Science Paper COMMAND words

When you are asked to ..................... something, only a formal or equivalent paraphrase is required

................. implies a concise answer with little or no supporting arguments

What requires a number of points, generally each of one word, with no elaboration. Where a given number of

points is specified this should not be exceeded.

• Deduce

• List

• Predict

• Sketch

What may imply reasoning or some reference to theory, depending on the context? It is another way of

asking candidates to give reasons. The candidate needs to leave the examiner in no doubt why something

happens.

• Determine

• Estimate

• Explaine

• Describe

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which is the command word that....?

............requires the candidate to state in words (using diagrams where appropriate) the main points.

• Describe

• List

• Find

• State

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Which is the command word that....?

.......... requires the candidate to give a critical account of the points involved.

• Determine

• Calculate

• List

• Discuss

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-4

Which is the command word that.....?

................implies brevity (i.e. restricting the answer to giving essentials).

• Deduce

• Explaine

• Describe

• Outline

................... implies that the candidate is expected to make a prediction not by recall but by making a logical

connection between other pieces of information.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Which is the command word that.....?

.... implies that the candidate is not expected to produce the required answer by recall but by making a

logical connection between other pieces of information.

• Estimate

• List

• Deduce

• Calculate

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

............................... is used in two main contexts, i.e. either to imply that there is no unique answer, or to imply that candidates are expected to apply their general knowledge of the subject to a ‘novel’

situation, one that may be formally ‘not in the syllabus’ – many data response and problem-solving questions

are of this type.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ETS1-1

NGSS.HS-ETS1-2

NGSS.HS-ETS1-3