University of Iowa, Department of History

Teaching and Writing Center

Getting Started

When you first get an assignment, there are many things to do BEFORE you begin to write.  These pages offer tips and ideas for getting started.

Sometimes ideas for a good paper can be elusive.  To get your powers of argument and reason rolling check out our advice on:

One of the most important things that you can do is to READ the assignment carefully before you begin to write.  The verb that your professor uses can give you clues.  To work out exactly what your professor expects from your paper, learn how to:

Often the worst part of writing a paper is looking at a blank page.  Read Howard Becker's advice on what to do in that situation.

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This page was last updated 03/12/2007