Inquiry Research: Essential Questions

What makes a good Inquiry Question?

It is Critical, not Simple

A Critical question . . .

• leads to more questions
• provokes discussion
• comes from a critical or careful reading of the text or understanding of a topic
• addresses wider issues

A Simple question . . .

• can be answered with a "yes" or "no"
• can contain the answers within the question
• can be answered by a fact, or a series of facts
• can easily be found by "Googling"

25 Question Stems Framed Around Blooms Taxonomy

Sample Question Stems Based on Revised Bloom's Taxonomy

Re-evaluate your Question IF:

• You can answer it too easily . . .
  • by looking it up
  • by summarizing a source
  • if the answer seems self-evident because the evidence overwhelmingly favors one answer

• You cannot find enough good evidence and authoritative sources to support an answer because . . .
  • no relevant facts exist
  • not enough research exists to be considered
  • the question is based on preference

• You have too much info . . .
  • your topic is too broad