[gillian]

I always find that I lack good vocabulary in answering data-based questions. How can vocabulary collection be improved?

[Mrs Faithorn]

If you lack vocabulary specific to Document or Data based questions then you need to draw up a list of the vocabulary commonly used when answering such questions and then ensure that you understand each of these words. For each one try writing a sentence or two using them.

Some of the vocabulary you may well need to use includes words such as:
bias
biased
reliable
reliability
useful
motivation
viewpoint
exaggerated
provenance
attribution
corroborate
corroboration
cross-reference

Try asking your own teacher for some more help with this too.

If what you mean is how can you improve the way you express yourself in more general terms then the way to do this is to read more widely so that you can see how other people express themselves well. Try one of the more 'serious' daily newspapers as a start.

Make a list of words you don't know in a little notebook and look them up in a dictionary. Try writing a sentence of your own using each one.

The only way in which you can improve 'vocabulary collection' is by reading more widely - or perhaps by listening to Radio and TV programmes of a more serious nature. If all you read, listen to and watch is the stuff directed at the 'youth market' then you are not going to improve a great deal I'm afraid. Did you know that newspapers like The Sun have a reading age of 9!!