Find out which course and discipline the essay is required for, such as English, science, history, humanities.
Determine the paper's general requirements, such as the page length, number of sources, number of scholarly and online sources, textbooks and possible interviews. Also, find out if the Modern Language Association or American Psychological Association documentation style is required. (Most "personal" essays do not require outside research, so no documentation will be required.)
Learn which of the nine essay types are required or may be employed: cause-effect, classification, comparison-contrast, definition, description, example, narration, persuasion or process.
Determine if any topics are required or even suggested.
Ask if any supporting information is required, such as a brainstorming sheet (a page of free-writing or clustering), an outline or a first draft.