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Task words > Content words > Limiting words

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Task words > Content words > Limiting words

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In order to decide how to answer an essay question, you need to identify what the question requires in terms of content and genre. This guide outlines some methods to help you analyse essay questions.

Analyse the question using key words

Assignment questions can be broken down into parts so that you can better understand what you are being asked to do. It is important to identify key words and phrases in the topic.

What are key words?

Key words are the words in an assignment question that tell you the approaches to take when you answer.

Make sure you understand the meaning of key words in an essay question, especially t ask words. As Task words are verbs that direct you and tell you how to go about answering a question, understanding the meaning helps you know exactly what you to do.

Content words tell you what the topic area(s) of your assignment are and take you halfway towards narrowing down your material and selecting your answer. Content words help you to focus your research and reading on the correct area.

Limiting words make a broad topic workable. They focus the topic area further by indicating aspects you should narrowly concentrate on.

If you're not sure about any aspect of the question, ask your tutor/lecturer for clarification. Never start any assignment until you know and understand exactly what you are being asked to do.

How to use key words

Look for the keywords in your essay question.

Underline them.

Spend a little time working out what they mean. Use the Glossary of task words to help you.

Example Question

Computers have had a significant impact on education in the 20th century. Discuss the changes they have made.

Task Words

DISCUSS. Look up the meaning in the glossary of task words to find out what it means.

(See Glossary of task words)

EDUCATION, COMPUTERS. Content words help to direct your research and reading towards the correct area(s), in this case on computers and on education.

CHANGES, SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, 20TH CENTURY. Limiting words further define the topic area and indicate aspects you should narrowly concentrate on. For example, in this question, do not just write about computers in education, Discuss the significant impact they have had, and the changes computers have made to education during a certain time: the 20TH CENTURY.

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In order to decide how to answer an essay question, you need to identify what the question requires in terms of content and genre. This guide outlines some methods to help you analyse essay questions. Assignment questions can be broken down into parts so that you can better understand what you are being asked to do.

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Understanding the meaning of words, especially task words, helps you to know exactly what is being asked of you. It takes you halfway towards narrowing down your material and selecting your answer.

Task words direct you and tell you how to go about answering a question. Here is a list of such words and others that you are most likely to come across frequently in your course.

Account for

Explain, clarify, give reasons for. (Quite different from "Give an account of which is more like 'describe in detail').

Analyse

Break an issue down into its component parts, discuss them and show how they interrelate.

Assess

Consider the value or importance of something, paying due attention to positive, negative and disputable aspects, and citing the judgements of any known authorities as well as your own.

Argue

Make a case based on appropriate evidence for and/or against some given point of view.

Comment on

Too vague to be sure, but safe to assume it means something more than 'describe' or 'summarise' and more likely implies 'analyse' or 'assess'.

Compare

Identify the characteristics or qualities two or more things have in common (but probably pointing out their differences as well).

Contrast

Point out the difference between two things (but probably point out their similarities as well).

Criticise

Spell out your judgement as to the value or truth of something, indicating the criteria on which you base your judgement and citing specific instances of how the criteria apply in this case.

Define

Make a statement as to the meaning or interpretation of something, giving sufficient detail as to allow it to be distinguished from similar things.

Describe

Spell out the main aspects of an idea or topic or the sequence in which a series of things happened.

Discuss

Investigate or examine by argument. Examine key points and possible interpretations, sift and debate, giving reasons for and against. Draw a conclusion.

Evaluate

Make an appraisal of the worth of something, in the light of its apparent truth; include your personal opinion. Like 'assess'.

Enumerate

List some relevant items, possibly in continuous prose (rather than note form) and perhaps 'describe' them (see above) as well.

Examine

Present in depth and investigate the implications.

Explain

Tell how things work or how they came to be the way they are, including perhaps some need to 'describe' and to 'analyse' (see above).

To what extent...?

Explore the case for a stated proposition or explanation, much in the manner of 'assess' and 'criticise' (see above), probably arguing for a less than total acceptance of the proposition.

How far

Similar to 'to what extent...?' (see above)

Identify

Pick out what you regard as the key features of something, perhaps making clear the criteria you use.

Illustrate

Similar to 'explain' (see above), but probably asking for the quoting of specific examples or statistics or possibly the drawing of maps, graphs, sketches etc.

Interpret

Clarify something or 'explain' (see above), perhaps indicating how the thing relates to some other thing or perspective.

Justify

Express valid reasons for accepting a particular interpretation or conclusion, probably including the need to 'argue' (see above) a case.

Outline

Indicate the main features of a topic or sequence of events, possibly setting them within a clear structure or framework to show how they interrelate.

Prove

Demonstrate the truth of something by offering irrefutable evidence and/or logical sequence of statements leading from evidence to conclusion.

Reconcile

Show how two apparently opposed or mutually exclusive ideas or propositions can be seen to be similar in important respects, if not identical. Involves need to 'analyse' and 'justify' (see above).

Relate

Either 'explain' (see above) how things happened or are connected in a cause-and-effect sense, or may imply 'compare' and 'contrast' (see above).

Review

Survey a topic, with the emphasis on 'assess' rather than 'describe' (see above).

State

Express the main points of an idea or topic, perhaps in the manner of 'describe' or 'enumerate' (see above).

Summarise

'State' (see above) the main features of an argument, omitting all superfluous detail and side-issues.

Trace

Identify the connection between one thing and another either in a developmental sense over a period of time, or else in a cause and effect sense. May imply both 'describe' and 'explain' (see above).

Other useful definitions

Assumption

Something which is accepted as being true for the purpose of an argument.

Issue

An important topic for discussion; something worth thinking and raising questions about.

Methodology

A system of methods and principles for doing something. Often used to explain methods for carrying out research.

Objective

It is the point, or the thing aimed at. It is what you want to achieve by a particular activity.

References

Maddox, H 1967, How to Study, 2nd ed, Pan Books, London.

Marshall, L., & Rowland, F 1998, A guide to learning independently, Addison Wesley Longman, Melbourne.

Northedge, A 1997, The good study guide, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.

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Understanding the meaning of words, especially task words, helps you to know exactly what is being asked of you. It takes you halfway towards narrowing down your material and selecting your answer. Task words direct you and tell you how to go about answering a question.

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Welcome to the website dedicated to literary devices (literary terms). Here you will find a list literary devices with definitions and examples.

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Place a watch on the table in front of you to keep track of time!

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Practice SAC: Analysis of language use 2

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Practice SAC: Analysis of language use 2

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Essential elements of a creative response

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Essential elements of a creative response