There are supports for student writing at cross-discipline Writing Centres. There are fewer research essays assigned at university than in the past. The size of classes makes this form of assessment difficult. Plagiarism and use of the Internet are sources of concern. Students are being asked more frequently to start from personal observation or source documents.
Assignments tend to be very focused, have clear content expectations, and emphasize analysis.
In order to be successful, students must be able to read text closely, and make judgements about that text.