Preparing for Success

Analyse your essay question to identify key concepts (keywords) for your topic:

• What is the overall topic the task is asking you to address? (Identify keywords that describe the main ideas in the topic)
• What specific sub-topic within that bigger topic do I need to focus on? (Identify narrower terms or terms related to your specific focus)
• Add to the list of keywords with alternative keywords, synonyms, related words.
• More information on analysing topics from the Academic Skills quick guide: Analysing assignment tasks .

Credo reference - is a collection of dictionaries and encyclopedias.

Search your concepts to understand your topic better and use the mind map feature to locate related topics and keywords.

Write down the keywords and alternative keywords - use them in different combinations in your searches  

1. A step-by-step guide to planning & putting assignments together

2. Analysing assignment tasks

3. Organising information for your assignments