Question or Essay Process Word Definitions

Tutors find that more students fail to gain marks in assignments by not answering the actual question in the way that it was asked than for any other reason. Questions are carefully worded to elicit specific answers and you should try to unpack, i.e. carefully analyse, the question before answering it. Do this by underlining key words and paying particular attention to process verbs such as describe and explain.

Anal yse Asse ss

Resolve into its component parts. Examine critically or minutely.

Determine the value or merit of...

Class Sort your information into appropriate categories before presenting or explaining it. ify Com pare Cont rast Com pare and contr ast Com ment
(on)

Look for similarities and differences between. Try to reach a conclusion about which is preferable and justify that conclusion. Set in opposition in order to bring out the differences sharply.

Find some points of common ground between x and y, and show where/how they differ.

Identify the main issues and write about them, give your views based upon what you have read or heard in lectures. . How likely is it? Is it valid (e.g. a result/conclusion)? However, try not to give purely personal opinions.

Com ment
critic ally

Give your view after you have considered all the evidence, pay attention to the positive and negative aspects or the arguments for and against.

Cons ider Conc lusio n (in an essa y or assig nme nt) Criti cise Defi ne Desc ribe

Take into account, weigh advantages and disadvantages.

Captures the essence of what youre saying in a nutshell. Probably not more than 100 words.

Must contain a clear and explicit reference back to the Statement of Intent (which was
part of your introduction).
So I feel , On the one hand.. although on the other hand and Finally I found that are all useful phrases you might use. Comparing your introduction and your conclusion should reveal how the main body of the essay has moved the topic forward. Conclude by showing how the arguments have advanced (since your introduction).

Make a judgement (backed by a discussion of the evidence of reasoning involved) about the merit of theories or opinions or the truth of facts. Say how an argument stands up to scrutiny. State the exact meaning of a word or phrase. In some cases, it is necessary to examine different possible definitions. Give a detailed account of.

RS Bradley

Dem onstr ate Diffe renti ate Disc uss

Show how, prove with examples.

Explain the differences between, distinguish.

Explain and then give two or more sides of the issue and any implications. Outline competing points of view, weigh up arguments for and against, draw on evidence and
consider implications. Provide an approximation (which may be based on incomplete information).

Esti mate Eval uate Expl ain Exa mine Inter pret Illust rate

Make an appraisal of the validity/effectiveness of something. Judge the importance or success of Give details about how and why. Help someone understand why something is so.

Investigate, enquire into.

Say what is meant by

Make clear and explicit use carefully chosen examples.

Justif Show adequate grounds for decisions or conclusions. Answer the main objections likely to be made about them. y List
Used alone would require no more than a note-form answer, without any description or explanation. Bullet points. However, it's not always that simple "List" is sometimes used in conjunction with another process word. Eg. "List ... and indicate/describe/evaluate ... the relative ..."

Outli ne Reco ncile Relat e State

Give the main features or general principles of a subject, omitting minor details and emphasizing structure. Show how two apparently opposed or mutually exclusive ideas or propositions can be seen to be similar in important respects, if not identical. Show the connections between. If word count permits; Show the similarities or connections between two or more things, give a full account of with reasons. Present in a brief, clear form. Use a very clear style and use full sentences.

Sum Give a concise, clear explanation present chief factors, bring together the main points. maris e
Weigh up the evidence/arguments for and against, may need to illustrate the two extremes To what exten t
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Trac e Tren d Usef ul phra ses

(writi ng promp ts)

1. Show the development of 2. 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).

What is the overall pattern shown? When interpreting graphs, this relates to the Trend line in Microsoft Excel (or regression line as mathematicians sometimes call it). A.k.a. "line of best fit".

This is because So I feel , On the one hand.. although on the other hand and Finally I found that And

Vali dity

Is it current? Is it relevant? Is it up to date? Is it trustworthy/reliable?

Meaning
Global Mean Surface Temperature (mean as used here is the arithmetical mean, one kind of average). Carbon Capture and Storage experimental technology lessening the impact of fossil fuel burning such as coal-fired power stations by removing carbon from exhaust/effluent/output, and storing it. Combined Heat & Power a unit that produces both heat to heat buildings/water and electricity (power) to power the electrical needs of buildings or communities. Micro-CHP is simply a smaller scale piece of kit that does the same thing for perhaps one home or boat etc. Liquefied Petroleum Gas used as a road fuel in some bi-fuel cars. Ground sourced heat pump. The amount of carbon released into the environment as result of an action. See www.carbonfootprint.com a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and has units of tonnes (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). This site has details of other carbon calculators apart from the OU one.

RS Bradley