Understanding Key Analytical Terms

To examine something in detail in order to understand it

• Analyze

• Explain

• Illustrate

• Compare/Contrast

To make something clear by using description, relevant facts,

or ideas

• Illustrate

• Explain

• Compare/Contrast

• Interpret

To make something more clear or visible

• Compare/Contrast

• Interpret

• Illustrate

• Summarize

Compare means to note the similarities and/or dissimilarities

between things. Contrast means to only note the dissimilarities

between things.

• Summarize

• Demonstrate

• Compare/Contrast

• Interpret

To explain the meaning of something; to present something in

understandable terms

• Summarize

• Demonstrate

• Indicate

• Interpret

To briefly share the main points of something

• Summarize

• Demonstrate

• Indicate

• Infer

To show; to explain something in clear terms

• Describe

• Demonstrate

• Indicate

• Infer

To point out; to show

• Infer

• Describe

• Indicate

• Support

To figure something out by using evidence and reasoning;

“reading between the lines”

• Describe

• Support

• Define

• Infer

To note details about something

• Describe

• Support

• Define

• Convey