Critical reading: Learning how to analyse the assigned task

In the blog this week, we are going to evaluate the importance of developing an ability to analyse assigned tasks to identify the key components that need to be addressed for a successful response. Moreover, this will then improve the chance of being able to narrow down the research for appropriate texts that will save time and reduce possible frustration leading to stress.

Analysing the assigned task and identifying research issues

Educators frequently comment that students often start to drift off addressing the assigned task from the outset by not spending time to carefully analysing the full response requirements. Moreover, while some texts may be assigned or recommended, analysing the task inevitably raises questions that need to be researched as an initial overview of the topic. This is particularly important where the subject is unfamiliar. The example below relates to an essay question that has been selected due to being a general rather than specialist issue.

Question:

In order to reduce increasing levels of crime, governments must take action to minimise socio-economic inequality in society. Discuss.

Identifying key assumptions in essay questions

An assumption is something that is generally accepted as true without necessarily requiring concrete evidence. Indeed, even researched arguments or positions can include underlying assumptions by authors, particularly those built around deeply held cultural perspectives. Therefore, where possible, these positions need to be identified in any response to a task. Examples of possible underlying assumptions included in the assigned essay question first listed above are illustrated below.

More detailed potential assumptions based on the essay question are listed below.

	Assumptions	Possible responses and lines of argument
1	Crime is increasing	What evidence is available that crime is increasing? Is crime increasing in all countries?
2	Government is the key actor in relation to reducing socio-economic inequality which leads to a reduction in crime	Are governments the main actor in relation to crime, socio-economic factors, and levels of inequality? Can or must governments be forced into action? Is there any research evidence which shows that a government has taken action to reduce socio-economic inequality, but where certain crimes did not decline, or even increased?
3	Government action is desirable and acceptable	Can governments increase or decrease crimes by legislation? Are governments able to address socio-economic issues in the global financial market? Are there differences between developing and developed countries? Are there any political and economic theories that argue against government action?
	Government can, in some way, be compelled to act	Can or must governments be forced into action? Contrast must, should, and could in terms of developing an argument. The variation of these modal verbs can indicate a possible conclusion.
4	There is some relationship between socio-economic factors and crime	Do all crimes relate to socio-economic factors? For example, political, personal, and religious inspired crimes. Government may have little influence over these crimes. What evidence exists in societies of either a correlation or causal link between crime and socio-economic factors?
	Crimes tend to be committed by people experiencing socio-economic difficulties	What is the evidence that crime is related to socio-economic disadvantage? Is there evidence of a relationship to certain crimes? What evidence is available of crime committed by the middle class or rich?

	Definitions required
1	crime	Different societies have contrasting definitions of crime. All crimes or specific crimes?
2	action	What action? Policy, financial, or legal?
3	minimise	Is there any statistical evidence of a level of inequality that society appears to tolerate and does not trigger crime?
4	socio-economic inequality	What specific criteria of inequality? Poverty, the wealth gap, or access to benefits such as housing, health, employment, or education?
5	society	Which society? Could the essay narrow down society to specific sub-groups by ethnicity, gender, age, or class?

Therefore, a careful analysis of the key components of an assignment task is an essential initial step leading to a thoughtful researched selection of appropriate texts prior to our evaluation of how to read such texts critically.

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Question 1

How might an ability to analyse a question help identify background reading?

Question 2

Why is it important to identify assumptions in an assigned task?

Question 3

What are the key differences between informal and academic texts?

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We shall explore Question 3 in the next blog in this series.