Analyse: To look at all sides of an issue, break a topic down into parts and explain how these components fit together.
Argue: To make statements or introduce facts to establish or refute a position; to discuss and reason.
Annotate: To expand on given notes or text, e.g. to write extra notes on a printout of a PowerPoint presentation or a photocopied section of a book.
Bias: A view or description of evidence that is not balanced, promoting one conclusion or viewpoint.
Bibliography: A list of all the resources used in preparing for a piece of written work. The Bibliography is usually placed at the end of the document.
Citation: A reference to another source in your work. Citations require less information than an entry to a reference list (author, date and page number (where required)).
Critical thinking: The examination of facts, concepts, and ideas in an objective manner. The ability to evaluate opinion and information systematically, clearly and with purpose.
Describe: To state how something looks, happens or works.
Exemplify: To provide an example of something.
Glossary: A list of terms and their meanings (such as this list).
Adapted from McMillan and Weyers, 2011, pp 247-252.
Marking Criteria: A set of ‘descriptors’ that explain the qualities of answers falling within the differing grade bands used in assessment; used by markers to assign grades, especially where there may be more than one marker, and to allow students to see what level of answer is required to attain specific grades.
Paraphrase: To quote ideas indirectly by expressing them in other words (Note: A paraphrase should still be accompanied by a citation).
Plagiarism: Copying the work of others and passing it off as one’s own, without proper acknowledgement.
Primary Source: The source in which ideas and data are first communicated.
Quotation: Words directly lifted from a source, e.g. a journal article or book, usually placed between inverted commas (quotation marks).
Adapted from McMillan and Weyers, 2011, pp 247-252.
Reference/referencing: If you include another person’s idea in your assignment, you must give credit to the author through the process of ‘referencing’.
Reference list: A list of sources referred to in a piece of writing, usually provided at the end of a document.
Secondary source: A source that quotes, adapts, interprets, translates, develops or otherwise uses information drawn from Primary sources.
Synonym: A word with the same meaning as another.
Topic: An area within a study; the focus of a title in a written assignment.
Topic paragraph: The paragraph, usually the first, that indicates or points to the topic of a section or piece of writing and how it can be expected to develop.
Topic sentence: The sentence, usually the first, that indicates or points to the topic of a paragraph and how it can be expected to develop.
Adapted from McMillan and Weyers, 2011, pp 247-252.