Clarifying the purpose of the written work
An important first task when you are planning a piece of written work is to
think carefully about its purpose. Students are often given the writing
task to complete, in which case the purpose is embedded in the task instructions.
So, you must first identify the task word or words. Task words, which are
typically expressed as verbs (or doing words), tell you what you are being asked
to do. For example, students’ written assignments or essay topics often ask
them to describe, to outline, to discuss, or to evaluate. Describe, outline, discuss,
and evaluate are task words. Not only do they tell you what it is that you are
being asked to do, but they also make clear what you are not being asked or expected
to do in your piece of written work. That is because each task word has a specific
meaning.
- For example, if the task word is describe, you are
being expected to spell out the main aspects of an idea or topic or the sequence
in which a series of things happen or have happened.
In contrast, a written assignment that has analyse or evaluate as
its task word is asking you to show the essence of something by breaking it
down into its component parts and examining each part in detail and how they interrelate
or to make an appraisal of the worth of something, in the light of its apparent
truth or utility, respectively.
There are many task words, each with a different purpose and each requiring
a different outcome in terms of a piece of written work. It is important to identify
the task word (or words) and to be sure you understand what is, therefore, expected
of you. To help you do that, we have provided a list of task words with their
meanings below.
Having identified the task word or words, and thus, having clarified the purpose
of your written piece of work, you are ready to move to the next stage. In the
next stage the task requires you to become more focused. It involves an analysis
of the assignment topic (sometimes referred to loosely as, "the question"),
whether provided for you, or formulated for yourself.
List of task words
Analyse
|
Show the essence of something, by breaking it down into its component parts
and examining each part in detail and how they interrelate
|
Argue
|
Present the case for and/or against a particular proposition
|
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
|
Comment on
|
This implies that you need to analyse or assess
|
Compare
|
Look for similarities and differences between propositions
|
Criticise
|
Give your judgement about the merit of theories or opinions about the truth
of facts, and back your judgement by a discussion of the evidence
|
Define
|
Set down the precise meaning of a word or phrase, giving sufficient detail
so 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 or debate, giving reasons for and against
|
Enumerate
|
List or specify and describe
|
Evaluate
|
Make an appraisal of the worth of something, in the light of its apparent truth
or utility; include your own opinion
|
Examine
|
Present in depth and investigate the implications
|
Explain
|
Make plain, interpret, and account for in detail
|
To what extent
|
Explore the case for a stated proposition or explanation of some event or phenomenon,
which requires you to outline the phenomenon, the aspects of it which are accounted
for by the explanation and those that are not
|
Identify
|
Pick out what you regard as the key features of something, perhaps making clear
the criteria you want to use
|
Illustrate
|
Explain and make clear by the use of concrete examples, or by the use of a
figure or diagram
|
Interpret
|
Bring out the meaning of, and make clear and explicit; usually also giving
your own judgement
|
Justify
|
Show adequate grounds for decisions or conclusions
|
Outline
|
Show the main features or general principles of a subject, omitting minor details,
and emphasising structure and relationship
|
Prove
|
Demonstrate truth or falsity by presenting 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
|
Relate
|
Narrate/show how things are connected to each other, and to what extent they
are alike or affect each other
|
Review
|
Make a survey of, examining the subject critically
|
State
|
Specify fully and clearly
|
Summarise
|
Give a concise account of the chief points or substance of a matter, omitting
details and examples
|
Trace
|
Identify and describe the development or history of a topic from some point
of origin
|
Acknowledgement: In preparing this document, "Enhancing writing:
A guide to integrating writing support across the disciplines" by De la Harpe
and Radloff (2000) and the "Academic Preparation Program" of the Learning
Centre, UNSW, provided a useful starting point.
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