Writing assignments and class activities are designed to present a variety of techniques for developing topics and for revising drafts. These classes combine formal essay assignments with a variety of journal-writing assignments and short exercises. Advanced composition classes extend this study by assigning more sophisticated arguments and reflective essays. In literature and language study classes , assignments cover a wide range of possibilities. Some professors ask for many short papers, others prefer one or two longer papers.
Many professors collect journal or notebook pages.
A professor who assigns shorter papers is likely to ask for them fairly frequently, perhaps weekly, sometimes at every class meeting. Many English faculty give essay examinations, some to be written in class and some at home. You may also be assigned to work on a collaborative project or given the option of substituting a short piece of fiction for an analytical paper. Always be sure you understand the kind of work your professors expect you to do in these papers. Some professors may insist that you research and use outside critical sources while others will ask you not to.