Analyse Questions

Step 1: The Point: Identify a business fact or concept that addresses the question directly. This establishes your 'Knowledge'.

Step 2: The Context: Embed your point within the specific business scenario. Using names, specific market conditions, or product types moves the answer from generic to applied.

Step 3: The Impact Chain: Develop multiple steps of reasoning. If an action is 'outsourcing production', Step 1 is 'lower labor costs', Step 2 is 'reduced total expenditure', and Step 3 is 'increased profit margins'.

Decision Criteria: Select connectives that show progression. Avoid listing separate points; instead, integrate them into a single, cohesive argument.

Analyse vs. Explain: 'Explain' typically requires a simple 1-2 step understanding, while 'analyse' requires a much deeper 3-5 step exploration of consequences.

Analyse vs. Evaluate: 'Analyse' focuses on tracing the logical path of an action. 'Evaluate' goes further by requiring a final judgment or comparison of different analytical paths.

Target Level 3: To achieve top-tier marks (e.g., 5-6 marks), your answer MUST be contextualized. A theoretically perfect but generic answer will usually be capped at a lower level.

The 'So What?' Test: For every point made, ask 'so what?'. If you cannot provide another consequence, your analysis is likely too shallow.

Avoid Conclusion Jumping: Don't skip directly to 'higher profits'. Show the operational changes (e.g., efficiency, customer retention) that lead to those profits.

The 'Generic' Trap: Providing 'textbook' answers that don't refer to the provided business. This limits marks to Level 1 or 2.

Wasting Time on Conclusions: In 'Analyse' questions, there are no marks for judgments or recommendations. Every sentence should contribute to the reasoning chain instead.

Listing vs. Developing: Providing five short 'explain' points is less valuable than providing one or two deeply analysed points.