1. ANALYSING ASSIGNMENT
QUESTIONS
• Centre for Teaching and
Learning Services
• Analysing questions
• Building a paragraph framework
Email: slc-alb@massey.ac.nz Phone: (09) 441 8143

2. Centre for Teaching and
Learning Services
Workshops - Wednesdays 12 pm QB5
March 13th Essay writing
March 20st Report writing
March 27th APA referencing
May 15th, 22rd & 29th Exam skills
Online resources
http://owll.massey.ac.nz Videos, APA tool, Examples
http://tinyurl.com/6xy9hy Academic English Podcast
Free consultations

3. 3 crucial questions to ask
about any assignment
What is it about? Topic
What do I include? Focus
What do I have to do? Task

4. These questions are your weapons as you _
the question in your
fight

5. Example question
analysis
Choose ONE environmental issue and examine what
the national government of ONE country is doing to
improve the situation. Evaluate the extent to which
the government has been successful and justify your
argument with evidence and examples.
Topic One environmental issue
Focus What ONE national government is
doing to improve the situation
Task Evaluate (success)
& Justify (your argument)

6. Use the TOPIC as the key search term in
your research AND use it throughout the
essay itself to make sure you are
answering the question
Opening sentences from an introduction paragraph
(introducing the topic, putting it into context and
showing why it’s important)
Globalisation has led to the accidental or deliberate introduction of
species into ecologies where they had previously been absent. These
invasive species can cause not only ecological damage (for
instance, in forcing native plants into extinction), but economic hard
(by damaging agricultural production and the tourism industry). In the
US alone, it has been estimated that invasive species caused nearly
$100bn in economic damage between 1906 and 1991
(Cook, Thomas, Cunningham, Anderson & De Barro, 2007). Countries
like New Zealand, whose ecology has been isolated for millions of
years, are especially vulnerable to invasive species.

7. Use the FOCUS as a secondary search term
in your research, to choose relevant examples
AND use the TASK words to help you structure
the essay into different parts.
Preview sentence from an
introduction paragraph
The New Zealand Government aims to reduce the damage
caused by invasive species in three ways: Biosecurity, control
and elimination. This essay evaluates the success of each
approach in relation to three different invasive species.

8. Common Task Words
Identify Give a clear definition and explanation of an
issue or concept
Investigate Present relevant facts and figures about the
causes and effects of something
/ Examine
Present evidence for and against a
Consider proposal
First, define a topic or concept and refer to
Discuss a range of opinions on it, giving the
evidence or arguments for each opinion.
Identify the purpose(s) of X, describe the
Evaluate actual outcome and describe how far X
achieved its purpose(s)

9. Question analysis
practice
The availability of items such as telecommunication and
computer technologies may either endanger or enhance the
culture of an indigenous society. From your study of one
indigenous group, examine why the preservation of a
culture is important, and discuss how this culture has been
affected by the introduction of technology into the society.
Consider how technology may be used to enable
preservation of the culture for future generations.
Topic Preservation of Indigenous Culture
Focus (modern) technology
Task Examine (past impact)
& Consider (future potential))

10. News items regularly draw our attention to the
concerns expressed by medical experts about the
startling increase in diagnoses of diabetes and allergy sensitivity
in our population. Amongst suggestions offered to combat these
epidemics are stricter governmental controls on foodstuffs
available, education about healthy food, and the application of
extra taxes on unhealthy items. From your reading on one health
issue, consider what measures the government has taken to
educate the population, and how effective these measures have
been. Outline a model of public education about this health issue
that may support the government and the medical profession in
coping with such health issues in our population.
Topic Health Education
Focus One health issue
Task Consider (effectiveness of past education)
& Outline (an appropriate model)

11. New Zealand has regularly marketed itself as ‘pure’,
‘clean’ and ‘green’. Now that image is being called into question.
Our farmers, our drivers, and our tourists are amongst those
being blamed for this situation. From your reading examine the
damage which one sector of New Zealand society has done to the
environment. Consider whether continuing to market this
country as ‘pure, clean, and green’ is appropriate. Outline a
model to improve one aspect of the environment that could be
undertaken by the sector of society which you have chosen to
focus on.
Topic New Zealand’s environmental marketing
Focus One Sector of NZ society
Examine (damage to environment)
Task Consider (appropriateness of marketing)
& Outline (an model to improve
one aspect)

12. Building a paragraph
framework
Step 1: Convert your word count into
paragraphs
How many paragraphs would you use
for a 1200 word essay?
Between 6 and 10 (120 – 200 words each)

13. Step 2: Use your question analysis to
identify the different parts you’ll need
in your essay
Approach 1 (biosecurity): What is it?
How successful has it been
Approach 2 (control): What is it?
How successful has it been
Approach 3 (elimination): What is it?
How successful has it been

14. Step 3: Decide how many paragraphs to
use for each part and add on your intro
and conclusion
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Paragraph 2: NZ Biosecurity
Paragraph 3: Evaluation of Biosecurity (fish)
Paragraph 4: Control
Paragraph 5: Evaluation of Control (didymo)
Paragraph 6: Elimination
Paragraph 7: Evaluation of Elimination (birds)
Paragraph 8: Conclusion

15. Key points
•Analyse the question: topic, focus, task
• Aim for paragraphs of 4 – 8 sentences / 100 – 200
words
• Divide the question into parts and use 1, 2 or 3
paragraphs for each part
• Use each paragraph to focus on one part of the
question
• Come along to our Weds workshops and use our
online resources
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handouts are copyrighted by Centre for Teaching and Learning, Massey
University, and may not be used, except for personal study, without
written permission from the copyright owner.