What's the verb?
Highlighting key words in the essay title or assignment brief is a great first step in understanding the assignment. Among those words, make sure you pay close attention to the verb – that is, the action word that indicates what you are expected to do. Consider this example:
'Critically evaluate whether the Magna Carta is still relevant today.
To evaluate, you reach a conclusion about a topic by considering evidence that supports different positions on, or perspectives about, that topic. The adverb critically emphasizes the need not only to explore a range of evidence, but to assess it in an argumentative (rather than simply descriptive) manner.
What if we slightly amend the verb? Consider this change:
'Critically discuss whether the Magna Carta is still relevant today.'
Does changing the verb from evaluate to discuss meaningfully change your goal? To be honest, most instructors use these verbs interchangeably in essay briefs. For some, though, discuss would suggest greater emphasis on forging a dialogue between sources, demonstrating where perspectives align and where they diverge.
Top tip: Visit your instructor during their office hours if you are unsure about the key verb in an essay title.
To get the most out of the conversation, DON’T just show up and say, 'I’m confused.' Instead, bring along a rough outline or mind map that illustrates how you THINK you could execute the essay. This will create a productive foundation for your instructor to gauge whether you are on the right track.
Importantly, the expectation to be critical exists with essay verbs like discuss, evaluate, analyse, examine, etc. even if the adverb critically isn’t used. Unless you are specifically asked to summarise or describe something in an objective way, criticality is key.
The likely suspects
Instructors describe assignment aims in any number of ways, but there tends to be shared language when it comes to the key verbs. Below, you will find a sampling of the most common actions to conduct as a writer, with explanations and tips to help you out.
Remember that one assignment prompt can feature (explicitly or implicitly) multiple verbs. For example, you might need to analyse a situation, first, in order to then propose a solution.
Advise, suggest, recommend, propose
- With verbs like these, you need to use informed logic and relevant supporting evidence to put forward an approach, idea, solution, or similar. For example, you might propose a specific treatment protocol based on critically synthesizing a patient's case history, NHS guidelines, and evidence from medical journals. You might recommend a specific advertising approach based on a company's financial goals, their target consumers, and marketing research.
- When asked to suggest a path forward, don't sit on the fence: it would be unwise to list a variety of options without critically and clearly 'backing' one of them. However, it does demonstrate good critical thought to address any shortcomings or risks in your proposal, and how these might be mitigated.
Analyse, examine
- Here, you are being asked to break something down and consider its parts. This requires close critical attention.
- Imagine your topic as a cube. Instead of standing back and saying, 'That's a cube,' you will take the cube into your hands and rotate it again and again, carefully investigating each of its facets.
- For example, to analyse a business model, you would break the model down into its parts (e.g. management, target clients, production, distribution, etc.) and 'dig into' those. Depending on the scope of the assignment, you might need to further break down the parts you identify.
Assess, appraise, evaluate
- Here, you are being asked to reach conclusions about the validity, efficacy, reliability, impacts, etc. of something. That 'something' could be a piece of academic literature (e.g. critical appraisals of medical studies). It might be a policy, law, or similar (e.g. assessment of a judicial change intended to reduce crime). Maybe it's a business campaign or financial restructure – many options exist!
- In any case, ensure you understand not only what you are meant to assess (the object), but how that object is best evaluated in your field (the approach/method). Are there industry standards that govern 'success'? Do you need to use a particular appraisal tool that features set steps?
Compare, contrast
- Compare suggests the need to find the similarities and differences between two things; contrast calls for you to compare two things with more attention paid to differences.
- Instructors will almost never ask you to compare/contrast in a merely descriptive way, so look for the next step: what are you expected to do with, or make of, the comparison(s)? For example, you might contrast two interpretations of a cultural artefact in order to analyse how and why the differences exist.
Defend, argue, make an argument
- These verbs call for you to back a stance or perspective. You should focus on making clear claims and offering solid academic evidence to support them.
- When you have to argue a point, don't forget to engage with counterarguments. Think of it this way: your instructor KNOWS that multiple perspectives exist, or they wouldn't have assigned the essay! Actively grappling with any counterarguments (and conceding minor points as needed) boosts the sense that a) you are trustworthy, and b) you conducted balanced research.
Discuss, explore
- These verbs are worryingly vague, but don't fret. Discuss and explore imply that you should consider the topic from more than one angle, using academic literature to capture multiple perspectives.
- Hint: if you pretend the assignment says analyse, instead, this tends to produce what the instructor was hoping for.
Outline, delineate
- The goal with these verbs is to identify the main beats of something. For example, if you are asked to 'outline the political strategy used by Politician ABC in Election XYZ,' make sure you communicate the primary components or elements of the overall strategy. Imagine boiling the whole strategy down into a TL;DR version.
- As with compare/contrast, you should look out for an additional step or expectation that takes the assignment from descriptive to critical. For example, you might have to delineate a diagnostic procedure in order to critically reflect on its relevance to your nursing practice.
Reflect, write a critical reflection/account
- The assignment verbs can get redundant, but reflect is its own beast. Unlike most essays, reflective assignments prioritise your own relevant experience. Project work, for example, may culminate in a reflective component (i.e., reflecting on how a business presentation went; reflecting on the process of creating a video game).
- Although reflection centres something you completed or did, avoid relying on biased feelings and personal opinion: this is still academic writing!
- Think of it as a reflective analysis. Break the subject down into parts: namely, decisions you made along the way, why you made them, their effects (good, bad, or neutral), and what you learned. Justify the 'why' with evidence relevant to your field. In nursing, tying your actions to best practices from NHS guidelines would make sense. In a creative writing module, you might cite craft manuals when discussing your approach to backstory and dialogue.
Synthesize, 'use a range of literature to...'
- To synthesize means to create a new thing by combining parts of other things. For example, you are synthesizing if you write a paragraph that defines 'influencer' by weaving together how the concept has been defined in two academic articles, in a digital newspaper, and on social media platforms. Synthesis demonstrates your ability to draw relevant connections between multiple sources of information.
- Synthesis is the heart of academic writing. Odds are that you ought to be synthesizing ideas, facts, and data from different sources even if the assignment prompt doesn't use this term.
- As with compare/contrast and outline/delineate, look for additional cues on how to use your synthesis. Are you meant to synthesize in order to defend an argument, support a reflective account, etc.?
