Important "Code Words" Which Examiners Use in Any Written Exam.

Be clear about the certain “code words” that examiners use, which indicates what kind of answer they are looking for. Different kind of questions asks you to an answer accordingly. Be very much clear about the terminologies. Few of them are:

1.   DEFINE: Tell what a term briefly means. Definitions can be clarified by giving brief examples.

2.   LIST, ENUMERATE: give a series of point and number them 1, 2, 3……

3.   STATE: Give the main points in brief.

4.   SUMMARIZE: Give a shortened account of something longer.

5.   EXPLAIN: Give a longer, more detailed account of a thing or idea, offer more facts and examples to support your answer, state how and why something is.

6.   DESCRIBE, DISCUSS: Explain in some detail.

7.  OUTLINE: Develop an organized account of something, distinguishing between main and secondary points.

8.   ILLUSTRATE: Explain by giving examples.

9.   RELATE: Show connections between things.

10. COMPARE/CONTRAST: Discuss two or more items, not just one. Compare means to tell how the items are alike, contrast means to tell how they are different.

11. CLASSIFY: Follow a process like definition for several items in turn, tell how each item is like and unlike the others.

12. ANALYZE: Describe the constituent parts of something and show how they relate to each other.

13. PROVE, JUSTIFY: Give well developed reasons for something

14. INTERPRET: Explain the meaning and significance of something

15. CRITICIZE, EVALUATE:  Set out criteria for considering the value of a thing or idea and systematically measure it against those criteria, give negative and positive aspects of something and your overall judgment of it.