If you randomly ask ten people to define what water is or describe what is water, what do you think their responses and definitions would be? Well, their immediate reaction would be that they know what water is and they might think that you are crazy to ask such a silly question.

Undoubtedly everyone knows what water is and everyone uses water massively in every single day of their life and we all utilize water for various purposes, but still how can someone be able to define terms scientifically and express knowledge academically?

Now let’s get back to my question what water is and how can we define water academically?

Every time I receive a student or a small group of students at the LSC, I ask them this simple question and rarely students can put words together nicely and academically, but certainly they all tell me they know what water is but never thought of a way to answer questions like that academically. I don’t want my students to tell me scientific facts about water and what the chemical structure of water is and what kind of reactions water can induce or bla bla bla bla.

I ask them to give me a simple definition of water as if someone who has never seen water or heard of water would understand from their description of what water is.

Sounds crazy but reasoanable and logical.

Now my point is: How can we assist students to be able to define and describe items and concepts confidently and beautifully?

I have this approach which works most of the time and it can be summarized into two lists, the list of W and the list of S.

W: What, Where, Which, When and How

S: Site, Size, Shape, Surface, Structure and Functions

Students to choose items from the list as appropriate.

Now let’s get back to my first question, what is water? Let’s use the lists of W and S:

·         Water is a chemical substance/compound: What

·         Water can be found everywhere: Where

·         Water is found in large amounts in certain places such as seas and oceans: Size

·         Water is used by everyone: Who

·         Site: location: where: everywhere

·         H2O: Structure

·         Water is used for a lot of reasons: Functions

·         Water is a liquid: Structure, Surface, Status

·         Water ha no shape: Shape

Now let’s put the phrases together nicely:

Water is a chemical substance that is found abundantly in nature and is widely used by all living organisms to maintain a variety of essential functions. Chemically it is symbolised as H2O and it is characterized by a number of distinctive properties being colourless, odourless and tasteless. Water, under room temperature, is found in a liquid status and therefore it takes the shape of its container. Water is vaporized when boiled and will be converted into steam and gaseous status ……..more can be mentioned using the lists.

Many students tell me that they feel more confident now and have done better at the exam.

I believe it works especially for undergraduate students.

What do you think?
The above description is my own definition of water using some items from the W and S lists:

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