Writing Essays
Attacking the Question
1. Topic is?
2. Date range?
3. Key concepts or specific factors in the question?
4. Command words used in question?
Command Words
Account for | Present a reasoned case for this. |
Analyse | Break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure. The essay needs to be closely argued and detailed. | Assess | Estimate the magnitude or quality of something supported by reasons. | Comment | Give a judgement. |

  |   |
Compare | Give an account of the similarities between two (or more) items, referring to both (all) of them throughout. | Compare and contrast | Give an account of similarities and differences between two (or more) items, referring to both (all) of them throughout. | Contrast | Give an account of the differences between two (or more) items, referring to both (all) of them throughout. | Critically discuss | Present the merits and demerits, and make a judgement based on the evidence. | Define | Give the precise meaning of a word or concept. |

  |   |
Describe | A neutral request to give a detailed picture. |
Discuss | Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence. | Distinguish | Make clear the difference between two similar terms. | Do or Does | Make a judgement and present the relevant arguments and evidence | Evaluate | Weigh up the evidence. What arguments are more convincing and what arguments are less convincing? |   |   |

Examine | Consider an argument in a careful, questioning manner so as to find the truth. | Explain | Make plain the concept or argument. |
Explore | Undertake a systematic process of discovery. |
How | Usually the first part of a question that asks you to set the scene for the more important part of the question that will follow. | Justify | Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion. |   |   |

Outline | Give a brief summary of the major aspects of a situation. Usually the sec...

.. 1 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 abbrevi abil account accur actual addit advic afterward aggress agre aliv altern alway analys analyt anecdot answer appear approach appropri argu argument around ask aspect assess asymmetr attack attent authoritarian avoid awkward b balanc base begin beyond bias blitzkrieg bodi brainstorm break brief bring brought busi c care case catcher chart children chronolog claim clear close command comment common communist compar comparis comparison composit concept conclud conclus conflict connect consid contain continu contrari contrast convinc correct could critic d date debat defin definit demerit describ despit detail differ direct disagre discoveri discuss distinct distinguish done due e.g econom element emphas emphasi end ensur equal essay essenti estim etc evalu eventu everi evid examin exampl except exist explain explan explor express extent eye eye-catch factor factual far fascist faster fiction final find first five follow furthermor general german give go good gov govern grabber guerilla happen help histor histori historian historiographi hitler howev huge hypothes idea idealist ideolog illustr imper import includ inde indic individu initi instanc introduct isn item judgement justifi key know knowledg languag lead left less like likewis limit line link list long long-term look magnitud main major make manag manner mean meant mention mere merit might mistak move must narrow nation need neutral nevertheless news next notabl note number obvious offer offici often okay one open opinion opportunist oppos opposit order otherwis outlin overus overview paper paragraph part particip particular pattern peopl person pictur pithi place plain plan plight point polit possibl precis present presum previous process provid put qualiti question quotat radic rang reach read reader realist reason recapitul refer relat relev rememb repeat request restrict review right say scene school scope second see seem seen sentenc sequenc set short short-term show side similar simpli situat slang social solid someth sound specif speech spell springboard start state statement still stop stori structur sub sub-point subject subsequ suffer suitabl sum summari support sure systemat take tell term themat theme thesi think throughout thus time told topic torn total transit trigger truth two tyrant un understand undertak unfinish unit unless use usual valid varieti ve view walk war war-torn water way weigh well wherea whole wing within wonder word world would write yet zone