in how the concept is defined/used
• suggestions to improve how the concept is conceptualized/measured

Note: the above topics are suggestions; you should modify them to address the points you want to make in your paper.

The audience for the summary of historical sources matrix is primarily yourself and your instructor/consultant who will give you feedback about your ideas (as opposed to the quality of your writing). Again, make sure that your ideas/writing are clear enough that another reader can understand what you are saying.

Your summary of historical sources is due during week 9 of the semester and is worth 30 possible points (14% of the written theory project, which is worth a total of 210 points).

Step 5: Constructing your “Story”

• Step 5 Product: Develop a “blueprint” of the story you want to tell your audience, which is other scholars in gerontology. This blueprint can take the form of a traditional outline, a “forensic or concept map," or any other format that “works” for you. Although you should keep in mind that the audience for your final paper is other scholars in gerontology, the audience for the blueprint is yourself and your instructor/peers who will give you feedback about your ideas.

Your blueprint is due during week 10 of the semester and is worth 30 possible points (14% of the written theory project, which is worth a total of 210 points).

Step 6: Putting it all Together

• Step 6 Product: Develop your blueprint into a 5-10 ish- page paper. This academic paper should be written for other gerontology scholars. The purpose of this paper is to explain the evolution of gerontological thinking about your concept, with an emphasis on the lenses/perspectives/theories that informed this thinking, and for you to speculate (in an informed way) about how this concept will continue to develop in gerontology.

Your paper is due during week 12 of the semester and you should bring a copy to class, where a peer will be assigned to give you feedback. Your draft is worth 40 possible points (19% of the written theory project, which is worth a total of 210 points).

Step 7: Peer Review

• Step 7 Product: You will be assigned as a peer reviewer for one of your classmates. Carefully read the draft of their paper, and provide written feedback. You will be given specific guidelines for the feedback. Your peer feedback is due during week 13 of the semester and is worth 20 possible points (10% of the written theory project, which is worth a total of 210 points).

Step 8: The Finish Line

• Step 8 Product: Using the feedback you received, prepare, revise and finalize your paper. Your final paper is due during exam week. Your final paper is worth 40 possible points (20% of the assignment, which is worth a total of 210 points).

Step 9: Final Oral Presentation

• have an appropriate powerpoint presentation that uses minimal text and instead uses engaging graphics/images when appropriate.
• be well rehearsed so that it sounds confident but not scripted.
• final paper. Remember, we as an audience do not need to know everything. Instead, you should present a coherent story of why your concept matters.

NOTE: The presentation must not exceed 12 minutes. I will cut you off at the 12 minute mark. It is important to be mindful of other people's time so staying within the allotted time is key.

The presentation will occur during the last week of classes and will be worth a total of 25 possible points.

Gerontology 702: Weekly Synthesis Assignment

The synthesis exercise was based on our observation that students had a tendency to summarize literature, not synthesize ideas. Through this exercise, I wanted to force students to read two very different articles to come up with a synthesis that somehow brought together key ideas from both. We did this weekly. Although difficult for them at first, they gradually became more comfortable with and proficient at synthesizing literature as the semester progressed.

Sample Assignment for Gerontology 702

I borrow this definition of a literature "synthesis": "Synthesis writing is a form of analysis related to comparison and contrast, classification and division. On a basic level, synthesis requires the writer to pull together two or more summaries, looking for themes in each text. In synthesis, you search for the links between various materials in order to make your point." A synthesis is not just a mere summary. It is an integrated analysis whereby you should demonstrate not only that you read and understood the readings, but also that you can pull key points together in some cohesive way. The readings will often not be obviously related. However, find a way to be true to their essence while also using them to build a new observation or idea.

synthesis: Article 1 and 2

Your synthesis should be at least 2 paragraphs long.

Avoid using block quotes (taking large chunks of direct text in quotations.) Everything should be in your own words with proper citation using APA formatting.

You should demonstrate a deep reading and understanding of some major points.

Bring these points together to pull together something related to gerontology.

Remember, this is a theory course. You should not focus on methods, on study design, findings, or anything outside of theory.

Use only the articles assigned for that week. Do not bring in outside readings or sources.

Gerontology 702: Reverse Genealogy Assignment

I found that students, even doctoral students, were not reading critically. This assignment came about during the Fellows program with relation to understanding how to build on past work when writing an article, especially in the literature review. I wanted students to clearly see what the “bones” of an article looked like by looking at its foundation – the references. It was very successful. Students were surprised to see the connections between the articles cited and the final article, which they were given after completing this exercise.

Attached is a reference list for a gerontology article. Using only this list, attempt to make sense of what the article is about and what are the major influencing literatures cited. Pay close attention to details such as: what journals are cited, what "classic" works (if any) are included, whether there are topics that you could group together, what authors are cited. You do not need to upload this — you can have hand drawn diagrams or notes if that is easier. Be prepared to discuss during class.

Gerontology 705: Genre Analysis

Sample assignment for gerontology 705.

The purpose of this activity is to explain the conventions of a particular sub-genre of gerontological writing (e.g., abstract, introduction, method, discussion) and relate these conventions to the work that the genre does for the gerontologists who use it. The main question the analysis should address is why the genre takes the shape(s) that it does given what gerontologists are trying to accomplish when they use that genre. Doing this type of analysis for different genre will enable us to: 1) articulate what that genre “looks like” in gerontology and 2) be able to more successfully create documents in that genre.

After you have carefully engaged with the exemplars/examples from the genre, identify their commonalities using the categories and questions of analysis identified by Sojna Foss (2018) as a starting point:

• What conditions (situations) call for this genre?
• What prompts this sort of document to be written?
• What is the exigence—the need or reason for a given action or communication?
• Who usually creates this genre—people doing what?
• What sort of content (substance) is typically contained in this genre?
• What do these texts tend to talk about or say?
• Is there information that is typically present (or not present) in these texts?
• What form does this sort of genre take and what does it look like (length, page layout, color, font)?
• How are its parts organized?
• What language does it use?
• Are there specialized terms?
• How are references/citations used in the text?
• What “moves” (e.g., transitions, signposting) are made?
• What tone/voice does it take (formal, informal, dense, light; passive, active)?
• What elements make this genre what it is?
• What are the common denominations of the genre (for example, what makes a resume a resume?
• For each characteristic you identify in 1-3 above, you might ask “If I took out this characteristic, would it still be recognizable as this genre?”

Your analysis should “tell the story” of the genre, including how what the genre needs to accomplish leads to the shape it typically takes; how this genre is most often used; and the features that your analysis indicates are required; features that appear to be optional. A good analysis includes a clear explanation of who uses the genre and for what purpose(s), conclusions based on comparison of several exemplars/examples of the genre; accurate assessments of the genre’s key elements; a clear organizational structure that includes a logical progression through the elements of the genre that your analysis highlights.

The source for the genre analysis guidelines: Foss, Sonja K. 2018. Rhetorical Criticism: Exploration and Practice 5th edition . Long Grove, IL: Waveland

Resources/Further Reading

• Anderson, P., Anson, C. M., Gonyea, R.M., & Paine, C. (2016). “How to create high-impact writing assignments that enhance learning and development and reinvigorate WAC/WID programs: What almost 72,000 undergraduates taught us.” Across the Disciplines, 13(4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.37514/ATD-J.2016.13.4.13
• Hyland, K. (2013). Writing in the university: Education, knowledge, and reputation. Language Teaching, 46(1), 53-70. 
• Swales, J. (2004). Research genres: Explorations and applications. Cambridge University Press.
• Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge University Press.

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