CSU Learning Skills: your link to success Prepared by Stewart McKinney http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning © 2008 Our Self-help Resources are located at: http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/student_resources CSU Learning Skills: your link to success Academic writing Analysing an assignment question 1. The first step… identify the key topic words (words that direct you in what to research). 2. The second step… identify the focus of the assignment question. 3. The third step… identify the task terms (words that tell how you are to deal with the content the essay will be about). 4. The fourth step… rewrite the question in your own words. This will help you understand the meaning of the question and what is being asked of you. This will also help you to write a title for your essay. Use the following table to help you make sense of your assignment question. The first step… identify the topic The second step… identify the focus The third step… identify the task word(s) Refer next page The fourth step… anything that limits the assignment focus The fifth step… rewrite the question in your own wordsCSU Learning Skills: your link to success Prepared by Stewart McKinney http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning © 2008 Our Self-help Resources are located at: http://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/student_resources Common task words Description Analyse Find the main ideas and show how they are related, what their function is and why they are important. Comment on Discuss, criticise, or explain the meaning. Compare Note the similarities and differences of what you are being asked to compare. Contrast Compare by showing the differences. Criticise Make a judgement about the merit of theories and opinions or about the truth of statements. Back this by discussing the evidence. It is not necessary to attack it. Discuss the strong and weak points and include your own analysis. Define Give the formal meaning of a word, term or phrase. Describe Give a written, detailed account or verbal picture in a logical sequence. Emphasise the important points. An explanation or interpretation is not required. Diagram Make a graph, chart, or drawing. Label it and include a brief explanation. Discuss Investigate and examine by argument giving the reasons for and against. Present a point of view - this will require both description and interpretation. Your opinion must be supported by carefully chosen authoritative evidence. Enumerate List the main ideas in point form. Evaluate Make an appraisal of the worth of something. Give the opinion of leading practitioners in the field of the truth or importance of the concept. Include the advantages and disadvantages. You may also include your opinion. Explain Interpret the facts; your main focus should be on the 'why' or 'how' with the aim of clarifying reasons, causes and effects. Do not just describe or summarise. Illustrate Use a figure, diagram or example (comparisons or analogies) to explain or make clear. Interpret Explore and clarify the meaning using examples and personal comment. Justify Give a statement of why you think it is so. Give reasons for your statement or conclusion. List Give a concise numbered list of words, sentences, or comments. Same as enumerate. Outline Give a general summary/description containing the main ideas supported by secondary ideas. Omit minor details. Prove Show by argument or logic that it is true. Establish certainty by evaluating and citing experimental evidence or by logical reasoning. Relate Show the connections and how one causes, or is like, another. Review Examine the subject critically. Analyse and comment briefly in an organised sequence on the major points. State Express the main points in brief and narrative form. Omit details or examples. Summarise Give a concise account of the main points. Omit details and examples. Trace Give the development, process or history of an event or idea.