Two of your three assessment types in this course — and a big slice of every examination — are data interpretation and short-answer questions. They reward a method, not just knowledge. This guide gives you that method so you stop losing easy marks.
Read the directive verb first
Every question is built around a directive verb that tells you exactly what to do. Match your answer to it:
| Verb | What the marker wants |
|---|---|
| State / Identify | A single fact or figure. One line. Don't explain. |
| Define | The precise meaning of a term. One or two sentences. |
| Calculate | Show the formula, substitute the numbers, give the answer with units. |
| Describe | The main features or the trend — what it looks like, no causes. |
| Explain | Cause and effect — why or how. Link your points with "because", "therefore", "which leads to". |
| Analyse | Break it into parts and show the relationships between them. |
| Evaluate / Discuss | Both sides, then a supported judgement. |
The mark-allocation rule
The marks tell you how much to write. Treat each mark as roughly one distinct point or one step of reasoning.
- 1–2 marks: a fact, a definition, or one cause-and-effect link.
- 3–4 marks: two to three linked points, usually with a reason and a consequence.
- 5–6 marks: a developed chain of reasoning, ideally with a diagram and/or data reference.
Reading a data set
When a table, graph or stimulus appears, work through it deliberately:
- Title and axes — what is being measured, in what units, over what period?
- Trend — is it rising, falling, steady, or volatile? Over what time frame?
- Turning points — where does the direction change, and roughly when?
- Magnitude — quote actual figures. "Exports rose from $X to $Y" beats "exports rose".
A worked short-answer
Quick self-check before you move on
- Did I answer the verb that was actually used?
- Did I make roughly one point per mark?
- For data questions, did I quote a figure and name the trend?
- Where useful, did I include a labelled diagram?