Let’s analyze a sample writing assignment to see what you are required to do for your Task 1 essay:

With these reading selections by Howard Gardner and Lewis Thomas in mind, write an essay in which you discuss error and learning. In your essay summarize Howard Gardner’s criticism of the schools. Draw a relationship between Gardner’s ideas and what you have just read about the value and utility of error. In light of the reading selections, describe your own experience or observations of learning, either in school or out. Discuss the degree to which your experience does or does not reflect the ideas of Gardner or Thomas or both.

You may address these points in any order, but be careful to respond to all parts of the assignment and to connect your thoughts into a single, clearly-organized essay. Make specific references to the readings to support your ideas.

The first sentence tells you the topic or theme of your essay: “error and learning.”

The second sentence says you that you are required to summarize the section that deals with “Gardner’s criticism of the schools.”

The third sentence states that your essay needs to relate Gardner’s ideas to those of Thomas whose essay deals with “the value and utility of error.”

The fourth reminds you to incorporate “your own experiences and observations” that are relevant to the ideas discussed by the authors.

And finally, the last sentence explains that you are expected to evaluate the authors’ comments and attitudes about error and learning from your own perspective and take your own position.

You need to combine the ideas and information from both readings with your own perspective to satisfy the requirements for Task 1. Find your evidence in the readings and your own experiences. You then need to integrate the whole into a coherent essay.