This glossary can help you prepare for the IELTS writing tasks related to the tertiary education.
abroad
noun
Foreign countries considered collectively.
Example: It compares the percentages of females and males, and also students from abroad.
academic provision
noun phrase
Providing knowledge; instructive or informative.
Example: The table shows the change in attitude, over ten years, of students at McGill University to different aspects of its academic provision.
aspects
noun
A particular part or feature of something.
Example: The table shows the change in attitude, over ten years, of students at McGill University to different aspects of its academic provision.
enrol
verb
Officially register as a member of an institution or a student on a course.
Example: In the table we can see information about the numbers of students enrolling at Manchester University in the three years.
fluctuation
noun
An irregular rising and falling in number or amount; a variation.
Example: There was also a fluctuation in attitudes to library resources.
improvement
noun
A thing that makes something better or is better than something else.
Example: There was also an overall improvement in ratings for teaching quality.
interim
noun
The intervening time.
Example: There was a decline in the interim.
library resources,
noun phrase
Library resources are those materials, both print and non-print, found in school libraries which support curricular and personal information needs.
Example: There was also a fluctuation in attitudes to library resources.
modules
noun
A detachable self-contained unit of a spacecraft.
Example: Finally, there were poor ratings at the beginning of the period for the range of modules offered.
noticeable
adjective
Easily seen or noticed; clear or apparent.
Example: The most noticeable changes concern the overall growth of student numbers, from 327 in 1937 to 6254 in 2017.
percentage
noun
A rate, number, or amount in each hundred.
Example: It is surprising to note that the percentage of female enrolments did not rise steadily.
relatively
adverb
In relation, comparison, or proportion to something else.
Example: The increase was relatively small.
statistic
noun
A fact or piece of data obtained from a study of a large quantity of numerical data.
Example: The most striking set of statistics relate to approval for student services.
surveys
noun
A general view, examination, or description of someone or something.
Example: The table below shows the results of surveys in 2005, 2010 and 2015 about McGill University.
table
noun
A set of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns.
Example: The table shows the change in attitude, over ten years, of students at McGill University.
teaching quality
noun phrase
A quality teacher who demonstrates subject area competence in all the subjects that he or she teaches.
Example: There was also an overall improvement in ratings for teaching quality.
tertiary education
noun phrase
Higher education, also known as tertiary education in some countries, refers to all post-secondary education, including both public and private universities, colleges, technical training institutes, and vocational schools.
Example: The table shows the change in attitude in tertiary education, over ten years, of students at McGill University.
throughout
adverb
In every part of a place or object.
Example: Good ratings for the university’s sports and social facilities were identical throughout.
