The BOSTES key word explain is used frequently throughout the HSC PDHPE syllabus (though mostly in the outcomes not the learn tos) and in examinations. The BOSTES glossary of key words defines explain as follows:
Relate cause and effect; make the relationship between things evident; provide why and/or how.
That is it wants you to show how or why one thing produces another. This could be how training improves performance, or why fatigue occurs in an energy system. It might be explaining how anxiety affects performance or why aged people with medical conditions have limited sport choices. Regardless, you need to clearly show cause and effect.
The key word explain is similar to account:
Account for: state reasons for, report on. Give an account of: narrate a series of events or transactions
This is particularly the case when asked to account for something, requiring you to provide reasons for why or how something happens or occurs.
Questions that use the key word explain will often say “explain how…” or “explain why…” but this is not always the case. You may need to use the context of the question to decide if it is a how or why or both.
When answering a question with the key word explain you need to use causal connective and/or conjunctions. These include words such as: so, consequently, in that case, because, therefore, so as, as a result of, as a consequence of, an effect of, etc. Markers will look for these terms when marking a question that uses the key word explain, and your use of them will help you to answer the question properly.
Other terms you may choose to use in answering an explain question are: creates, produces, causes, initiates, shapes, is influenced by, leads to, springs from, results in, etc.
A great way to plan an extended response which uses explain is to use arrows, where one thing leads to another, or causes another as you follow the arrows. This helps you to ensure your answer is showing cause and effect, and not just describing or analysing.
The key word explain also relates to the key word analyse (for details see the article here). A scaffold for answering explain questions can also be accessed by clicking the link Key Word Explain scaffold.
Explain occurs in the HSC PDHPE syllabus at the following location:
