Factual vs. Inferential Question
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Common mistake
A common mistake students make in answering factual questions is to answer them as an inferential one, i.e. they tend to summarise details or give a general idea instead of lifting a specific answer from the text. [This usually happens because the answer is a straightforward one that you recall after reading the question.]
Another mistake is not rephrasing the answer to address the question (refer to Q4 of the 2004 paper where the exact phrase from the text is a "when" phrase whereas the question requires a "what" answer).
Tip
To avoid the above mistakes, read the question carefully, underline important words then zero in on the part of the passage containing the important words (or their synonyms).
Look at the sentence containing the important words (or the sentence before and after it), and look for your answer. Only if you are unable to spot the answer in the given paragraph, can you answer the question as an inferential one.
NOTE #1: DO NOT copy blindly. The examiner will deny you the marks even if the answer is within the chunk you have copied (excess denied).
NOTE #2: Check the use of tense in the question. Your answer must follow the tense used in the question.
