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Command Words – Analyse

Watch this to understand ‘analyse’ questions for Higher PE (and how to solve a rubik’s cube)

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As a kid I spent a lot of time trying to work out how to solve a Rubik’s cube. I spent far too long just randomly twisting and hoping…and getting nowhere.

It was not until I started to carefully observe how different actions had different outcomes that I made some progress. By analyzing how things linked together, and how effective different approaches were, I began to make positive steps. Firstly, getting a cross of the same colour, then completing one full side, and so on.

Analysis required me to use close observation and understanding to make some value judgements on how to solve it.

Well, you need to do the same in Higher PE. Analysing performance and then communicating it in writing is a skill you need to master.

So let’s analyse what you need to do.

This is think four.

When we are answering analyse questions it is important to go beyond simple explanation and provide more detail. Show the breakdown by showing continuous impact and reasoning.

Use language such as This leads to…. This meant…this indicates that.

Keep asking yourself why? And so what? Your job in analysis is to connect explanation with observation – to show why something happened using well-informed reasoning and good judgement.

Be prepared to answer using a variety of sub factors across factors. Understanding performance requires you to demonstrate how different aspects link together.

Let’s look at an example of analysing methodology to gather information on performance levels.

An answer might read:

It is important that you carry out the bleep test on a flat, dry surface. This is an important part of the process. This is because if you did this test on an incline it would increase the work required and lead to your legs tiring at a quicker rate, meaning that you may drop out earlier than normal. This could lead to an inaccurate measure of CRE due to the increased emphasis on muscular endurance. This would risk making the results invalid.

This response clearly analyses a line of causation. It shows the impacts of actions and decisions, explaining as well as drawing out deeper connectivity.

Looking at analyzing across different contexts is also important to know how to answer these types of questions .

Let’s look at an example from football.

Failing to control my fear negatively impacted my performance when taking a penalty in the shootout of a recent cup final. This meant that as I waited for the whistle to blow my muscles started to tense up which meant that as I took my striking leg back, its movement was rigid and slow which meant I did not generate any power in my strike and the goalkeeper saved it.

Again, we see the connectivity being analysed. Psychological factors leading to physical effects, both of which ultimately impacting on performance.

Good analysis will allow you to show you really understand the controls. Like the football commentators at half time, they analyse the team structure and decision-making to show how they are impacting the flow of the game.

I very nearly gave up on that Rubik’s cube a lot of times when I was younger.

It was hard and, at times, felt like I was getting nowhere.

Only when I started to really focus, to connect actions with outcomes, and to use my reasoning to better understand, did I finally complete it.

I just hope you are quicker sorting out analysis in Higher PE than I was at solving a Rubik’s cube!

This was thinkfour; thanks for watching.