Types of Questions

1
Types of Questions

• Based on How to Impress Your Teacher by Asking
  Good Questions by Barbara A. Jansen. Available
  at http//www.big6.com/kidsshowarticle.php?id244
  
• She based her article on
• Ciardiello, Angelo. (1998). Did you ask a good
  question today? Alternative cognitive and
  metacognitive strategies. Journal of Adolescent
  Adult Literacy. 42, 210-219.

2
Fact Questions
Not good choices for your main research
question!

• WhoWho is the President of the United States?
• WhatWhat is the biggest crop in Georgia?
• WhereWhere is the Grand Canyon?
• When When was the Civil War?

3
Why Questions

• WhyWhy do people move to Conyers?
• HowHow do communities react to major disasters
  like earthquakes and hurricanes?
• In what ways In what ways can people be
  encouraged to recycle?

Potentially good research questions!
4
Idea Questions

• Imagine...Imagine an alien came to Earth. How
  would you teach her about living with humans?
• Suppose...Suppose that you lived in Mexico. Can
  you tell about which holiday you would enjoy the
  most?
• Predict...Predict what would happen if everyone
  did what they wanted and there were no rules.
• If..., then...If George Washington came back
  today, what would he think about our government
  today?

5
Idea Questions

• How might...How might you adapt to life in a
  Communist country like China?
• Can you create...Can you create a perfect city
  in which every citizen gets what he or she needs?
• What are some possible consequences... What are
  some possible consequences of everyone in this
  world getting enough to eat?

Potentially good research questions!
6
Opinion Questions

• Defend...Defend the right to free speech.
• Judge...Judge the importance of attending
  school.
• Justify...Justify the need for traffic laws.

7
Opinion Questions

• What do you think about...What do you think
  about native people destroying the rain forest so
  they can farm?
• What is your opinion about...What is your
  opinion about students having to be sixteen
  before they learn to drive?

Great for persuasive writing -- may not be good
for research