Understanding Assignments (The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Tips to "unravel your assignment directions and help you begin to craft an effective response."

Reading to Write (The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Tips about reading and taking notes to prepare for writing assignments.

Resources for Writers: Understanding an Assignment (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Tips to help you understand your writing assignments and choose a topic.

Invention: Starting the Writing Process (Purdue Univeristy Online Writing Lap (OWL))
Tips to help you get started on your writing assignment.

Drafting a Thesis

Thesis Statements (The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Discussion of thesis statements, from "What is it, and why do I need it?" to "How do I know if my thesis is any good?"

How to Write a Thesis Statement (Indiana University)
Discussion focused on generating and evaluating thesis statements.

Thesis Statement (St. Cloud State University)
Information on the important points of a thesis statement, with helpful examples.

Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements (Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL))
Explanation of the different "types" of thesis statements.