Action Words:

Even the best students get stumped by assignment directions, but it helps to know what key action words actually mean.  For example, discuss, explain, identify, define, describe are among a distinguished list of critical action words – the keys to great results.  Understanding what each means before embarking on completing an assignment can pave the way for a great experience and an even better grade.  First, notice the direction words in an assignment, then outline them in a way so that all the details are addressed.  You may want to create an outline or a checklist in the order of the assignment expectations and rubric.  This way, you’re certain you’ve addressed all the critical expectations.  Keep in mind that there is sometimes more than one action word in an assignment, and each needs to be addressed.  Here is a list of directions words and their meaning:

.  Keep this list handy and enjoy getting those top grades.   Here they are:

Analyze: Provide details how various aspects of something work together or affect one another.

Apply:  Use details you already have to demonstrate how they work in a particular situation, idea, theory, or a concept.

Argue:  Apply evidence to support your view, idea, contention for something.

Assess:  State your, or someone else’s, opinion and how it aligns with another.

Comment on: State your opinion, stance, observation of something, a topic, an approach, a rebuttal.

Compare: Provide similarities of two or more items, concepts, or ideas.

Compare and contrast: Provide similarities and differences between two or more items, concepts or ideas.

• Contrast: Provide difference(s) in two or more items, concepts or ideas.
• Criticize/Critique: Provide good and bad points about something, areas for improvement.
• Define: Provide what something means and/or does; can be extended.
• Describe: Provide the qualities and characteristics of items, concepts, or ideas. 
• Develop: Create meaning from separate parts or processes in elaborate detail.   
• Diagram: Design, draw, or sketch something and label its parts.
• Discuss: Provide details, explanations, and maybe alternate views about items, concepts or ideas.
• Enumerate: Provide details in a way that it is in an outline form with points provided for each entry.
• Explain: Provide detail to further knowledge and understanding of an item, concept, or idea.
• Evaluate:  Give opinion about the value of something, the good and bad points; what works and what doesn’t work; strengths and weaknesses.
• Examine:  Look closely at, and articulate, details.
• Explore:  To examine completely, and consider other viewpoints, options, alternative courses of action.
• Illustrate:  Describe in visual detail, draw, sketch, create a diagram or picture to clarify or explain something.
• Interpret:  Express in understandable terms a complex idea; explain the complex results or effects of something in more simplified detail.
• Justify(prove):  Provide reasons for decision(s) or actions; may benefit from evidence.
• Outline: Provide the main points or ideas, normally without going into detail.
• Prove:  Show that something is true through evidence, logical reasoning, or providing undeniable facts.
• Relate:  Connect concepts, ideas, situations, objects to one another, often in a way that creates enhanced meaning.
• Reflect: Provide your personal view, feelings, experiences on a concept or idea.
• State:  Provide main points, facts, briefly, and clearly.
• Summarize: Provide an overview to include main points, outcomes, and essential information.
• State: Express briefly and clearly. 
• Synthesize: Combine facts, views, ideas from different sources that address a particular topic. 
• To what extent: Considerations about how something reaches for or contributes to a final outcome, or doesn’t.
• Trace:  Articulate an order, a sequence, or process of how something occurred or may have occurred.

Understanding Assignments:

1. Identify the action/direction words and what they’re asking you to do.
2. Identify the artifacts involved in the assignment (reading(s), evidence, course materials, etc.).
3. Create a checklist of action words associated with the artifacts.
4. Outline the task words and artifacts.
5. Copy and paste the outline onto a preformatted paper (or template) that aligns with format specifications.
6. If permitted, create headings from the outline in declarative, not question, form.

Sample Assignment:

Review the Smith & Smith (2025) article concerning the feminist movement, various social justice movements (e.g. racial equality), and the gender, LBGTQ + movements. Write a 3-5 page paper synthesizing both the common typology between these social justice, equality, and inclusion issues. Discuss the different components of social justice movements. In your paper you should analyze salient materials from sources outside of the required textbooks and required readings.

Rubric:

The paper reviews the assigned social movements.

      The paper discusses and analyzes the reasons for the varying pace of these    

       movements over time.

The paper analyzes salient materials from sources outside of the required textbooks.

(Abilene Christian University, 2025)

Possible Assignment Outline

Title:  How Social Justice Movements Learn From the Past

MFTO 639.W6

1. Social Movements: Synthesis
   • Common Topology
     • Justice
       • Feminist
       • Racial inequality
       • Gender
     • Equality
       • Feminist
       • Racial inequality
       • Gender
     • Inclusion
       • Feminist
       • Racial inequality
       • Gender
2. Discussion
   • Components of Social Justice over time
   • Analysis of Readings/Research

In closing, paying attention to action/direction words and outlining the assignment expectations along with the rubric details is time well spent.  While it takes a bit more time on the front end, the effort saved during revision and re-writes is invaluable.

At any time during the writing process, even during the assignment concept stage, the writing center can help coach you along for great success!

(Dr. Ingrid Bradley is a full time Purdue Global instructor in English and Rhetoric Multidisciplinary department.  She focuses on English Pedagogy with an emphasis on online writing centers and technical/scientific/professional writing instruction).

Reference

Abilene Christian University Online. (2025). MFTO 639.W6. How social justice movements 

learn from the past. W7 Assignment 2: How Social Justice Movements Learn from the Past