Effective writing skills 1: interpreting essay questions

Interpreting questions – that is, working out what kind of information and ideas an essay question asks for – is an important first step in producing a successful essay. In this extract, academics Shelagh Rixon and Tony Lynch talk about the problems which many students face in working out what a question is really asking.As you read, compare what they say with your own experience.What kind of questions have you had to answer for essays and in examinations?

Different cultures might have different ideas about what knowledge is. So, for example, many exam questions in countries I’m aware of deal mostly with facts – factual recall. But in many other cultures, you might get questions which use facts to make a point or to support a more general argument. It’s important to know what the question wants from you.You often get questions which begin ‘Discuss …’,‘Compare and contrast …’ or ‘Evaluate …’.
(Shelagh Rixon)
‘If I give you an example from an exam question, the first word could be ‘Discuss’.The problem is that ‘discuss’ often means ‘show both sides of a question and then give your conclusion’, but it’s also used in some areas to mean
‘describe or present information’. So the first thing a student needs to do is to make sure they have interpreted the question correctly, if possible by asking the person who set the question.’
(Tony Lynch)

1. In one sentence, explain the difference between the two types of questions which Shelagh Rixon describes.Which type of question is the most usual in your culture?
2. Tony Lynch describes two interpretations of the instruction ‘discuss’.Which is the most common meaning in exam and essay questions?

Answer

1. Some questions ask for only factual information and others ask the writer to use facts to make a point.
2. ‘Show both sides of a question and then give your conclusion.’

The keys to understanding essay questions

If you need to write an essay, the five points below can help you to interpret the question more easily.

1. Identify what kind of essay you are being asked to write.To do this, underline the key instruction words or phrases (e.g. discuss, evaluate, etc.)
2. Decide if your essay needs to be descriptive or full of detail.The key words here might be describe or illustrate. e.g. Describe how Blog has contributed to your language learning. Illustrate your answer with examples.
3. Your essay might need to look at an idea or an issue from different viewpoints. In essays like this, key words might be analyse or discuss. e.g. Discuss the importance of radio in language learning in your country.
4. After talking about an issue from different points of view, you might be required to give your own opinion based on your analysis.A key word here might be evaluate. e.g. Evaluate the success of English-language radio in promoting language learning.
5. You might be asked to describe the value of, or advantages and disadvantages of, two ideas or issues in relation to each other. Often, essays like this ask you to compare and contrast. e.g. Compare and contrast the value of radio and television in language learning in your country.

Question task

Try this short brainstorming task. Read the question below and underline the key words.Then give yourself two minutes to write down all the ideas you can think of which are relevant to the topic.
Learning a language is like learning to drive a car.The student language learner and the student driver both need to practise a skill. Discuss.
Answer key
Learning a language is like learning to drive a car.The student language learner and the student driver both need to practise a skill. Discuss.