You could have a wide breadth of knowledge regarding your subject, and you may be well-read and be able to provide valuable contributions to your lectures and seminars BUT if you do not understand your essay questions, your overall grade is likely to drop.
Academic writing and the questions that are set for assignments typically use a formal tone and advanced language, in order to achieve clarity. Sometimes this language can seem difficult to understand, and can cause problems when it comes to fully grasping what a question is asking.
If you want to do well in an essay, one of the first things you need to do is look at the question you have been given, making sure to read it several times. If you are unsure of some of the words, check them in a dictionary, rather than re-reading the sentence a dozen times and still being somewhat in the dark. For a list of common key words used in questions, please click here
Then you want to split your question up into smaller chunks, looking at the individual components of the question you have been asked. Is general, most essay questions and titles contain the following elements:
When it comes to analysing the title, these following tips on identification can really help:
Try to identify:
Following these simple steps can do wonders when it comes to fully understanding the task you have been set. No one likes getting a bad mark for an essay they have put a lot of effort and time into, and one of the major causes of this is lack of comprehension of the question. Taking these steps before you start your work can save a lot of time, and boost your grade. It may sound obvious, but it is very easy to read something in haste and think we have understood it, breaking the question down into these easy steps can help prevent this from happening.
Essay questions are written in such a way not to be purposefully difficult, but to achieve certain specificity and instruction. The language used is common in academia, and it is beneficial to respond to a question in the same way. This formal language can take a while to get the hang of; if you are unsure about the tone and word choices you use, it can be a good idea to have your essays professionally proofread by a reputable academic proofreading company.
Academic writing and the questions that are set for assignments typically use a formal tone and advanced language, in order to achieve clarity. Sometimes this language can seem difficult to understand, and can cause problems when it comes to fully grasping what a question is asking.
If you want to do well in an essay, one of the first things you need to do is look at the question you have been given, making sure to read it several times. If you are unsure of some of the words, check them in a dictionary, rather than re-reading the sentence a dozen times and still being somewhat in the dark. For a list of common key words used in questions, please click here
Then you want to split your question up into smaller chunks, looking at the individual components of the question you have been asked. Is general, most essay questions and titles contain the following elements:
- The subject that the question wants you to explore. This is simply what the question is about.
- The slant or focus of the question. That is to say, there should be an aspect of the subject that the question is highlighting.
- A key instruction that clarifies what the question would like for an answer, such as ‘describe’, or ‘explain’. These two words will result in quite different essays.
When it comes to analysing the title, these following tips on identification can really help:
Try to identify:
- The specifics of the topic.
- Any limitations or room for expansion.
- The point of view to be taken on the topic. These can often be identified as phrases that end in ‘of’, such as, ‘the significance of’.
- Identify which instruction you have been given in the question. The requirement is often at the beginning of the question, and makes it clear what will be expected in an answer.
Following these simple steps can do wonders when it comes to fully understanding the task you have been set. No one likes getting a bad mark for an essay they have put a lot of effort and time into, and one of the major causes of this is lack of comprehension of the question. Taking these steps before you start your work can save a lot of time, and boost your grade. It may sound obvious, but it is very easy to read something in haste and think we have understood it, breaking the question down into these easy steps can help prevent this from happening.
Essay questions are written in such a way not to be purposefully difficult, but to achieve certain specificity and instruction. The language used is common in academia, and it is beneficial to respond to a question in the same way. This formal language can take a while to get the hang of; if you are unsure about the tone and word choices you use, it can be a good idea to have your essays professionally proofread by a reputable academic proofreading company.