College logistics
Ask for clarification about an assignment
Quote the sentence that is unclear, write the two ways you could read it and ask which one is intended. Give the due date so the instructor knows how soon you need an answer. Check the syllabus, assignment sheet and course page first.
A text to start with
The assignment for [course] says: "[exact quoted instruction]". I can read it two ways: [reading A] or [reading B]. I already checked [syllabus, assignment sheet, course page, announcements] and found [what they say]. It is due [date]. Draft a short, polite message to [instructor or TA] asking which reading is correct. Keep it under [number] sentences.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Assignment clarification request
Course and assignment: [ ] Due date and time: [ ] Exact quoted instruction: [ ] Where it appears in the materials: [ ] Reading A: [ ] Reading B: [ ] Materials already checked: [ ] What they say about this point: [ ] Specific question, answerable in one sentence: [ ] Who to ask and through which channel: [ ] Date asked: [ ] Answer received: [ ] Parts I can start without the answer: [ ]
Questions the materials already answer
Before sending, reread the assignment sheet, syllabus, rubric, announcements and discussion threads. Instructors often answer the same question in one of them, and asking again can look careless. Confirm the two readings really differ; near duplicates make the question harder to answer. Check that you quoted the instruction exactly instead of paraphrasing it. If the course names a preferred channel for questions, such as a forum or a TA, use it instead of emailing the instructor directly.
Ask another agent to check the result
Check whether the course materials I pasted, including the syllabus, assignment sheet and rubric, already answer my question. Quote any passage that does. If none does, confirm that my two readings truly differ and that one sentence could answer the question. Name any missing detail, such as the quoted line or the due date.
Send and keep working where you can
Send the message through the channel the course names, with the quoted line and the due date. While you wait, start any part of the assignment that does not depend on the answer. Note the date you asked. If the due date is close and no reply has come, check whether the syllabus lists a second contact, such as a teaching assistant, and use it.