Understanding Common Assignment Terms

In order to successfully complete an assignment you must understand clearly what you have to do. An important part of defining your task is to identify and understand the key action terms.

Here are the definitions of some of the common assignment terms:

Summarise	Give the main points only in a logical order.
Discuss	Examine a topic by providing points for and against and forming a conclusion based on the points provided.
Compare	Judge how similar subjects are by looking at the evidence and concentrating on the likenesses.
Contrast	Judge how dissimilar subjects are by looking at the evidence and concentrating on the differences.
Comment on	Express a personal opinion based on the evidence provided.
Explain	Provide detail about how the subject works and the reasons for it being the way it is.
Examine	Inspect a subject closely to provide a detailed understanding of all its aspects.
Evaluate	Consider the value or importance of a subject by looking at both its advantages and disadvantages.
Judge	Weigh up the evidence for and against the subject and form an educated opinion based on the evidence.
Justify	Defend the rightness of something by providing detailed evidence or valid reasons.
Analyse	Provide an in-depth understanding of a subject by breaking it down into its key parts, discussing them and examining how the parts interrelate.


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