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Home > Learning Tools > A Glossary of NESA Key Words
A Glossary of NESA Key Words

This glossary contains key words that appear frequently in New South Wales Education Standards Authority's (NESA, formerly BOS) syllabi, performance descriptions and examinations.

The glossary is designed to promote student achievement by familiarising learners with certain key words used in assessment and examination questions across the different subject areas.


GLOSSARY

Account - Account for: state reasons for, report on. Give an account of: narrate a series of events or transactions

Analyse - Identify components and the relationship between them; draw out and relate implications

Apply - Use, utilise, employ in a particular situation

Appreciate - Make a judgement about the value of

Assess - Make a judgement of value, quality, outcomes, results or size

Calculate - Ascertain/determine from given facts, figures or information

Clarify - Make clear or plain

Classify - Arrange or include in classes/categories

Compare - Show how things are similar or different

Construct - Make; build; put together items or arguments

Contrast - Show how things are different or opposite

Critically (analyse/evaluate) - Add a degree or level of accuracy depth, knowledge and understanding, logic, questioning, reflection and quality to (analyse/evaluate). See ALARM

Deduce - Draw conclusions

Define - State meaning and identify essential qualities

Demonstrate - Show by example

Describe - Provide characteristics and features

Discuss - Identify issues and provide points for and/or against

Distinguish - Recognise or note/indicate as being distinct or different from; to note differences between

Evaluate - Make a judgement based on criteria; determine the value of.  See PMI and Critical Thinking

Examine - Inquire into

Explain - Relate cause and effect; make the relationships between things evident; provide why and/or how

Extract - Choose relevant and/or appropriate details

Extrapolate - Infer from what is known

Identify - Recognise and name

Interpret - Draw meaning from

Investigate - Plan, inquire into and draw conclusions about

Justify - Support an argument or conclusion

Outline - Sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of

Predict - Suggest what may happen based on available information

Propose - Put forward (for example a point of view, idea, argument, suggestion) for consideration or action

Recall - Present remembered ideas, facts or experiences

Recommend - Provide reasons in favour

Recount - Retell a series of events

Summarise - Express, concisely, the relevant details

Synthesise - Putting together various elements to make a whole

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References

NESA (2017). A Glossary of Key Words (HSC). New South Wales Education Standards Authority. Available at: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/glossary_keywords.html



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