What+is+the+question+asking?

// Exam and assignment questions typically contain one or more key question words. Watch for and circle these key words whenever you read assignment or exam questions. Below are listed typical question words, their meanings and possible response strategies .//
 * Understanding Action Words in Questions**

Separate and examine the elements
 * A|Analyze**
 * Break the question/subject into its major parts
 * Describe, define, explain, or interpret each part
 * Explain how parts relate to each other
 * Judge overall quality of what has been analyzed

Defend a position
 * A|Argue**
 * Provide reasons in support of your position
 * Refute objections to your position
 * Provide your objections to the opposing position(s)

Use an abstraction to explain a concrete situation concrete situation or solves a problem
 * A|Apply**
 * Show how an abstract idea, concept, principle, model or method explains a

Offer statements on something its implications
 * C|Comment**
 * Critique, discuss, evaluate, explain, or illustrate the meaning of something and

Demonstrate the similarities and differences between 2+ items asked in the question
 * C|Compare**
 * Identify elements the comparison will be based on
 * For each element, describe and support how items are similar or different
 * Evaluate overall commonality and its significance in relation to what is being

Demonstrate the differences between 2+ items
 * C|Contrast**
 * Identify elements that contrast will be based on
 * For each element, describe and support how items are different
 * Evaluate overall distinction and its significance in relation to what is being
 * asked in the question

Make informed and discriminating judgments
 * C|Critique**
 * Identify positive/negative merit, validity/fallacy, etc.
 * Offer support for your judgments

State precisely the meaning of ‘something’
 * D|Define**
 * Give precise meaning in concise manner
 * Meaning is usually specific to the academic discipline

Explain/describe by use of experiments, examples, etc. or illustrate with an example
 * D|Demonstrate**
 * Depending on context, ‘demonstrate’ could mean: to prove, provide evidence,

Give a mental picture or idea
 * D|Describe**
 * Identify main aspects, characteristics, components, and qualities
 * Clarify through illustration, comparison, and contrast
 * Paint a picture with words
 * Tell about it

Explore various points of view judgment on its validity, strength or worth
 * D|Discuss**
 * Identify viewpoints and their respective positive/negative aspects
 * Evaluate the positive and negative merits of a matter to provide an overall

Determine the value of something; to examine and to judge carefully.
 * E|Evaluate**
 * Identify criteria by which something will be measured
 * Appraise degree to which the matter satisfies the criteria
 * Provide reasons that justify your appraisal
 * Support your reasons with evidence and illustrations
 * Judge the quality

Make plain or understandable; tell why the product provide evidence for each factor and demonstrate how factors are related
 * E|Explain**
 * In Science: provide a detailed presentation of the elements required to obtain
 * In Social Sciences & Humanities: identify factors that influence outcome;

Come up with or construct Read between the lines
 * F|Formulate**
 * Plan
 * Put it Together
 * I|Infer**
 * Fill In The Blanks
 * Conclude
 * Decide The Meaning Of
 * Make Connections or Connect
 * Understand
 * Take For Granted

Tell what you think will happen next
 * P|Predict**
 * Forecast
 * Make a guess
 * Foretell
 * Expect

Give a brief, condensed account.
 * S|Summarize**
 * Include conclusions
 * Avoid unnecessary details

Give reasons or explain why
 * S|Support**
 * Back up
 * Give facts
 * Use examples
 * Prove it

To follow from the beginning
 * T|Trace**
 * Copy
 * Outline
 * Go Over
 * Map Out

HOME