Key points:
- Recurring student questions can serve as useful instructional data
- Archiving your academic journey: Preserving coursework and program artifacts
- The power of instructional intent statements in assignment design
- For more news on student insights, visit eCN’s Teaching & Learning hub
Librarians and instructional designers have long understood that the first question someone asks is not always the question they need answered. In a library reference interview, a patron’s initial request is often just the starting point for uncovering the real information needed.
Similarly, good designers do not simply build the first solution requested; they study the process, the user’s goal, and the context in which the problem occurs. That allows them to then make thoughtful recommendations. That same mindset can help instructors respond more effectively to student questions about assignments because the question a student asks may point to a deeper uncertainty about expectations, process, or purpose.
That idea is captured well in one of the most familiar customer service examples from the Disney tradition: the guest who asks, “What time is the 3:00 parade?” On the surface, the question seems self-evident, even humorous. The answer appears to be contained in the question itself. Yet the example points to a much more important principle: Effective service requires listening for the question behind the question.
The guest is rarely asking whether the parade begins at 3:00. More often, the guest wants to know when the parade will reach a particular location, whether they are standing in the right place, or whether they have enough time to get food or meet the rest of their family before the parade arrives. A literal answer may be accurate, but it is not especially helpful. A useful answer anticipates the guest’s real concern.
Higher education faculty encounter a similar dynamic every semester. Students ask questions about assignments that may sound simple, repetitive, or already answered in the syllabus:
- “How long does the paper need to be?”
- “Do we have to use APA?”
- “Is this source acceptable?”
- “How many citations do we need?”
- “Can we use first person?”
- “What exactly are you looking for?”
These questions can be frustrating, especially when instructors have already posted detailed directions, rubrics, module announcements, and reminders in the learning management system. However, if we treat student questions only as requests for isolated information, we may miss what students are trying to understand.
In many cases, students are not asking only for a number, a format, or a rule. They are asking for clarity about expectations. They want to know what successful work looks like, how much depth is appropriate, how much risk they can take, and how the instructor will interpret the standards in practice. Their assignment questions often reveal uncertainty about the hidden architecture of academic work. The questions asked about assignments or the syllabus, in general, should be considered when updating the course for its next iteration.
Student questions are data
It is easy to see recurring assignment questions as evidence that students did not read carefully. Sometimes that is true. However, recurring questions can serve as useful instructional data. If multiple students ask how many sources are required, they may be signaling uncertainty about the relationship between evidence and argument. If several students ask whether headings are required, they may be unsure how to structure an academic paper. If students ask whether they can use a personal example, they may be trying to determine whether the assignment values reflection, scholarly synthesis, professional application, or all three.
This is where the idea of answering the question behind the question becomes especially useful. A student who asks, “How long does this paper need to be?” may technically need to know the page range, though the deeper concern may be, “How much depth are you expecting?” “How thoroughly should I explain my thinking?” or “What separates a minimal response from a strong one?” A short answer such as “five to seven pages” may satisfy the immediate question, but it may not help the student understand the level of analysis expected. Where possible, explain the instructional intent of the assignment so students understand what you are looking for in a given assignment.
For example, a helpful response might be: “The assignment should be about five to seven pages, but the more important expectation is that you develop your argument fully. A strong paper will introduce the issue, use evidence from the course and outside sources, explain how that evidence supports your analysis, and connect your conclusions to practice. If you can do that well in five pages, that is fine. If you find yourself simply summarizing sources to reach the page count, return to the rubric and focus on analysis.”
That answer provides the logistical information and it also clarifies purpose, quality, and priorities. It teaches students how to think about the assignment, not just how to comply with a requirement.
Transparency reduces guesswork
Transparent assignment design emphasizes that students should understand the purpose of an assignment, the task they are being asked to complete, and the criteria by which their work will be evaluated. This framework is often associated with Transparency in Learning and Teaching, or TILT, which encourages instructors to make academic expectations explicit rather than assuming students will infer them. The University of Oregon Teaching Support and Innovation describes transparent assignment design as helping students understand purpose, task, and criteria, while Notre Dame’s teaching resources note that transparency can support belonging, engagement, and clearer pathways to success.
This matters because students do not all enter your program with the same familiarity with academic conventions. Some students know how to decode assignment language, interpret rubrics, and infer what instructors mean by “analyze,” “synthesize,” or “critically reflect.” Others may be encountering those expectations for the first time. When instructors simply answer the surface-level question, they may unintentionally reward students who already understand the unwritten rules while leaving others to continue guessing.
Answering the question behind the question is not about lowering standards or overexplaining every detail. It is about making the standards visible enough that students can direct their effort productively. A rubric is useful, but a rubric alone may not fully communicate the instructor’s priorities. Students may focus on individual point categories without understanding the overall intellectual purpose of the assignment. They may ask, “Do I need five sources?” when the more important issue is whether they have selected credible, relevant evidence and used it to support a coherent claim.
From compliance to learning
Students often frame assignment questions in compliance language because that is how school has trained them to think. They ask what is required, what counts, what loses points, and what the instructor “wants.” Those are reasonable questions, especially in grade-driven environments. But instructors can use these moments to redirect attention from compliance to learning.
For example, when a student asks, “Do we have to use APA?” the literal answer may be yes. The deeper question may be whether citation accuracy, source integration, and scholarly presentation matter. A stronger response could be: “Yes, APA format is expected because part of the assignment is learning to communicate in a professional scholarly format. I am most concerned that your sources are credible, cited accurately, and integrated into your own analysis. Use the template and citation guide to avoid spending all your energy on formatting mechanics.” It is common for newer students to think APA formatting is only related to the reference list and citations. Sometimes you need to remind students that the overall formatting of the paper needs to align with APA requirements.
Similarly, when a student asks, “Can I use first person?” the instructor can explain whether the assignment calls for personal reflection, professional application, formal research writing, or a blend of those approaches. The student may not be asking about pronouns as much as they are asking about voice, stance, and the role of personal experience in academic work.
Building better answers into the course
Instructors do not need to wait for each question to arrive. Common questions can be anticipated and built into assignment design. A brief “what students often wonder” section can be added to major assignments. Short assignment walkthrough videos can explain not only what students should submit, but how to approach the thinking process. Rubrics can be paired with annotated examples showing why a sample meets expectations. Announcements can identify the most common pitfalls before students begin.
One practical strategy is to collect student questions from each term and revise assignment directions accordingly. If the same question appears repeatedly, the assignment may need a clearer explanation. Instructors can add a sentence, an example, checklist, or decision rule that addresses the real uncertainty behind the question. Over time, this creates a feedback loop in which student confusion improves course design.
Another strategy is to answer student questions publicly when appropriate. If one student asks whether an assignment requires headings, several others may be wondering the same thing. A course announcement can clarify the expectation and explain the reasoning: “Headings are recommended because they help organize your analysis and make it easier to see how each section connects to the rubric.” This avoids the inefficiency of answering the same question repeatedly while also modeling how students should interpret the assignment.
A more generous interpretation
Perhaps the most important shift is attitudinal. When instructors interpret student questions generously, those questions become less irritating and more instructive. A student who asks an obvious question may be anxious, inexperienced, overwhelmed, or trying to avoid disappointing the instructor. The question may reveal a gap in the assignment description, a lack of confidence, or a mismatch between what the instructor believes is clear and what students understand.
This does not mean instructors should remove all productive ambiguity. Higher education should challenge students to make judgments, solve problems, and tolerate some uncertainty. There is a difference between intellectual challenge and avoidable confusion. Students should struggle with complex ideas; not with deciphering hidden expectations.
The Disney parade question remains memorable because it reminds us that people often ask imperfect questions when they are trying to solve practical problems. Students do the same thing. Their questions about page length, formatting, examples, sources, and rubrics are often attempts to locate themselves within the assignment and determine how to succeed.
When instructors answer the question behind the assignment question, they do more than provide information. They make expectations visible. They reduce unnecessary barriers. They help students move from guessing what the instructor wants to understanding what the assignment is designed to teach. In the process, a routine student question becomes an opportunity for better communication, stronger course design, and deeper learning.
Baule’s scholarly interests focus on online student engagement, educational technology-- particularly the impact of 1:1 implementations, social-emotional learning, and the history of education. Baule led several efforts to improve student emotional health and reduce discipline issues prior to moving into higher education. He also writes on aspects of early American history.
Baule has held memberships in the American Association of School Administrators, the American Library Association, the American Association of School Librarians, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Consortium for School Networking, the International Association of School Librarians, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Staff Development Council, and many of their state affiliates. He has served as a consultant in the areas of educational technology, facilities design, library program development, team building, and communications.
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