Command Words
What each verb in an FSP problem asks you to do
Every part of an FSP problem starts with a command word in bold, for example Determine, Show or Explain. The word tells you how much you have to write down to get the points. The table below is Appendix A of the Studienkolleg Hamburg exam, the same table that is printed at the end of the FSP and of our mock exams.
TipAppendix A: Terms used in phrasing of problems
| Verb | Task |
|---|---|
| name, state, give | A reasoning does not have to be given unless explicitly demanded. |
| decide | A reasoning does not have to be given unless explicitly demanded. |
| assess | The judgment provided needs to be explained. |
| describe, characterize | A description requires suitable wording and usage of technical terminology. A reasoning does not have to be provided. |
| explain, illustrate | The explanation provides information which allows to comprehend a graphical depiction or a mathematical procedure. |
| interpret, construe | An interpretation establishes a relation between e.g. a graphical depiction, a term or the result of a calculation and the provided context. |
| substantiate, reason, prove, show | Statements and issues are to be confirmed by logical induction. The method can be freely chosen unless stated otherwise. The chosen method needs to be explained. |
| evaluate, calculate, compute, verify | The computation needs to be illustrated starting from an ansatz. |
| determine, identify | The method can be freely chosen unless stated otherwise. The chosen method needs to be explained. |
| investigate | The method can be freely chosen unless stated otherwise. The chosen method needs to be explained. |
| graph, plot | All diagrams and plots have to be drawn accurately with care. |
| sketch | The sketch needs to contain all essential pieces of information. |