A topic analysis will help you to clarify and understand what your assessment question is asking you to do.
You should be able to break down the assessment task into three components:
AN EXAMPLE
Imagine your assessment task is as follows:
Discuss one challenge for a midwife in providing care using a person-centred approach in a rural hospital.
Instruction word(s) | Discuss |
Qualifying words & phrases | Rural hospital |
Key concept | Challenges for midwives using person-centred care |
Let's take this further. Before starting to search for journal articles, books or other evidence to support your answer, jot down some key words and phrases to use as search terms. In this example, they might be:
You should also try to identify synonyms (alternative terms) or, sometimes, broader terms to use in your search:
midwives | nurses / health professionals [broader terms] |
person-centred care | client-centred care / patient-centred care [synonyms] |
rural | country / regional / remote [synonyms] |
If you are confused or unsure about the assessment topic, check with your lecturer or tutor.
Dictionaries and encyclopaedias can help you to find additional keywords and get an overview of the concept. At this stage of your studies, head for subject-specific dictionaries in Primo search. Here are some examples:
Charles Sturt University acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which its campuses are located, paying respect to Elders, both past and present, and extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples.
Charles Sturt University is an Australian University, TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018. CRICOS Provider: 00005F.