Teacher’s Name :Prof Hafida Hamzaoui

Level : L3
Module :CWP

Lecture 1: Answering essay questions with: ‘Analyze’ or ‘discuss’

Lecture 2: Answering essay questions with: ‘justify’/ ‘demonstrate’
Lecture 3: Answering essay questions with ‘evaluate’
Lecture 4: Answering essay questions with ‘to what extent’

LECTURE 1: ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS WITH: ‘ANALYZE’ OR

‘DISCUSS’

Words like ‘explain’, ‘evaluate’ or ‘analyze’ and others provide a useful indication of how
the essay should be structured. If students misinterpret the question words in the exam
instruction, the essay writing could be completely irrelevant and score poorly. Question words
help identify the kind of response the essay requires.

• Analyze: Essay questions that ask to ‘analyze’ a particular topic require the student to
break the essay topic down into its essential parts. To do so, we need to bring
important evidence to look in depth at the arguments for and against, as well as how
these parts should interlink. We should not simply give a narration on the key debates
in the literature, we should make our position known and tie it to the literature offered.

• Discuss: In the case of ‘Discuss’ question words, an in-depth answer that considers all
aspects of the debate concerning a research topic is required. You must demonstrate
reasoning skills with this type of question, by using evidence to make a case for or
against a research topic/argument. A detailed discussion of the topic should entail
much relevant information about the different perspectives put forward by other
scholars. Student’s thoughts on the subject based on the general debates in the
literature should be referred to, and clearly stating his/her position about the topic of
the essay.

TUTORIAL (TD) 1
Topic1: Analyze the causes that led to the American Revolution.

1)List the different causes, then write the introduction.

Sample introduction:
The American Revolution began in 1775 as an open conflict between the United Thirteen
Colonies and Great Britain. The causes of the American Revolution include a number of
issues that divided the colonies from England over the course of many years. Tension rose
over taxes levied by a Parliament that lacked colonial representation, increased British
military presence in the colonies, restrictions on some colonial governments, and limits on
westward expansion after the French and Indian War. These specific issues led to a
growing belief among the colonists that their rights as Englishmen were being violated,
and raised their desire to fight for their independence.
2) Accordingly write the body then the concluding paragraph

Topic 2: Discuss the view that critical thinking is more effective than learning by heart
in promoting students’ achievements.
 1) Think of the arguments which favour critical thinking as opposed to those
which disfavour rote learning
2) Write an introduction accordingly.
Sample introduction:
Many people believe that rote learning is important in university education while others
encourage critical thinking in this context. In fact, although rote learning is important for
passing exams in some subjects, the development of critical thinking skills is far more crucial
in succeeding overall within the tertiary education environment. Whereas rote learning
involves memorising information, the central aspect of critical thinking is to ask questions and
to think independently. Critical thinking carries across to all aspects of learning, including
participating actively in the classroom, selecting and reading source material carefully, and
constructing logical arguments in written work. This essay focuses on the importance of
critical thinking over memorizing in university education.
3) Accordingly write the body, then the conclusion
Sample conclusion:
In conclusion, although rote learning is necessary in some situations, it is far more important
to develop critical thinking skills in order to succeed at university level. The skills involved in
thinking critically and analytically can assist students to construct sound arguments and to
assess their reading material in terms of the validity of its content. Whereas memorising
information has limited value in terms of university education, critical thinking is one of the
most crucial aspects of University study.
 LECTURE 2: ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS WITH: ‘JUSTIFY’/
‘DEMONSTRATE’

• Justify/ Demonstrate: Answers have to present the writer’s evidence in a convincing

way, demonstrating suitable reasons for adopting his/her position in order to reach a
balanced argument and demonstrate wide knowledge of the literature. Following a
critical approach, the writer must explain why other possible arguments are
unsatisfactory and why his/her own argument is rather preferable. The difference
between justify and demonstrate is that justify is to provide an acceptable
explanation for while demonstrate is to display the method of using an object.

TUTORIAL (TD) 2

Topic: “critical thinking is more effective than learning by heart in promoting students’
achievements”. Justify

Use the following plan to develop your justification essay

I. Briefly state the claim
      A. Provide an introductory paragraph
      B. State the claim at the end
II. Present and Develop Reasons
      A.  Reason 1 presented and developed
       B.  Reason 2 presented and developed
       C. Reason 3 presented and developed
       D. Further Reasons presented and developed
III. Provide a brief concluding paragraph
Usually each reason is developed in its own paragraph. When a paragraph introduces
a new reason, state the reason directly and then support it with evidence or a chain of
ideas. Along the way, guide the readers with appropriate transitions.
 LECTURE 3: ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS WITH ‘EVALUATE’

• Evaluate: To answer this essay question word, we should provide our opinion
concerning the extent to which an argument or a set of research findings is accurate.
We may also be required to demonstrate the extent to which we agree with a particular
argument. It is essential to provide information on both sides of the debate using
evidence from a wide range of academic sources stating simultaneously one’s position
(for or against) relying on given arguments. A good evaluation will be fact-based,
unbiased and reasonable.
• The key to a good evaluative essay is establishing clear and fair criteria, judgments
and evidence
• Criteria (the plural of criterion) means establishing what the ideal for the product,
place or service should be. It means demonstrating what one should expect as the ideal
outcome, Having clear criteria keeps an evaluation from seeming like an opinion. For
example, if you are evaluating a restaurant, you want to establish the criteria (quality
of food, service, price, cleanliness, etc.) that any good restaurant will adhere to; this
criteria can then be applied to the specific restaurant you are evaluating. 
• The judgment is the establishment of whether or not the criterion is met. In other
words, the judgment is what actually is. Using the example from above, if the first
criterion for evaluating a restaurant is the quality of the food, the judgment states
whether or not the particular restaurant offers food that meets or exceeds this stated
quality.
• The evidence is the details offered to support the judgment. If your judgment is that a
particular restaurant does not consistently offer quality food, you need to support this
with a variety of evidence to show how the judgment was reached. 
• Generally, each body paragraph of an evaluation essay is going to focus on one
specific criterion, which should be fully explained, followed by the judgment and a
variety of evidence offered as support. Because of this, it is important that any
evaluation contains several different criteria, judgments and evidence.

TUTORIAL (TD) 3

Topic: Evaluate the effect of video games on children

Use the following outline to develop your essay

Introduction
Introduce the subject. Write a complete paragraph that introduces the subject.
Write your thesis statement. Establish your thesis statement; this should include the
overall judgement and the supporting reasons.
Body Paragraphs
First Reason
 Criterion One. Provide a topic sentence, along with your judgment of the first
criterion. You will want to use transition words to help you move smoothly from your
thesis to your first reason.
 Support for the first reason. Provide valid supporting information in the form of
quotes, examples, expert testimonials, statistics, comparisons, etc.
 Address any objections and refute them. Every argument is always made stronger
when the writer is able to address objections, or opposing views, and capable of
providing reasons for refuting them.
Second Reason
  Criterion Two. Provide a topic sentence, along with your judgment of the second
criterion. You will want to use transition words to help you move smoothly from your
thesis to your next reason.
 Support for the second reason. Provide valid supporting information in the form of
quotes, examples, expert testimonials, statistics, comparisons, etc.
 Address any objections and refute them. Every argument is always made stronger
when the writer is able to address objections, or opposing views, and capable of
providing reasons for refuting them.
Third Reason
 Criterion Three. Provide a topic sentence, along with your judgement of the third
criterion. You will want to use transition words to help you move smoothly from your
thesis to your third reason.
 Support for the third reason. Provide valid supporting information in the form of
quotes, examples, expert testimonials, statistics, comparisons, etc.
 Address any objections and refute them. The reasons for this are the same as the
abovementioned ones. Never underestimate the need to answer the objections,
otherwise your ideas will be considered weaker and not very well founded.
Conclusion
Restate your thesis statement and the purpose of your essay. Remember to change up
the verbiage used so that you are not simply copying your opening statement. This is
the last section of your work when you may make an impression on your audience.
You will sure want to leave your reader with a strong recommendation.

Sample evaluation essay

Video games are perhaps the most popular and widespread form of entertainment at
present. Companies that develop video games earn billions of dollars and constantly invest
in research aimed to make virtual reality look like reality. Their products become more and
more sophisticated, and they attract a wide audience. However, despite all the joy that
video games can bring to children and teenagers, who are the main target audiences
of game developing companies, actively engaging in video games at such a young age
can produce adverse effects.

The harm video games cause can be evaluated by several criteria, and the most
obvious among them is the negative effects they can have on physical health. Though
the proponents of video gaming claim first-person shooters and real-time strategies
sharpen reflexes, increase concentration, and muscle coordination, in reality, teenagers
who spend an ample amount of time playing games experience effects that are not so
beneficial.

There is a possibility of the loss of sight. Spending hours on a computer or in front of

a TV is one of the main causes of blurred vision among youth. In addition, sacrificing
healthy physical activities in favor of video gaming may become a risk factor for obesity.
Gamers often do not want to interrupt their playing for meals. They eat right in front of the
monitor, and their rations often consist of products that can be easily cooked or eaten
immediately, such as crisps, chocolate bars, crackers, or other fast foods. All this definitely
does not contribute to the proper and healthy development of a young, growing body.

Mental health can also be affected by engaging in video games at a young age. This
suggests addiction and inappropriate behavior. It is a well-known fact that many gamers
(especially fans of online games) suffer from addiction, which is no less serious than
narcomania or alcoholism. For instance, in August 2005, a report surfaced about the
death of a 28-year-old South Korean gamer who had spent 50 hours playing a real-time
strategy game (BBC). For another significant example, one needs to look no further than
July 2012, when a Taiwanese teenager fatally collapsed after a 40-hour game session
(Crawley). Cases like these are quite numerous and happen all around the world. They
make additional arguments to the negative evaluation of video games as an activity which
brings harm to young people.

In its turn, inappropriate behavior can be caused by violence in video

games. According to research, children and teenagers who play violent video games
tend to be more aggressive. They confront their teachers and peers more often and
display a decline in academic achievements. Such psychological deviations also do not
implicate video games as a constructive and useful occupation for young people (Crane).

Individuals who spend excessive hours playing video games may lack the
capability to distinguish between reality from fantasies. Video games often offer
simplified and conditional models of environments, relationships, friendships, and
rivalries. Gamers use these models to learn to interact with the world around them, and
they often lack skills that would be developed by real-life experience instead of the
simulation (Crane). Therefore, it can be implied that another negative effect caused by
video games is the inability of social adaptation on the part of the gamer.

It can be concluded that video games are a form of entertainment which is not suitable
for children and teenagers. This assessment is based on a number of negative
consequences that excessive video gaming causes. Young people who spend an
inexplicable sum of hours playing video games are observed to be prone to sight loss and
obesity. In addition, they tend to be more aggressive than their peers who do not play
video games, and they experience difficulties with social adaptation. Also, video games
can lead to addictions that are no less serious than alcoholism or narcomania, as evidenced
in recent media stories reporting on deaths among inveterate video gamers. This collection
of facts contributes to the negative evaluation of video games as an unwholesome activity
for children and teenagers.

References

Crawley, Dan. “Taiwanese Gamer Dies after 40-hour Diablo III Session.” VentureBeat. 18
July, 2012. Web log post. 26 December, 2012.

“S Korean Dies after Games Session.” BBC News. BBC, 10 August 2005. Web. 15
October, 2012.

Crane, Wendy. “Aggression Caused by Video Game Play.” Wack News. AARC, 10

September, 2013. Web. 16 October, 2012.
 LECTURE 4: ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS WITH ‘TO WHAT EXTENT’

To what extent: This question asks how far you agree with a proposition stated in the
question. It needs a very in-depth assessment of the evidence used to present the writer’s
argument. Such question requires that you display the extent of one’s knowledge on a given
subject and to adopt an analytical style in stating his/her position. But ultimately, one must
show why a particular set of evidence, or piece of information, is more valid for supporting
his/her answer.
The essay answering “To what extent” questions is being examined on your ability to
comprehend the evidence you find and is examining that your conclusion gives a reasonable
response to the evidence given in your essay. You should examine the types of evidence and
show that your evidence gives fair representation of both sides of the argument you have been
asked to write about. Also the evidence that you use must be relevant.

TUTORIAL (TD) 4

Topic: The government's investment in arts, music and theatre is a waste of money.
Governments should invest these funds in public services instead.
To what extent do you agree with this statement?

1) Choose your opinion and generate ideas

In fact, you have 3 major options for your opinion:
  AA: You completely agree (provide 2 ideas that strengthen the statement)
  DD: You completely disagree (provide 2 ideas that weaken the statement)
  AD: You agree or disagree partly (provide 1 idea that strengthens the statement and
1 idea that weakens it)

2) After you’ve decided your opinion, generate 2-3 supporting points for it.

3) Generate supporting points for the opinion you have opted for. Below are examples for the
three opinions :
AA: Investment in arts, music and theatre is a waste of money
o Art, music and theatre don’t help to solve urgent problems of the society
o Art and music can develop as hobbies, and saved money can be directed
towards urgent needs of the society
o If artists and musicians were employed at more traditional jobs, there would be
a great benefit for science and industry
DD: Investment in arts, music and theatre is NOT a waste of money
 The arts and music preserve unique culture and heritage, passing nation’s cultural
character and traditions to future generations
 Arts, music and theatre are an integral part of the society’s cultural and intellectual
development and amusement
 A strong arts, music and theatre sector is an economic asset that creates new jobs and
attracts tourism revenue
AD: Investment in arts is important, but public services should be financed in the
first place
For this opinion, just combine ideas from the previous points.
For our essay, we’ll choose the last opinion - partially agree / disagree (AD).
4) Structure your essay
 Introduction
Body paragraph 1 - the 1st supporting point
Body paragraph 2 - the 2nd supporting point
Conclusion
We’ll use the last option which is partially agree / disagree as our opinion to write the
supporting points of the body
Introduction
Write your introduction in three sentences:
 Sentence 1 - paraphrase the statement (you can use ‘it is argued/considered/thought
that’ to start):
It is often argued that the government should finance public services instead of
spending its budget on arts, music and theatre. 
 Sentence2- Background information
 Sentence 3 - give your opinion in the thesis statement:
Although I agree that government’s investments in public services play a very important
role, I think that proper funding of arts sector is also crucial for the society.
Body paragraph 1 - the 1st supporting point
 Sentence 1 - state the first reason you agree/disagree.
This sentence should contain the main idea of the whole 1st paragraph. In our case we’ll
use the reason A: why it is important to finance public services. As we’ll be considering
opposite opinions, it is a good idea to use a collocation on the one hand to introduce the
first reason:
On the one hand, the government should definitely allocate a large part of its budget on
public services.
 Sentences 2-3 - explain the reason.
To explain the reason effectively, you can imagine that your examiner didn’t understand
what you were talking about and you have to explain every detail:
This economic sector determines the overall quality of life, ensuring that some basic
services, like schools, hospitals and roads, are available to all citizens irrespective of
their income or social status. Public services satisfy the primary needs of the society
and thus need a proper funding, while artists and musicians are not curing diseases or
building houses, so their role is secondary.
 Sentence 4 - example.
It’s always good to give examples in your body paragraphs, even if you’re not asked to
do it (like in our case):
For example, any country can live without music concerts, but absence of medicine will
create significant problems.
 Sentence 5 - a short summary of your ideas in this paragraph:
That’s why the government should adequately finance public services in the first place.
Body paragraph 2 - the 2nd reason you agree/disagree
 Sentence 1 - state the second reason you agree/disagree.
This statement should contain the main idea of the whole 2nd paragraph. This time
we’ll use the reason D: why it is important to finance public services. As we are
considering opposite opinions, it is a good idea to use a phrase on the other hand to
introduce the second reason:
On the other hand, arts, music and theatre are not a waste of money, since they are an
integral part of the society’s cultural and intellectual development and amusement.
 Sentences 2-3 - explain the reason (assume that your examiner doesn’t understand
the topic at all):
 Firstly, art and music draw people’s attention to diverse phenomena and represent the
inward significance of things. Quite often a single drawing, piece or song can exhort
myriads of people to reconsider their attitude towards some situation. This way, art
serves as a major source of nation’s personal and intellectual development. Moreover,
visiting museums, watching movies and listening to music are common ways of
relaxation and entertainment.
 Sentence 4 - support your idea with an example:
The question doesn’t ask us to give examples, plus we’ve already written a lot in this
paragraph, so we’ll skip this point. 
 Sentence 5 - a short summary of your thoughts in the 2nd paragraph.
Thus, art sector is also important for the society and should not be neglected.

Conclusion
You can write the conclusion in one sentence that summarizes your opinion + 2
reasons for it:
To conclude, though I agree that the government should allocate a large part of its
budget on such urgent needs of the society like public services, I think that arts, music
and theatre should also be financed since they play an important role in people’s
development and entertainment.

Reference

IELTS –up https://ielts-up.com/writing/to-what-extent-agree-disagree-essay.html