The assessment task structure

How to break down your task

The first step in the assignment process is task analysis. You need to know what you need to do and what is expected of you. You can start by identifying the directive words, content words and limiting words in the task description.

Content Words

The content words tell you what should form the BASIS of the assignment. They are usually NOUNS (naming words) or NOUN PHRASES (naming and describing words). For example, globalisation, human perceptions, drug interactions.

Directive Words

The directive words tell you what to DO. They are usually VERBS like compare, discuss, analyse, evaluate, explain and so on.

Limiting Words

Limiting words tell you the SCOPE of your answer. They tell you what to include and focus on or exclude.

The critical thinking process

The thinking behind your thinking

Breaking down the task directive words to understand what you are being asked to do enables you to develop your critical thinking skills.

How can you further develop these thinking skills?

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy (2001) explains the process of learning and can help facilitate your levels of understanding. This resource outlines six levels of thinking with ‘actions words’ to assist you when working through an assignment task. These are the actions a critical thinker will use while organising knowledge.

Critical thinking skills build on previous levels of learning, and you can move between these various levels of thinking to develop your knowledge.

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy (2001)

Select a level to see examples of directive words.

The directive word 'Analyse' shows logical consideration of how the different elements of a concept relate and connect. This allows you to build towards an evaluation of the topic by justifying the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of your interpretation.

The directive word 'Explain' shows understanding of a concept by providing facts and details. This allows you to build towards a discussion of the topic by applying further features and examples for a deeper level of explanation.

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy (2001) Diagram CREATE EVALUATE ANALYSE APPLY UNDERSTAND REMEMBER

A glossary of terms

What you're being asked to do

Here is a list of commonly used directive words with definitions.

To learn more about directive words, play the directions word game, or read up on these other directive word definitions from Griffith University.

Don’t forget: Cross-check your task analysis against the course outline, task description and assessment rubric (marking criteria).

(Adapted from California Polytechnic State University 2018; Queensland University of Technology (QUT) 2018; University of Wollongong Australia 2018).

Research

To investigate a topic in order to establish facts, support claims and to reach new conclusions. Generally, this involves using evidence from reliable and academic sources.

Define

To provide a concise, clear meaning of a term or concept, generally taking this information from a reputable source and pointing out if different meanings for this term are found in different sources.

Describe

To point out the main characteristics or features of something, or to outline the main events.

Summarise

To give a concise account of the main points by omitting details or examples.

Examine

To look carefully at a topic, concept or subject. To gain an in-depth understanding of something by taking note of the detail and providing explanations.

Explain

To make an idea, concept or situation clear by providing the most relevant facts and details. This explanation would increase understanding of this concept and provide the reasons for a situation using support from evidence.

Analyse

To take apart a concept, statement or question in order to look at the elements and consider how they relate as a whole. Generally, this concept is examined in detail and the response is logically organized.

Discuss

To explain the most important features of a statement, topic or concept, and to give details about it with supporting information, examples, points for and against, and to consider implications and explanations of ideas taken points of view from different sources. This may require several paragraphs where the writer develops a position that must be supported by academic evidence.

Support

To provide evidence or reasons for a claims and stated opinions. Generally, this is done using evidence from reliable and academic sources.

Argue

To provide a range of reasons and evidence in support of a position taken in response to a statement, question or task. Generally, this response aims to persuade others about the strength of the position or point of view presented using justification, explanation and evidence from reliable sources.

Critically (to critique)

Often used in front of other directive words, it means to think about the arguments for and against something, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence and provide a balanced response reflecting the overall judgment. It does not mean to criticize without reason.

Evaluate

To assess the worth, importance or usefulness of something. Generally, this is done by applying critical thinking, logical reasoning and by using evidence.

To what extent

To consider how far something is true, or contributes to a final outcome. Consider also ways in which the statement or claim is not true. The answer is usually somewhere between 'completely' and 'not at all'.

Justify

To give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is being claimed. This involves providing valid reasons from credible sources to support a particular interpretation or conclusion.

Synthesise

To combine two or more ideas or perspectives about something to reach an informed understanding or position on that concept. Generally, this involves presenting more than one idea from a source to support your interpretation of ideas presented in support of your opinion.

Tools for De-constructing

Assessment task structure Critical thinking process Glossary of terms

Deconstructing
your Assessment Task

Understanding the critical thinking process behind approaching your assignment.

This resource will help you to understand an assessment task question by considering the critical thinking process and the words used in assessment task criteria. We've provided some tools (look for this icon ) to help you break down your task question for a better understanding about how to approach your assignment.

The first step in the assignment process is task analysis - knowing what you need to do and what's expected of you.

Here’s an example of an assignment task description. This task description is presented as two sentences. The first sentence makes a statement that the second sentence asks you to discuss.

Environmental Impact Assessments are often seen as a means of ensuring conservation practices but political and economic factors frequently intervene. Discuss this statement, referring to the roles and responsibilities of developers, environmentalists and governments.

To analyse and clarify your assessment task, you firstly need to identify and consider the content, directive and limiting words.

How to break down your task

Let's identify the phrases that highlight the content.

Environmental Impact Assessments are often seen as a means of ensuring conservation practices but political and economic factors frequently intervene. Discuss this statement, referring to the roles and responsibilities of developers, environmentalists and governments.

What about the directive words?

Environmental Impact Assessments are often seen as a means of ensuring conservation practices but political and economic factors frequently intervene. Discuss this statement, referring to the roles and responsibilities of developers, environmentalists and governments.

And the information that limits the scope of the question?

Environmental Impact Assessments are often seen as a means of ensuring conservation practices but political and economic factors frequently intervene. Discuss this statement, referring to the roles and responsibilities of developers, environmentalists and governments.

Now let's look at the whole task description again in terms of what to include, what to do and what to focus on.

Environmental Impact Assessments are often seen as a means of ensuring conservation practices but political and economic factors frequently intervene. Discuss this statement, referring to the roles and responsibilities of developers, environmentalists and governments.

Before you start the assignment, you need to look more closely at what's involved.

The thinking behind your thinking

This assessment task has two key steps.

We've already identified the content words, but what's the relationship between them?

How could you address them in your assignment? Which terms will you need to define?

Firstly, you will need to define what Environmental Impact Assessments are.

Environmental Impact Assessments are often seen as a means of ensuring conservation practices but political and economic factors frequently intervene. Discuss this statement, referring to the roles and responsibilities of developers, environmentalists and governments.

This step involves defining, identifying, explaining and examining.

What you're being asked to do

In the second step, you're asked to discuss the statement in the first sentence.

Environmental Impact Assessments are often seen as a means of ensuring conservation practices but political and economic factors frequently intervene. Discuss this statement, referring to the roles and responsibilities of developers, environmentalists and governments.

So, what does 'discuss' mean? By using 'discuss' as the directive word, the task asks you to explain the most important features of the statement by providing examples and supporting information, assess points for and against, and consider the implications of the ideas from different sources.

After reading widely and supporting your position with reasons and evidence, you will develop a position in relation to the statement you're discussing.

Then you need to discuss the statement in relation to the roles and responsibilities of developers, environmentalists and governments.

Environmental Impact Assessments are often seen as a means of ensuring conservation practices but political and economic factors frequently intervene. Discuss this statement, referring to the roles and responsibilities of developers, environmentalists and governments.

This step involves, discussing, examining, evaluating, justifying and supporting.

What you're being asked to do

Once you are clear about what the task entails and what is expected, you might move onto the next step in the assignment process – which involves brainstorming the topic.

Let's look at another example of an assignment task description.

This task description is presented as two sentences.

Outline why reading is generally considered important at university. Assess to what extent students are required to read critically during their course work.

(Turner, Krenus, Ireland & Pointon 2011).

To analyse and clarify the task, you need to identify and consider the content, directive and limiting words.

How to break down your task

Let's identify the phrases that highlight the content.

Outline why reading is generally considered important at university. Assess to what extent students are required to read critically during their course work.

What about the directive words?

Outline why reading is generally considered important at university. Assess to what extent students are required to read critically during their course work.

And the information that limits the scope of the question?

Outline why reading is generally considered important at university. Assess to what extent students are required to read critically during their course work.

Now let's look at the whole task description again in terms of what to include, what to do and what to focus on.

Outline why reading is generally considered important at university. Assess to what extent students are required to read critically during their course work.

With this task, you need to firstly break down the directive words to understand what the task is asking you to do. Then, you can approach the task with greater critical thinking skills and logical ordering of ideas.

The thinking behind your thinking

Sometimes in an assessment task, directives can be implicit (suggested) rather than explicit (clearly stated).

We've already identified the content words, but what's the relationship between them?

How could you address them in your assignment? Which terms will you need to define?

There are two key steps to this assessment task.

The directive words in this example are outline why. This is asking you to define what reading is, and then identify and explain why reading is important at university.

The why also implies that you will need to interpret and justify the reasons you have identified and explained.

Outline why reading is generally considered important at university. Assess to what extent students are required to read critically during their course work.

This step involves defining, identifying, explaining and justifying.

What you're being asked to do

The next directive words in the second sentence ask you to assess to what extent. This is where you need to evaluate and discuss the topic in more depth.

Outline why reading is generally considered important at university. Assess to what extent students are required to read critically during their course work.

Firstly, you can define and explain what critical reading is, to demonstrate your understanding of the topic.

Then, you can develop a discussion by providing reasons and examples as to how and why critical reading is required during coursework for university students.

What you're being asked to do

Secondly, it is important to remember that assess to what extent implies (suggests) that you provide a critical evaluation which is demonstrated through providing logical reasons from the evidence you have found to support your topic.

Outline why reading is generally considered important at university. Assess to what extent students are required to read critically during their course work.

At this stage, you would be ready to move onto the next step in the assignment process – which involves brainstorming the topic.