1. Answering the exam task
by Anne Marie Torp, Asker vgs.

2. To do well on the exam ...
... you must do exactly what the task tells you to do

3. This course consists of two parts:
An explanation of common instructional words
A step-by-step guide to interpreting exam tasks
19. mai 2019

4. Part 1: Common instructional words

5. Instructional words – Which are most commonly used and what do they mean?
Describe
Present
Inform
Give an account of
Show your knowledge about a specific topic in a neutral and factual way
Do not include personal opinions
Explain
Use your own words to make something clear
Comment (up) on
Use your knowledge and your own common sense and present observations or opinions about the topic, quote, dilemma etc. in question

6. Instructional words Illustrate Explain something by giving examples
Sum up / summarise
Present the main points without examples or details
Do not include new ideas when you sum up
Refer to
Mention the text, issue etc. when you write
Compare, contrast
Find similarities and differences between two or more ideas, situations, people etc.
The word “contrast” indicates that you should focus mainly on the differences

7. Instructional words Analyse
Examine the text critically and in detail, so as to bring out the essential elements and explain their function and the relationship between them. Do not retell the content.
Examples: A poem consists of various literary devices that you can study. An article may consist of various facts and arguments that you can examine more closely.
Assess / Evaluate
Determine the value (relevance, significance and quality)of something in a careful and thoughtful way. Make a judgement .
Discuss
See an issue from different points of view. Present arguments both for and against something.

8. No instructional words?
“Write a text about ...”
Make sure you write about exactly what the task tells you to do!

9. Part 2: A step-by-step guide
Photo: Scanpix, Microstock, # : © Cherries

10. Step 1: Understand the words
Read all the words in the task slowly and carefully and make sure you understand what they mean. If you are in doubt, remember to use your dictionary.
STEP 1: Understand the words
STEP 2: Identify instructional words
STEP 3: Clarify requirements
STEP 4: Find relevant aids
STEP 5: Create an outline
STEP 6: Start writing the text

11. Step 2: Identify instructional words
Underline the instructional words in the task. Do you know what they mean? Many tasks contain more than one instructional word! Example: Explain and discuss
STEP 1: Understand the words
STEP 2: Identify instructional words
STEP 3: Clarify requirements
STEP 4: Find relevant aids
STEP 5: Create an outline
STEP 6: Start writing the text

12. Step 3: Clarify requirements
What exactly is the topic? Who is the audience? What is the purpose? In which genre should the text be written? Do I need to refer to specific sources or quotations?
STEP 1: Understand the words
STEP 2: Identify instructional words
STEP 3: Clarify requirements
STEP 4: Find relevant aids
STEP 5: Create an outline
STEP 6: Start writing the text

13. Step 4: Find relevant aids
Examples of relevant aids:
The preparation material
Your text book
Various articles
Documents from your teacher
Your dictionary
Your own notes etc.
STEP 1: Understand the words
STEP 2: Identify instructional words
STEP 3: Clarify requirements
STEP 4: Find relevant aids
STEP 5: Create an outline
STEP 6: Start writing the text

14. STEP 5: Create an outline
Decide what to include in your text.
In many tasks, the outline has already been made for you in the form of bullet points telling you what you should include.
If the task does not contain any bullet points, create your own.
STEP 1: Understand the words
STEP 2: Identify instructional words
STEP 3: Clarify requirements
STEP 4: Find relevant aids
STEP 5: Create an outline
STEP 6: Start writing the text

15. STEP 6: Start writing the text!
STEP 1: Understand the words
STEP 2: Identify instructional words
STEP 3: Clarify requirements
STEP 4: Find relevant aids
STEP 5: Create an outline
STEP 6: Start writing the text

16. A form to help you STEPS NOTES Step 1
STEPS
NOTES
Step 1
Vocabulary: Are there any words you do not understand?
Step 2
What are the instructional words?
Step 3
Clarify requirements
Topic:
Audience:
Purpose:
Genre:
Refer to/use:
Step 4
What are the relevant aids for this task?
Step 5
Create an outline

17. AN EXAMPLE: Exam task 1 Spring 2014
“Use the text about Malala Yousafzai in Text 3 in the preparation material to compare and contrast her actions with those of another person who has protested against injustice. This could be a fictional character, a historical figure or somebody who has been in the news recently, but the person must be from an English-speaking country.
Give your text a suitable title.”

18. AN EXAMPLE STEPS NOTES Step 1
STEPS
NOTES
Step 1
Vocabulary: Are there any words you do not understand?
Injustice = urettferdighet
Fictional = oppdiktet
Recently = nylig
Step 2
What are the instructional words?
Compare and contrast (differences)

19. AN EXAMPLE STEP NOTES Step 3 Clarify requirements
Topic: Two people’s actions against injustice. I choose Malala and Mandela.
Audience: Not specified
Purpose: To present information and compare
Genre: Not specified
Refer to/use: Text 3 about Malala.
Another chosen person from an English-speaking country, who has protested against injustice.

20. AN EXAMPLE STEP NOTES Step 4 What are the relevant aids for this task?
Dictionary
Document about linking words
Articles about Malala
Articles about Nelson Mandela
Film work about Invictus
My notes from the lecture about Apartheid
Step 5
Create an outline
An introduction presenting the injustice Malala and Mandela protested against
A presentation of Malala and her actions
A presentation of Mandela and his actions
A comparison of their actions
A conclusion