Think about the structure suggested by different kinds of questions. How would you approach each of these?
Simple proposition/question
- ‘Marriage does not provide a satisfying conclusion in Cervantes’s novelas.’ Discuss.
Proposition/question implying two possibilities
- ‘Time in Cien años de soledad is not linear, but circular.’ Discuss.
- Does the verisimilitude of the characters or the setting enhance or detract from the overall dramatic effect of a literary work?
No proposition; single idea
- Discuss the social impact of Russian industrialization strategies.
- Discuss the treatment of power in texts by TWO OR MORE authors.
No proposition; more than one idea
- Discuss the relationship between fantasy and memory in Martín Gaite’s El cuarto de atrás.
- Discuss the significance of the links between TWO of the following with reference to TWO OR MORE authors: (i) identity; (ii) space; (iii) honour; (iv) gender.
Consider:
How can you construct an argument if one is not implied by the question?
How can you make sure that you are really answering the question?