Understanding Assignment Words And Their Meanings

Account for

Similar to explain.

Analyse

Identify separate factors, say how they are related and how each one contributes to the topic.

Appraise

Consider the positive and negative points and give a reasonable judgement.

Assess

Give careful consideration to all the factors or events that apply and identify which were the most important or relevant.

Comment

Give your view after you have considered all the evidence. In particular decide the importance of all the relevant positive and negative aspects.

Compare

Identify the main factors that apply in two or more situations and explain similarities and differences or advantages and disadvantages.

Contrast

Show how two or more things are different.

Critically analyse

As per ‘analyse’ but questioning and testing the strength of your and others’ analyses from different perspectives, it often means using the process of analysis to make the whole message an objective, reasoned argument (an overall case).

Critically assess

As per ‘assess’ but emphasising the scrutiny from different perspectives of arguments made by others about the assessed quality; often means making the whole message an objective, reasoned argument (an overall case), based on your assessment.

Critically evaluate

As per ‘evaluate’ but showing how judgements vary from different perspectives and how some judgements are stronger than others; often means creating an objective, reasoned argument (an overall case) based on the evaluation from different perspectives.

Criticise

Review a topic or issue objectively and weigh up both positive and negative points before making a decision.

Describe

Say or write what something is like (its relevant qualities); depending on the nature of the task, descriptions may need to be brief, or they may need to be very detailed.

Define

Clearly explain what a particular term means and give an example, if appropriate, to show that you mean.

Demonstrate

Provide several relevant examples or related evidence which clearly support the arguments you are making. This may include showing practical skills.

Design

Create a plan, proposal or outline to illustrate a straightforward concept or idea.

Draw conclusions

Use the evidence you have provided to reach a reasoned judgement.

Evaluate

Review the information then bring it together to form a conclusion. Similar to ‘assess’ often with more emphasis on overall judgement of something i.e. explaining the extent to which something is effective/useful/true etc. Evaluation is thus sometimes more subjective and contestable than some kinds of pure ‘assessment’.

Examine

Look closely at something, thinking and writing about the details, and questioning it where appropriate.

Explain

Set out in detail the meaning of something, with reasons. More difficult than describing or list; it can help to give an example to show what you mean. Start by introducing the topic then give the ‘how’ or ‘why’ OR provide details and give reasons and/or evidence to clearly support the argument you are making.

Explore

Consider a topic or idea broadly, hunting’ for related and / or particularly relevant, interesting or debatable points.

Identify

Point out or choose the right one/give a list of the main features.

Illustrate

Give selected examples of something to help describe or explain it, or use diagrams or other visuals to help describe or explain something.

Interpret

Define or explain the meaning of something (words, actions, etc.).

Justify

Give reasons or evidence to support your opinion or view to show how you arrived at these conclusions.

List

Provide the information in a list, rather than in continuous writing.

Outline

Write a clear description; give a summary of/a general plan showing essential features but no detail.

Plan

Work out and plan how you would carry out a task or activity.

State

Express briefly or clearly.

Summarise

Write down or articulate briefly the main points or essential. features