UNILUS

UNIVERSITY
OF
LUSAKA
School of Postgraduate Studies
ACTION VERBS
The following action verbs indicate what is expected from each question. Please study them and make sure that
you understand its meaning:

• Analyse
Identify parts or elements of a concept and describe them one by one.
EXAMPLE: Analyse a typical lesson structure and describe each aspect in detail.

• Compare
Point out the similarities (things that are the same) and the differences between objects, ideas or points of view.
The word "contrast" can also be used. When you compare two or more objects, you should do so systematically -
completing one aspect at a time. It is always better to do this in your own words.
EXAMPLE: Compare philosophical and empirical knowledge. Compare the views of Piaget and Ausubel about
the nature of learning.

• Criticise
This means that you should indicate whether you agree or disagree about a certain statement or view. You
should then describe what you agree/disagree about and give reasons for your view.
EXAMPLE: Write critical comments about the progressive liberal view of education.

• Define
Give the precise meaning of something; very often definitions have to be learnt word for word.
EXAMPLE: Define the concept curriculum.

• Demonstrate
Include and discuss examples. You have to prove that you understand how a process works or how a concept is
applied in real-life situations.
EXAMPLE: Give a written demonstration of the application of the procedural moments of a lesson.

• Describe
Say exactly what something is like; give an account of the characteristics or nature of something; explain how
something works. No opinion or argument is needed.
EXAMPLE: Describe the characteristics of philosophical thought.

• Discuss
Comment on something in your own words. Often requires debating two viewpoints or two different possibilities.
EXAMPLE: Discuss the differences between objectives and goals.

• Distinguish
Point out the differences between objects, different ideas, or points of view. Usually requires you to use your own
words.
EXAMPLE: Distinguish between a positivistic and a hermeneutic view of science.

• Essay
An extensive description of a topic is required.
EXAMPLE: Write an essay about the value of Psychological Education for the teacher.

• Example
A practical illustration of a concept is required.
EXAMPLE: See our examples after every definition of a task word.

Explain
Clarify or give reasons for something, usually in your own words. You must prove that you understand the
content. It may be useful to use examples or illustrations.
EXAMPLE: Briefly explain the following research methods:
The experiment
b)
Correlational studies

Identify
Give the essential characteristics or aspects of a phenomenon e.g. a good research design.
EXAMPLE: Identify the characteristics in a text about the research process, which is indicative of a good
research design.

• Illustrate
Draw a diagram or sketch that represents a phenomenon or idea.
EXAMPLE: Explain the life cycle of a butterfly. Write a short essay and illustrate this model.

• List
Simply provide a list of names, facts or items asked for. A particular category or order may be specified
EXAMPLE: List ten psycho-social problems associated with alcohol abuse in high school pupils.

Motivate
You should give an explanation of the reasons for your statements or views. You should try to convince the
reader of your view.
EXAMPLE: Write an essay about your own philosophical education. Motivate your views

• Name or mention
Briefly describe without giving details.
EXAMPLE: Name three research methods in Nursing
Name the two major schools of thought (paradigms) on education.

• Outline
Emphasise the major features, structures or general principles of a topic, omitting minor details.
Slightly more detail than in the case of naming, listing or stating of information is required.
EXAMPLE: Outline the major features of a lesson structure.

• State
Supply the required information without discussing it.
EXAMPLE: State three functions of a computer.

• Summarise
Give a structured overview of the key (most important) aspects of a topic; must always be done in your own
words.
EXAMPLE: Give a summary of the core characteristics of the conservative-normative oriented school of thought
on education.

• Formulate
To set forth systematically.

Question word (instruction)

Enumerate
Mention items or points one by one. No detail is required, and the result of an enumeration is a list of things or
aspects.

Indicate
State briefly, in broad outline, without detail.
An indication gives the reader the gist of the matter.

Analyse
Divide into sections or elements and discuss in full.
State the precise meaning of a term as you use it in your assignment answer. The definition should ensure that
the term has only one meaning and that it cannot be confused with other terms. This often means that you will
have to read a number of definitions before arriving at a substantiated decision about the precise meaning you
will attach to the term in the relevant assignment.

Distinguish
Provide definitions, but also indicate similarities and differences.

Describe
Give an account of the characteristics or properties of a matter in such a way that your reader is able to
recognise it and will not confuse it with anything else. A description tells you what something is [Link] can be
asked for physical descriptions or descriptions of processes, for instance.

Explain
Write about the topic in such a way that the reader gains a better understanding of the important underlying facts.
An explanation tells the reader why a thing is the way it is.
Compare
Set out how things differ from one another and in what ways they are similar. A good comparison also shows why
this is the case.

Discuss
This implies that there are various explanations for, or opinions about, the topic you have to discuss. You must
state what these are and show how and why they may correspond or differ. Discussing often involves weighing
up arguments for and against something.

Evaluate
Assess or determine the value of something.
This means that you should have criteria against which you can measure something; the end result should be the
formulation of your own informed opinion of the matter.
You may approve, disapprove, or suggest amodification of whatever you have to evaluate. Evaluation usually
implies comparison and should always be substantiated, that is, based on soundly formulated reasons.

Examine
Look at/observe, identify the problem or the characteristics, describe what you have observed, and then critically
discuss a topic in terms of definite criteria or guidelines and possibly suggest solutions.

Offer comments
Give your own informed opinion on the matter, grounded in the knowledge base of your discipline or field of
study.

Point out
Direct attention to something, such as a premise, priorities within a field, or discrepancies in an argument by
means of sound reasoning.

Summarise
Give the key aspects of a topic without providing any detail.

Illustrate
Also review, draw, outline. Give examples or draw a diagram to make a particular topic or subject clearer.
Reproduce an existing thing just as it is, without any changes, comments

Interpret
Specific information is given and you have to say what it means in a particular context or according to certain
criteria. Your explanation should be as practical as possible.

Criticize/ judge
Academic criticism looks at both good and bad characteristics. Identify these characteristics and give your
opinion after taking all the facts into account, applying what you have learnt or assessing in terms of given
criteria.

Complete
This means adding whatever is missing from a sentence, sketch or table to complete it.
To be able to fill in what is missing, youwould need to have memorised the material

List.
This involves reproducing memorised subject matter. The required information must be given in the form of single
words or short sentences, preferably numerically presented. Number every point.

Reduce to
This means changing specific information from one form to another.

Argue
An argument must single out the essential facts of a matter and then go on to explain those essential facts. It
must be possible to discern what the essential facts are, and why they are essential.

Calculate/ Determine
Also estimate or determine. This is the numerical expression of a particular relationship, through which a
conclusion is reached. A calculation or estimate usually requires you to carry out a mathematical calculation with
particular figures. The action of determining involves acquiring certain information by applying processes or
methods.

Prove
Facts must be supported by the logical advancement of acceptable reasons.

Demonstrate
Show how one would do something in practice. This involves supporting or elucidating certain information with
reference to examples. You are required to show or demonstrate, for example, how certain principles, methods
and theories can be used. A demonstration of this kind may be purely theoretical.

Apply
This involves using information in new situations. Application signifies the application of acquired knowledge and
insight to real situations or case studies.

Classify
The information (object, concept, etc) to be classified should be located within an existing classification system.

Deduce/derive/drawcpnclusions/generalise
A logical consequence must be deduced (figure out) from given information. The logical consequence that
follows from the information should not contain any contradictions and should be supported by adequate
reasons.

Contrast
A comparison of two or more aspects is made which indicates only differences, contrasts or discrepancies. The
differences, contrasts or discrepancies should merely be pointed out without any further justification or
explanation being given, unless this is specifically requested in the question.

Investigate
Data must be analysed or divided into parts.
Causes, effects, relationships and so forth must be sought.

Arrange/structure/ pair
Data are grouped on the basis of certain relationships. As the word indicates, pairing means grouping data in
twos.

Design/Plan/Create/Compile/ Develop/Produce/Combine/ Compound/Diagnose

A new or original combination of data must be formed. The emphasis is on new or original ideas.

Advise/Recommend/Propose
Supply expert guidance on the solution of a unique problem. Given a particular set of data, the student is
expected to produce an expert solution to a unique problem

Relate to .
Students are required to indicate clearly how various matters are related to one another, for example how they
are linked or how they correspond to one anotherm. You must be able to identify and formulate relationships.