Students frequently ask lecturers how they should prepare and design academic works such as position papers, presentations, term papers, or excerpts. With this question, they place lecturers in a position where they must provide answers – and, as a rule, they do so. You will find some of my answers to such questions on the pages of my writing workshop. However, these answers should not be understood as universal, authoritative, or without alternative.

The fact that one lecturer's answers turn out this way while another lecturer's answers may look quite different does not simply show that there are many possible answers. Naturally, a multitude of perspectives and approaches exists, but this diversity is less a sign of arbitrariness than a collection of recommendations. Being asked a question inevitably leads to an answer. However, the binding nature of such recommendations must be viewed with nuance: no one will fail with one lecturer merely because they followed the recommendations of another – at least not as long as the fundamentals of academic work are upheld.

This diversity should not cause confusion but rather serve as motivation. It offers an opportunity to work independently through the multifaceted and complex structures of academic work. The point is to understand these structures as a field for one's own reflection and engagement – as a space shaped not by absolute rules, but by context-dependent and considered decisions.

A central appeal is: Ask less, act more. Asking questions is indeed a legitimate and necessary part of learning, but it carries the risk of remaining passive and surrendering to a supposed authority that may not, in fact, be without alternative. Those who only ask questions rely on answers from others instead of shaping matters themselves.

The recommendation, therefore, is: Make well-researched and precisely prepared proposals. Give thought to how a task might sensibly be solved, and present these considerations with confidence. This changes the dynamic: you appear self-assured, while lecturers are pushed into the role of responding. This creates a conversation on equal footing, which is not only more productive but also more enriching for both sides.

In short: the diversity of answers is an invitation to show initiative. Those who actively propose and shape their work, rather than merely asking questions, not only learn more but also position themselves as independent, reflective individuals within academic discourse.