You might hand in an intelligent, beautifully-written, beautifully-presented assignment, by the due date, but it will fail if it doesnt answer the question. You can be sure that you have answered the question if you do the following:
Analyze the question
Whether an assignment question is long and complex, or short and simple, it will usually
havethree elements:
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- The Subject that tells you what the general area of the question is,
- The Limiting words that tell you which part of the subject you must limit your answer to, and
- The Direction words that tell you what to do.
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Analyzing the question into these three elements is important for two reasons:
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- It will help you to orientate yourself to the topic and present a relevant answer
- It will help you to structure the Introduction of the assignment.
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Here are some examples:
Example Essay Question 1 Business and Finance Essay question:
What is a Value Added Statement? Outline the assumptions underlying the Value Added
Statement, and argue the case for and against the inclusion of this statement in company
annual reports.
Subject: The Value Added Statement
Limiting words (1): What the Value Added Statement is.
Direction words (1): What is?
Limiting words (2): The assumptions underlying the Value Added Statement.
Direction words (2): Outline
Limiting words (3): The inclusion of the Value Added Statement in annual reports.
Direction words (3): Argue the case for and against
This essay question is asking you to do three things:
- describe or define the Value Added Statement;
- focus on its underlying assumptions (giving the essential details);
- focus on its inclusion in annual reports (with arguments for and against).
Example Essay Question 2 Linguistics:
Determine the differences between human language and animal communication and discuss
the following question: Can the properties of language be regarded as advantageous
for the human creature?
Subject: the properties of different communication systems
Limiting words(1): differences between human language and animal communication.
Direction words (1): Determine
Limiting words (2): can the properties of language be regarded as advantageous for the human creature?
Direction words (2): discuss
The essay question is asking you to:
- describe in detail the properties of human language and animal communication in order to show how and where the two systems differ;
- argue the case for or against the view that language properties are advantageous for humans.
Example Essay Question 3 Technology in education:
Select an aspect of information technology or electronic communication and discuss
it in depth in relation to one level of schooling.
Subject: Information technology/electronic communication
Limiting words (1): an aspect (one aspect only) of the Subject
Direction words (1): select
Limiting words (2): (your chosen aspect) in relation to one level of schooling.
Direction words (2): discuss in depth
Note how you are being asked to choose one aspect only of the subject, and discuss it in relation to one level only of schooling.
In every case, you are expected to focus only on the limiting words. You are not being asked to write everything you know about the Value Added Statement, or language and communication, or educational technology, or whatever the subject might be. If you do this, you will lose marks for being irrelevant.
Note these important points:
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- Make sure that you understand all the key words in the question.
- Make sure that you understand what the direction words mean then carry out those directions.
- Focus on the limiting words.
- When in any doubt, ask your tutor. Never start any written assignment until you know exactly what you are being asked to do.
- Once you have isolated the limiting words in your assignment question, you can direct your reading and note-taking to that topic only, thus saving yourself a lot of time.
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2. Note special instructions
Lecturers will sometimes ask you to include particular material in your assignment, or will ask for a specific approach or angle. Look out for these special instructions, and make sure you incorporate them into your assignment.
The following examples include special instructions (indicated in bold here) which must not be ignored. Youll lose marks if you ignore them.
Example 1 What is a Value Added Statement? Outline the assumptions underlying the Value Added Statement, and argue the case for and against the inclusion of this statement in company annual reports. Restrict your answer to the Australian context.
Example 2 Determine the differences between human language and animal communication and discuss the following question: Can the properties of language be regarded as advantageous for the human creature? Your essay should include references to the language theories discussed in the course so far, but you are encouraged to read more widely.
Example 3 You are required to select an aspect of information technology or electronic communication and discuss it in depth in relation to one level of schooling. Relevant literature and web sites must be included in the discussion.
3. Keep to the word limit
Lecturers set word limits in order to restrict the breadth and depth of your research and writing for a particular assignment. It is unlikely that a lecturer will actually count the number of words in your submitted assignment. The given word limit is a just a general indication, and you would normally be allowed about 5%-10% over or under. So if the word limit is, for example, 2,000 words, dont worry if your essay is 1,946 or 2,077 words long. Lecturers know roughly how many pages a 2,000-word essay, for instance, would cover, and thats what they expect.
However, if the instruction specifically says something like No more than 500 words, then you are not allowed to go over that limit.