Assignments usually ask you to demonstrate that you have
immersed yourself in the course material and that you've done
some thinking on your own; questions not treated at length in
class often serve as assignments. Fortunately, if you've put the
time into getting to know the material, then you've almost
certainly begun thinking independently. In responding to
assignments, keep in mind the following advice. Understanding
some key words commonly used in assignments also may simplify
your task. Toward this end, let's take a look at two seemingly
impenetrable instructions: "discuss" and "analyze." 1. Discuss
the role of gender in bringing about the French Revolution.
"Discuss" is easy to misunderstand because the word calls to
mind the oral/spoken dimension of communication. "Discuss"
suggests conversation, which often is casual and undirected. In
the context of an assignment, however, discussion entails
fulfilling a defined and organized task: to construct an
argument that considers and responds to an ample rang