Academic Terms & Definitions – Student Glossary for University Success

This glossary includes essential academic terms often used in assignment briefs, learning outcomes, and assessment criteria. Understanding these words will help you answer questions more effectively and meet tutor expectations.

 Common Assignment Command Words

• Account for: Explain why something happens; give reasons.
• Analyse: Break down into parts and examine relationships.
• Apply: Put theory into practical context.
• Argue: Provide reasons or evidence in support of a theory.
• Assess: Judge the value or importance using evidence.
• Balance: Present pros and cons or contrasting viewpoints.
• Clarify: Make the meaning plain and remove confusion.
• Comment on: Identify key issues and respond with analysis.
• Compare: Highlight similarities and relevance.
• Contrast: Highlight differences and their significance.
• Contextualise: Show something in its wider situation.
• Criticise: Evaluate using arguments for and against with evidence.
• Define: Provide an exact meaning with potential limitations.
• Demonstrate: Provide proof or evidence for a claim.
• Describe: Outline key features or events.
• Determine: Find or calculate a specific result.
• Discuss: Explore key aspects with arguments and implications.
• Distinguish: Highlight clear differences between things.
• Estimate: Predict or calculate an approximate value.
• Evaluate: Assess usefulness or value with pros and cons.
• Evidence: Provide justification or proof, including from reflection.
• Examine: Study something in detail and evaluate critically.
• Exemplify: Provide examples as illustration.
• Explain: Make something understandable or clear.
• Identify: Point out and verify a fact or problem.
• Illustrate: Make clear with examples or visuals.
• Interpret: Explain the meaning or significance of data.
• Justify: Show valid reasons for an idea or decision.
• Outline: Present the main structure or summary points.
• Prove: Provide strong evidence to show truth.
• Relate: Connect or show similarities between items.
• Review: Survey and evaluate thoroughly.
• State: Clearly present key information or points.
• Summarise: Present main points without detail.
• Synthesise: Combine ideas into a coherent whole.
• To what extent: Consider how much something is true, valid, or effective.
• Trace: Outline stages of a process or event in order.

 University Learning Outcome Terms

• Analysis: Breaking down concepts into core parts.
• Application: Showing how theory works in practice.
• Communication: Sharing ideas clearly in writing, speech, or visual form.
• Enquiry: Investigating or researching independently.
• Knowledge: Understanding concepts, theories, or facts.
• Learning: Acquiring new skills or understanding through study or experience.
• Problem Solving: Finding practical or theoretical solutions to issues.
• Reflection: Thinking deeply about your experiences and learning from them.
• Understanding: Demonstrating meaning, significance, and connections.

Tip: Always match your writing with the assignment command. If you're asked to evaluate — don’t just describe. Use evidence and weigh both sides.

Critical Thinking Skills – Academic Success Guide 2025