Instructional terms Flashcards
Account for
State reasons to explain an event or why something exists.
Analyse
Show the essence of something (e.g. a situation or a map) by breaking it down into separate points and critically examining the relationship between each part.
Annotate
Add labels, comments or explanatory notes to images, maps, graphs, diagrams or text.
Apply
Use particular skills or incorporate specific information and ideas to a situation.
Asses
Weigh up the value of or judge the strengths and weaknesses of something. Similar to ‘evaluate’, but more about the overall situation.
Calculate
Use data or statistics provided in various forms to determine an answer.
Categorise
Arrange or group by distinctive characteristics.
Clarify
Make clear or simplify facts, opinions, issues or arguments.
Classify
See ‘categorise’.
Comment on
Give an opinion and explain reasons for support or a lack of support for an idea or issue. Can involve discussing the relevance or merit of a provided statement.
Compare
Show the similarities or differences when examining two situations, events, ideas, features or processes.
Consider
Think about what has been observed about something, being able to support observations using appropriate evidence.
Construct
Put together an argument, point of view or a series of reasons to account for a particular situation. It also means to create, develop or draw a map, diagram, graph or table.
Contrast
Highlight the differences when examining two or more situations, events, ideas, features, or processes.
Define
Provide a meaning or identify the essential qualities of a key term word or expression.
Demonstrate
Show or provide proof by using examples form specific case studies, events or issues.
Describe
Provide characteristics of a situation explaining what is observed.
Design
Decide upon the look and functioning of a product such as a map, diagram or social survey.
Distinguish
Identify what is different between one or more similar situations or phenomena.
Discuss
Show understanding of a situation, where appropriate, by producing both sides of a situation, issue or event. Include the strengths and weaknesses of available data. Usually involves more detail than ‘explain’.
Evaluate
Weigh up and interpret a statement, viewpoint or situation and state a conclusion about its value or importance. Similar to ‘assess’, but with a focus on the outcome or result, Include consideration of different opinions.
Evaluate the relative importance of
A combination of ‘rank’ and ‘evaluate’.
Explain
Relate cause and effect. Give reasons why a situation exists or a process occurs.
Explore
Adopt a questioning approach, looking at all aspects of the situation, including points for and against. Similar to ‘discuss’.
Identify
Establish the nature of a situation by distinguishing its features and naming them.
Illustrate
Make something clear and explicit, by providing examples or evidence. May require the use of visual representations (eg. maps, diagrams, tables, graphs and statistics).
Interpret
Examine visual data such as a map, graph or diagram, to make sense of what is being depicted and to draw conclusions.
Justify
Use examples or find sufficient evidence to show why, in your opinion, a viewpoint or conclusion is correct.
Observe
Identify significant items from numerical or visual data, or fieldwork.
Outline
Summarise the main points of given information, or events, in a situation.
Predict
Suggest what may happen in a given situation based on evidence gathered.
Quantify
Use numbers or statistics to describe a phenomenon and support conclusions.
Rank
Arrange factors, outcomes or elements in order of importance.
Recommend
Provide reasons in favour of a proposal.
Reflect on
Think about what has been presented, considered or observed and communicate those thoughts.
Sketch
Refers to a map, diagram or field drawing; a relatively simple, quick, hand-drawn representation that follows accepted, relevant conventions, but without an accurate scale.
Suggest
Present a hypothesis or theory about a particular situation.
Summarise
Retell concisely the relevant and major details of arguments, events and patterns.
To what extent do you agree?
A clear statement of agreement, disagreement or partial agreement concerning a proposition is required. See ‘asses’.
