white_jellybean
New Member
I have just read through alot of the other Threads and I think that some of the problems may be coming from not understanding the Key Words these include things like List, Outline, Discribe, Discuss and Explain.
I know that everyone understands the meaning but I use to find them a bit daunting in exam questions Especially in exams. A friend of mine who finished School the year before last, (he did greatg in his HSC), helped me out. SO here are the meanings he basicly gave me:
List - This just requires you to list the elements
Outline - This requires a list with a brief explanation of each point
Describe - This means to give an extended response. A good way to remember this is that each main point should include the following;
1. State your point
2. Explain what your point means
3. Provide examples to support your statement and explantion
NB This is one that is very often used in essays - if it is in ur case for each main point should be a new paragraph
Discuss - This usually means to discuss generally, or to take a position (eg for or against), or to present both sides of the arguement - this really depends on the question
Please refer to the NB above as it also applies here.
Explain - This means to fully dissect and spell out in simple terms.
It can be really useful to underline these and any other main words in the question and to refer back to the underlined words once you have finished to check that you forfilled the WHOLE question.
Since my friend gave me these tips my exam mark tended to improve by almost 15%.
He also said that when you read over the multiple choice to remember what information was given in them. He told me about coming out of an exam and complaining to a friend about a certian question that said list the 5 compents of... ? and his friend had almost hit him because in the multiple choice it had said which of these compents bests suits this example...
a)...
b)...
c)...
d)....
So in other words 4 of the 5 answers of that question had already been given earlier on in the exam.
Well I hope these help and if anyone else has any tips Id love to hear them as I freak in exams!
:wave:
I know that everyone understands the meaning but I use to find them a bit daunting in exam questions Especially in exams. A friend of mine who finished School the year before last, (he did greatg in his HSC), helped me out. SO here are the meanings he basicly gave me:
List - This just requires you to list the elements
Outline - This requires a list with a brief explanation of each point
Describe - This means to give an extended response. A good way to remember this is that each main point should include the following;
1. State your point
2. Explain what your point means
3. Provide examples to support your statement and explantion
NB This is one that is very often used in essays - if it is in ur case for each main point should be a new paragraph
Discuss - This usually means to discuss generally, or to take a position (eg for or against), or to present both sides of the arguement - this really depends on the question
Please refer to the NB above as it also applies here.
Explain - This means to fully dissect and spell out in simple terms.
It can be really useful to underline these and any other main words in the question and to refer back to the underlined words once you have finished to check that you forfilled the WHOLE question.
Since my friend gave me these tips my exam mark tended to improve by almost 15%.
He also said that when you read over the multiple choice to remember what information was given in them. He told me about coming out of an exam and complaining to a friend about a certian question that said list the 5 compents of... ? and his friend had almost hit him because in the multiple choice it had said which of these compents bests suits this example...
a)...
b)...
c)...
d)....
So in other words 4 of the 5 answers of that question had already been given earlier on in the exam.
Well I hope these help and if anyone else has any tips Id love to hear them as I freak in exams!
:wave: