Questioning

In social sciences, along with other academic subjects, and life in general, questioning is important because it is the first step toward figuring out or finding out something. The resources below help to provide some context for the importance of beginning learning and critical thinking with questions.

How to Ask Simple Open Ended Questions Kids Really Want to Answer

Seven Tips

Keep Things Simple
Don't Force It
Eye Contact is Optional
Ask the Right Questions
Watch Your Response
Be Genuinely Curious
Actually Listen

How Should We Change the Way We Ask Questions?

Three Big Asks

Engage Openly
Ask Open Questions
Use Open Questions to Open Conversations

Why Questions are More Important than Answers

Learning to ask important questions is the best evidence of understanding there is, far surpassing the temporary endorphins of a correct ‘answer.’

Sourcing and Evidence

Sources are anything that offer up information. Social Sciences deal with two types of sources, primary and secondary.

In social sciences sources are used to obtain information that is directly observable or identifiable in the source. This information is then interpreted or analyzed in order to draw conclusions or to prompt action. When information from a source is interpreted or analyzed that is when it becomes evidence. In essence, it is the why that prompts the conclusion or action.

Primary sources are the most preferable as they are most directly related to the event, person, or idea. However, secondary sources are helpful in corroborating events and solidifying understandings, interpretations, and analysis.

PRIMARY SOURCE

A primary source is a first-hand or contemporary account of an event or topic. They are the most direct evidence of a time or event because they were created by people or things that were there at the time or event. These sources have not been modified by interpretation and offer original thought or new information. Primary sources are original materials, regardless of format.

SECONDARY SOURCE

Secondary sources usually use primary sources and offer interpretation, analysis, or commentary. These resources often present primary source information with the addition of hindsight or historical perspective. Common examples include criticisms, histories, and magazine, journal, or newspaper articles written after the fact. Some secondary sources may also be considered primary or tertiary sources – the definition of this term is not set in stone.

Conclusions and Informed Action

Conclusions and Informed Action can be seen as the payoff for the inquiry journey begun with questioning and extended through sourcing and evidence collection.

While sourcing provides the information necessary for identifying and collecting evidence, that evidence is of little importance if it is not used to draw conclusions or answers to the questions, or possibly to even prompt action one believes appropriate or best based upon that evidence.

The important aspect is that the conclusion or the action be informed. That is to say it be based on the information and evidence curated from sources in response to the questions that were asked.

Sometimes, informed action can seem daunting. On its surface it may suggest to some that time consuming projects or events be generated. This is a possibility, but it is not the only way to take informed action. Informed action can be as simple as having a conversation about the question and what was learned from the sources explored. It can be identifying an action one believes should be taken based upon the information and evidence they have available.

How can families use questioning, sourcing and evidence, and conclusions and informed action at home?

One simple way is to take everyday actions like watching television or movies, playing video or board games, or books and having students or adults pose questions about them. A next step would be to identify information from the source – the show or game – that can be used to answer that question. At that point a discussion about how that information helps to answer the question transforms the information into evidence, and serves as a conclusion!

If you're interested in some questions that can be posed about various forms of media, check out Common Sense Media. They have a large library of media that includes information about its general age appropriateness and some questions for families to consider about the media.