Annotated bibliography

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Recognizing Assignment Expectations Implied by Key Verbs In order to do well on assignments, including demonstrating mastery of the course competencies that are assessed, it is important to have a clear understanding of what you are expected to do.

Therefore, while the complexity of assignment instructions can sometimes be daunting, it always pays to focus special attention on the operative verbs that delineate the actions that you should take.

Certain verbs are frequently used in assignment instructions, but learners are not always clear about what expectations are usually implied when they are used. Key examples of such verbs include identify, define, describe, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize.

Verb Example

Identify Bicycle.

Define A bicycle is a two-wheeled vehicle powered by a crank pushed by the feet with pedals.

Describe This single-speed bicycle has a bright aqua step-through frame, purple seat, and 26-inch whitewall tires accented with deep purple rims.

Analyze The step-through frame of the bicycle presents less risk of stretching or ripping clothes compared to models that have a frame with a crossbar.

Evaluate The distinctive coloring of this bicycle, and its step-through frame that presents less risk of wear and tear on clothing, make this model a good choice for those with a sophisticated sense of style. However, its fixed gear ratio would make it undesirable for those who frequently travel up steep hills.

Synthesize A new line of accessories, including saddle bags and footwear with similar colors and retro styling, is proposed for marketing with this bicycle.

• When asked to describe something, it is usually not enough to simply name it or label it. You should summarize all the salient characteristics that are relevant to the question at hand. When asked to identify something, its name or its label may be enough, but characterizing it with description may demonstrate a more distinguished level of proficiency.

• The verb define means to precisely describe the most characteristic features of an object or objects. Focus on the attributes that are shared by things that are similar; those that allow you to recognize that these types of thing are different from other types of things.

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• To analyze something means to study it closely, often by describing its components and how they work together to produce some end result. The verbs examine, explain, or perhaps discuss, are sometimes used when analysis is wanted. Instructions to compare and contrast generally mean to analyze by looking for similarities and/or differences between two or more things. If asked to describe a process or interaction and its results in detail, the desired result may be similar to an analysis.

• Evaluate means to judge the value, significance, quality, or condition of something. Verbs that may be used in place of evaluate include assess, appraise, gauge, and judge. Expectations could also be similar if the instructions ask you to analyze qualities such as strengths and weaknesses. Evaluations can be made in a very off-hand and ill-considered way. But what would be the value of that? An evaluation is an opportunity to carefully consider an object of study and determine what standards it should be judged by in a particular context. This level of examination is required to support a reasonable judgment, but there is an added bonus for you as a learner, because so much can be learned in this process of rigorous examination. In everyday life, the criteria (or standards) that evaluations are based on are often taken for granted and are not often explicitly articulated. However, such unstated assumptions may hide serious errors. Therefore, in scholarly or professional writing, scholar-practitioners should take care to explicitly articulate the criteria that evaluations are based on. Further, a sound and convincing evaluation must be supported by evidence. This may take the forms of your own description and analysis, or it may be cited from formalized research studies or other legitimate sources. Evaluations need not be absolute, one-sided judgments of pro or con. To the contrary, it is often very helpful to evaluate things from multiple perspectives.

• The verb synthesize does not often appear in assignments, but readers familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (1956) will recognize that it represents an important category of higher order thinking. Synthesis means putting elements together to comprise a new whole; this may be a material artifact or an abstract structure or pattern. This may take many different forms, but some actions that involve synthesis include designing, planning, hypothesizing, predicting, or inventing.

We hope this brief discussion will help you avoid some pitfalls and make the most of your assignments. But an important caveat must be made before closing: It is the nature of words that they are not entirely fixed; there is flexibility in the way different people use them. It is always important to interpret the specific words used in instructions with sensitivity to the overall objectives of the assignment. If you are unsure how something should be construed, it is usually an advantage to choose the interpretation that would lead you to deeper engagement with your subject. Furthermore, it is always a good idea to ask your instructor for clarification if you feel any aspects of the instructions are unclear.

For a brief discussion of the verbs paraphrase and summarize see Direct Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing in the Capella Writing Center.

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Reference

Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York, NY: David McKay.