Task Analysis
How to understand an essay task.
In order to complete an essay task satisfactorily, you need to understand exactly what the task requires. This means understanding each part of the task description (sometimes referred to as a prompt).
Most task descriptions contain the following three types of words:
- Instruction Words: Words or phrases which tell you what to do (describe, examine, discuss, explain, outline, compare, evaluate, etc.).
- Content Words: Words or phrases which indicate what you are required to write about. They give you the subject matter or topic of your essay.
- Limiting Words: Words or phrases which qualify the content words in some way. They restrict what you should write about.
Often a description will start with one or two sentences which describe a particular issue. This is then followed by a further sentence (or two) which gives the actual instruction about what you should write. For example:
The following is a prompt for an essay task. It consists of a two sentence introduction providing some context, and a direction about what to write. Mouse over the direction to highlight the instruction, content, and limiting words and phrases.
Because increasing numbers of tourists are putting pressure on many famous sites around the world, some authorities are requiring tourists to pay for access to these sites. However not everyone can afford to pay for this access.
Identify some of the problems tourists cause and suggest two or three ways in which entrance could be fairly regulated.
“fairly” is the third limiting word. It’s important and it relates to the information in the introduction; “not everyone can afford to pay for this access”. Would it be fair if only the wealthy could afford to pay for access to these places? If not, how could access be allocated? You could also interpret this in terms of fairness to tourists (who, you might argue, have a legitimate right to visit sites of great interest or beauty) and fairness to locals who live there and would like to enjoy some measure of tranquility.
"Identify” is an instruction word. It means to clearly state and perhaps name something or things. In this case you would need to identify some of the problems tourists cause. Other instruction words which might have been used in this case are “enumerate”, “describe”, “discuss”.
“the problems tourists cause” is the first content item. There could be many problems depending on the type of tourist location; noise, litter, cultural insensitivity, damage to local infrastructure or monuments, graffiti, loss of amenities and services important to the locals etc.
"suggest” is the second instruction word. If you don’t make some suggestions about regulating the entry of tourists, then you are only addressing half of the task and would lose marks because of that.
“ways in which entrance could be regulated” is the second content item. You need to suggest methods of limiting (fairly) the numbers tourists who have access to popular sites.
“some” is a limiting word. You don’t need a long list of problems which tourists cause; you just need a few, so pick two or three you think are important.
"two or three” is a limiting phrase. Four is too many. One is not enough. You need two or three suggestions about controlling (fairly) the entry of tourists to popular sites.
The following is a prompt for an essay task. It consists of a two sentence introduction providing some context, and a direction about what to write. Mouse over the direction to highlight the instruction, content, and limiting words and phrases.
Because increasing numbers of tourists are putting pressure on many famous sites around the world, some authorities are requiring tourists to pay for access to these sites. However not everyone can afford to pay for this access.
Identify some of the problems tourists cause and suggest two or three ways in which entrance could be fairly regulated.
"Identify” is an instruction word. It means to clearly state and perhaps name something or things. In this case you would need to identify some of the problems tourists cause. Other instruction words which might have been used in this case are “enumerate”, “describe”, “discuss”.
“the problems tourists cause” is the first content item. There could be many problems depending on the type of tourist location; noise, litter, cultural insensitivity, damage to local infrastructure or monuments, graffiti, loss of amenities and services important to the locals etc.
"suggest” is the second instruction word. If you don’t make some suggestions about regulating the entry of tourists, then you are only addressing half of the task and would lose marks because of that.
“ways in which entrance could be regulated” is the second content item. You need to suggest methods of limiting (fairly) the numbers tourists who have access to popular sites.
“fairly” is the third limiting word. It’s important and it relates to the information in the introduction; “not everyone can afford to pay for this access”. Would it be fair if only the wealthy could afford to pay for access to these places? If not, how could access be allocated? You could also interpret this in terms of fairness to tourists (who, you might argue, have a legitimate right to visit sites of great interest or beauty) and fairness to locals who live there and would like to enjoy some measure of tranquility.
“some” is a limiting word. You don’t need a long list of problems which tourists cause; you just need a few, so pick two or three you think are important.
"two or three” is a limiting phrase. Four is too many. One is not enough. You need two or three suggestions about controlling (fairly) the entry of tourists to popular sites.
The following is a prompt for an essay task. It consists of a two sentence introduction providing some context, and a direction about what to write. Mouse over the direction to highlight the instruction, content, and limiting words and phrases.
Because increasing numbers of tourists are putting pressure on many famous sites around the world, some authorities are requiring tourists to pay for access to these sites. However not everyone can afford to pay for this access.
Identify some of the problems tourists cause and suggest two or three ways in which entrance could be fairly regulated.
"Identify” is an instruction word. It means to clearly state and perhaps name something or things. In this case you would need to identify some of the problems tourists cause. Other instruction words which might have been used in this case are “enumerate”, “describe”, “discuss”.
“the problems tourists cause” is the first content item. There could be many problems depending on the type of tourist location; noise, litter, cultural insensitivity, damage to local infrastructure or monuments, graffiti, loss of amenities and services important to the locals etc.
"suggest” is the second instruction word. If you don’t make some suggestions about regulating the entry of tourists, then you are only addressing half of the task and would lose marks because of that.
“ways in which entrance could be regulated” is the second content item. You need to suggest methods of limiting (fairly) the numbers tourists who have access to popular sites.
“fairly” is the third limiting word. It’s important and it relates to the information in the introduction; “not everyone can afford to pay for this access”. Would it be fair if only the wealthy could afford to pay for access to these places? If not, how could access be allocated? You could also interpret this in terms of fairness to tourists (who, you might argue, have a legitimate right to visit sites of great interest or beauty) and fairness to locals who live there and would like to enjoy some measure of tranquility.
“some” is a limiting word. You don’t need a long list of problems which tourists cause; you just need a few, so pick two or three you think are important.
"two or three” is a limiting phrase. Four is too many. One is not enough. You need two or three suggestions about controlling (fairly) the entry of tourists to popular sites.
The following is a prompt for an essay task. It consists of a two sentence introduction providing some context, and a direction about what to write. Mouse over the direction to highlight the instruction, content, and limiting words and phrases.
Because increasing numbers of tourists are putting pressure on many famous sites around the world, some authorities are requiring tourists to pay for access to these sites. However not everyone can afford to pay for this access.
Identify some of the problems tourists cause and suggest two or three ways in which entrance could be fairly regulated.
"Identify” is an instruction word. It means to clearly state and perhaps name something or things. In this case you would need to identify some of the problems tourists cause. Other instruction words which might have been used in this case are “enumerate”, “describe”, “discuss”.
“the problems tourists cause” is the first content item. There could be many problems depending on the type of tourist location; noise, litter, cultural insensitivity, damage to local infrastructure or monuments, graffiti, loss of amenities and services important to the locals etc.
"suggest” is the second instruction word. If you don’t make some suggestions about regulating the entry of tourists, then you are only addressing half of the task and would lose marks because of that.
“ways in which entrance could be regulated” is the second content item. You need to suggest methods of limiting (fairly) the numbers tourists who have access to popular sites.
“fairly” is the third limiting word. It’s important and it relates to the information in the introduction; “not everyone can afford to pay for this access”. Would it be fair if only the wealthy could afford to pay for access to these places? If not, how could access be allocated? You could also interpret this in terms of fairness to tourists (who, you might argue, have a legitimate right to visit sites of great interest or beauty) and fairness to locals who live there and would like to enjoy some measure of tranquility.
“some” is a limiting word. You don’t need a long list of problems which tourists cause; you just need a few, so pick two or three you think are important.
"two or three” is a limiting phrase. Four is too many. One is not enough. You need two or three suggestions about controlling (fairly) the entry of tourists to popular sites.
The following is a prompt for an essay task. It consists of a two sentence introduction providing some context, and a direction about what to write. Mouse over the direction to highlight the instruction, content, and limiting words and phrases.
Because increasing numbers of tourists are putting pressure on many famous sites around the world, some authorities are requiring tourists to pay for access to these sites. However not everyone can afford to pay for this access.
Identify some of the problems tourists cause and suggest two or three ways in which entrance could be fairly regulated.
"Identify” is an instruction word. It means to clearly state and perhaps name something or things. In this case you would need to identify some of the problems tourists cause. Other instruction words which might have been used in this case are “enumerate”, “describe”, “discuss”.
“the problems tourists cause” is the first content item. There could be many problems depending on the type of tourist location; noise, litter, cultural insensitivity, damage to local infrastructure or monuments, graffiti, loss of amenities and services important to the locals etc.
"suggest” is the second instruction word. If you don’t make some suggestions about regulating the entry of tourists, then you are only addressing half of the task and would lose marks because of that.
“ways in which entrance could be regulated” is the second content item. You need to suggest methods of limiting (fairly) the numbers tourists who have access to popular sites.
“fairly” is the third limiting word. It’s important and it relates to the information in the introduction; “not everyone can afford to pay for this access”. Would it be fair if only the wealthy could afford to pay for access to these places? If not, how could access be allocated? You could also interpret this in terms of fairness to tourists (who, you might argue, have a legitimate right to visit sites of great interest or beauty) and fairness to locals who live there and would like to enjoy some measure of tranquility.
“some” is a limiting word. You don’t need a long list of problems which tourists cause; you just need a few, so pick two or three you think are important.
"two or three” is a limiting phrase. Four is too many. One is not enough. You need two or three suggestions about controlling (fairly) the entry of tourists to popular sites.
In the next example the description and the direction both contain content and limiting words. Drag the bubbles across to show which words or phrases belong in the instruction, content or limiter categories.
students approach their studies.
Information about first limiter
students approach their studies.
Information about first limiter
students approach their studies.
Information about first limiter
students approach their studies.
Information about first limiter
students approach their studies.
Other Task Requirements
The prompt only tells you what you must write about, but there may be other requirements you need to be aware of. For example, your essay or report may need to be formatted in a particular way. Make sure that you check what these requirements are and that you abide by them.
If your task is examination-based, make sure that you abide by any required word count but don't waste time by writing much more than you need to.
Task Assessment
At some point your essay or report will be assessed. It is useful to be aware of how your assignment will be assessed. Usually, the marker or markers will use a rubric and very often this will be made available to you. If it is, use it as a checklist before you submit your work.
For more on rubrics see the understanding rubrics page.
