Skip to Main Content
University of York Library
Library Subject Guides

Study & revision: a Practical Guide

Short-answer question exams

Feedback
X

Short-answer question exams

Many exams include ‘short-answer questions’. As the name implies, these questions require a short written answer ranging from a sentence to a couple of paragraphs. The main aim of such questions is to check your knowledge and understanding. You might typically be asked to briefly explain what something is, and/or to do some limited evaluation and analysis. 

Revising: Practice questions

When preparing and revising for short-answer questions, practice questions beforehand. You can do this in the following ways:

Past papers 

  • Find and complete past papers if they are available. These will provide insight into common question types you might get. 
  • You might find past papers in your module's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) or in YorSearch. If you can't find what you're after, ask your module tutor. 

Examiner reports

  • Try to find examiners’ reports from previous years’ exams to see what areas students excelled in or struggled with.
  • Examiner reports may be on the module VLE. If not, ask your module tutor or academic supervisor. 

Create your own questions

  • Try to create your own exam questions and answer them.
  • This not only tests your knowledge but also familiarises yourself with exam formats.

How much to write?

Understanding the depth of your answer for short answer questions hinges on two key aspects: the mark value of the question and the instruction words used...

How many marks is it worth?

The number of marks allocated to the question indicates the expected detail and answer length. So...

  • a 4-mark question may require you to elaborate on one or two points;
  • a 10-mark question requires considerably more elaboration and may require you to cover more points.

Instruction words

Instruction words found in the question also help to indicate the detail required.

  • Words like 'describe' or 'discuss' signal the need for detailed answers in complete sentences.
  • Words like 'list' or 'outline' suggests that you only need to give brief responses that are concisely presented.

Example questions

4-mark example:
Outline the causes of the French Revolution.

  • In response to this question, you might briefly mention the financial crisis and social inequalities.

10-mark example:
Discuss the impact of World War II on global politics.

  • This question would require a deeper exploration of, say, the formation of the United Nations, the start of the Cold War, and shifts in colonial powers, among other impacts.

Forthcoming training sessions

Forthcoming sessions on :

Taught students
Staff
Researchers
Show details & booking for these sessions

There's more training events at:

Types of short-answer questions

Memory questions

Memory questions ask you to present knowledge. They assess your ability to describe or define concepts with accuracy. You'll therefore need to give a concise yet informative response.

These types of questions often contain instruction words such as:

  • Define
  • Describe
  • Identify
  • Outline
  • List
  • Name
  • Provide
  • State

Analytical questions

These types of questions require you to be able to apply concepts to scenarios or to solve problems.

You can’t memorise these answers — they require explanations, comparisons, justifications, or analysis of relationships between ideas, highlighting the need for critical thinking and understanding beyond memorisation.

Look for instruction words, such as:

  • Account for…
  • Consider 
  • Compare
  • Discuss
  • Distinguish
  • Explain (why)
  • Give reasons for…
  • Justify

Example question

Question:
Outline the diversity and classification of marine mammals found in Australian waters.

  • Instruction words: ‘Outline’
  • Main topic: Focus on ‘diversity and classification’ within ‘Australian waters’.
  • Limiting terms: Answers must solely discuss 'marine mammals' found in ‘Australian waters’.
  • Scope of answer: Include only 'marine mammals' local to ‘Australian waters’; avoid mentioning species found in other regions; avoid discussing non-marine mammals.
  • Precision in response: Ensure the answer strictly adheres to the outlined diversity and classification, respecting the geographical and contextual limits set by the question.


Decoding the question


When reading an exam question, ask yourself:

  1. What part of your course does the content relate to?
  2. How are you being asked to present your knowledge?
    • Pay attention to those Instruction words – the verbs that tell you what to do and whether the question focuses on memory or analysis.
  3. What is your focus or scope?
    • Many questions ask you to focus your answer on a specific element of the information.
  4. How many marks is the question worth?

For more information on how to understand exam questions, see our page 'Understanding Exam Questions'.