Thinking Better by Asking Better Questions
© E. B. Nuhfer. Used with permission
We can improve thinking by going beyond asking just any question, and seeking out the kinds of questions that elicit particularly thoughtful answers. Educator B. S. Bloom formally related different types of questions to particular levels of reasoning. The reasoning levels he recognized are shown below, with examples of questions that can elicit the reasoning. Some of our most productive learning comes during thoughtfully composing test and quiz questions. When we encourage students to write test questions, we allow them to share one of our best learning experiences.
| Question type often sounds like... |
Reasoning level |
| "Who ...?" or "What ...?" |
1. Recall/ Knowledge |
| " Explain." "Predict." "Interpret." "Give an example."
"Paraphrase...." |
2. Comprehension |
| "Calculate." "Solve." "Apply." "Demonstrate."
"Given ___. Use this information to…." |
3. Application |
| "Distinguish." "Compare" or "Contrast" "How
does ___ relate to___?", "Why does ___." |
4. Analytical |
| "Design." "Construct." "Develop." "Formulate."
"Write a poem." "Write a short story….." |
5. Synthesis |
| "Evaluate." "Appraise." "Justify which is better."
"Evaluate ___ argument, based on established facts."
"What if....?" |
6. Evaluation |
| Specific examples from the topic of asbestos: |
| 1. Recall |
1. What is asbestos? |
| 2. Comprehension |
2. Explain how the characteristics of amphibole asbestos make it more conducive to producing lung damage than other fibrous minerals. |
| 3. Application |
3. Given the formula Mg3Si2O5(OH)4, calculate the weight percent of magnesium in chrysotile. |
| 4. Analytical |
4. Two controversies surround the asbestos hazard: (1) it's nothing more than a very expensive bureaucratic creation, or (2) it is a hazard that accounts for tens of thousands of deaths annually. What is the basis for each argument? |
| 5. Synthesis |
5. Develop plan for a study of the kind of evidence needed to prove that asbestos poses a danger to the general populace. |
| 6. Evaluation |
6. Which of the two controversies expressed in the example under “analytical” above has the best current scientific support? |
Questions that require the higher levels of reasoning usually require the knowledge of the lower levels, plus the ability to work with the knowledge.
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