Use the source material to identify what must be delivered before deciding how to write or build it.
How to do it
1. List every deliverable
Record the report, appendix, spreadsheet, code, presentation, reflection or other file the brief explicitly requires. Keep optional examples separate.
2. Capture hard constraints
Record due date, length, format, naming, software and submission rules with their source location. A remembered rule is not source authority.
3. Translate task verbs
Analyse, evaluate, justify, compare and recommend require different visible evidence. Turn each verb into something the assessor can find in the deliverable.
4. Map the rubric
For each criterion, note the evidence that would make it visible. Mark conflicts or uncertainty instead of choosing a convenient interpretation.
Worked example
“Evaluate two expansion options and recommend one” implies a comparison method, evidence for both options, a bounded judgement and a recommendation linked to the results.
Common mistakes & limitations
Coursework check
Can every requirement point back to a brief, rubric or confirmed instruction? If not, keep it uncertain until you can verify it.