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.
