Here are some tips and resources to get you started:

• Our piece on the essay will encourage you to take a few drafts to work out your ideas. For any assignment, be sure you understand the topic and know how a thesis statement can help you focus your thinking. If you're doing a book review or article critique, read about it first. Same with a lab report. Make sure to spend some time thinking about how you will organize your paper before you write your first draft.
• Be sure you use your sources efficiently. We have advice about reading effectively and taking useful notes, and about reading critically so you can write in depth. You need to identify your sources in a standard format - after all, you don't want to be accused of plagiarism. Learn how to use quotations and to paraphrase.
• When it's time to polish your style, review our advice on avoiding common grammar problems and check out ways to write more concisely. Visit our useful links for help on style and editing. And if you're using English as a second language, look over our specialized files.
• Want more help? See if a reference book will help answer your questions or show you the example you need. Consider taking a workshop or course in writing. And look at the list of U of T Writing Centres to find if you're eligible to work individually with a professional writing tutor.