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Understanding The Question: Source: What Does The Question Mean' Advice Sheet: Download From

The document provides guidance on analyzing exam and coursework questions to identify the key elements being asked and ensure an answer is targeted appropriately. It advises to identify the subject, instruction, and other significant words of the question. Common key verbs that indicate the required approach are defined, such as "analyze", "assess", "comment", and "justify". Identifying these properly allows students to highlight and interpret what the question is asking and structure their writing accordingly to gain maximum marks.

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Haseeb Ahmed
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77 views1 page

Understanding The Question: Source: What Does The Question Mean' Advice Sheet: Download From

The document provides guidance on analyzing exam and coursework questions to identify the key elements being asked and ensure an answer is targeted appropriately. It advises to identify the subject, instruction, and other significant words of the question. Common key verbs that indicate the required approach are defined, such as "analyze", "assess", "comment", and "justify". Identifying these properly allows students to highlight and interpret what the question is asking and structure their writing accordingly to gain maximum marks.

Uploaded by

Haseeb Ahmed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Understanding the question

Whether it's answering a question in a written exam or for a piece of coursework, how you interpret the
question is the most critical factor if you want to gain maximum marks.

Analysing the question


The following three steps will help you to interpret what the question is asking you to do:

Identify the subject


What is the question about?
What is the topic you are being asked to write about?
What is the principal issue or concept?

Identify the instruction


What are the key words that indicate the approach your answer should take?
What are the key verbs? Identify other significant words

Identify other significant words


What aspect is being asked about?
What other words alter the meaning?
What is the scope of the question? Wide-ranging or restricted in a specific way?

What am I being asked to do?


In most questions there will be a key word which guides you towards the required approach. In order to
successfully answer the question you will need to highlight and interpret these key words, targeting your
writing accordingly.

Common key words and their meaning:


Analyse: Separate down into its component Evaluate: Estimate the value of, looking at both
parts and show how they interrelate with each the positive and negative attributes
other
Explain: The word 'explain' means that you
Assess: Estimate the value of, looking at both have to give reasons. You have to explain why
the positive and negative attributes rather than just define

Comment: To make critical or explanatory Justify: Here you will need to present a valid
notes/observations argument about why a specific theory or
conclusion should be accepted
Compare: Point out the differences and the
similarities. This question needs to be carefully Outline: Give the main features or general
organised to produce a logical answer principles of a subject, omitting minor details
and stressing structure
Contrast: Point out the differences only and
present the results in an orderly fashion Summarise: State the main features of an
argument, omitting all that is only partially
Describe: Write down the information in the relevant
right order
To what extent: Asks you to justify the
Discuss: Present arguments for and against acceptance or validity of an argument stressing
the topic in question. In discussion questions the need to avoid complete acceptance
you may also give your opinion

Source: ‘What does the question mean’ advice sheet: download from www.worcester.ac.uk/studyskills

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