Questioning As We Read
Skilled readers engage in active questioning while reading to deepen understanding, evaluate content, and connect ideas to their lives. The text provides specific questions and a framework based on the elements of reasoning.
THE IDEA
Questioning As We Read
Skilled readers are able to master a subject from books alone, without benefit of lectures or class discussion. It is possible to become educated through reading alone. Skilled readers actively question as they read. They question to understand. They question to evaluate what they are reading. They question to bring important ideas into their thinking.
Skilled readers approach reading as an active dialogue involving routine questioning. Here are some of the questions critical readers ask while reading:
- Why am I reading this? What is my purpose? What do I want to gain?
- What is the author’s purpose? What can I learn about the author’s point of view by carefully reading the title as well as the preface, introduction, and table of contents?
- From paragraph to paragraph, can I summarize what the author is saying in my own words? What questions do I have?
- Is there some part of this sentence or paragraph that I don’t understand? What part am I unsure of? What part am I clear about?
- If I do not understand something, is the author vague or is there a problem with my reading?
- What questions do I have? How important is it for me to get these questions answered before reading further?
- Do I understand the meaning of key terms, or do I need to look them up in a dictionary?
- Is the author using key words in standard or extraordinary ways?
- Are the facts presented credible, or should I question them?
- What are the most significant ideas in this text?
- How is what I am reading relevant to me? How can I connect it to what matters or will matter in my life?
- What is the nature of the question at issue in the text? Do I clearly understand the complexities in it?
- Do I need to investigate the issue further in some other text before moving forward in this one?
Analyzing an Author’s Reasoning Through Questions
Critical readers are able to identify the elements of reasoning embedded in a text. Here are some questions (overlapping with those above) which we can ask through understanding the elements of thought:
- Purpose: What is the author’s purpose?
- Question: What question is the author attempting to answer?
- Information: What information does the author use in coming to conclusions?
- Inferences: What are the main conclusions or inferences made by the author?
- Concepts: What are the main ideas that guide the author’s thinking?
- Assumptions: What does the author take for granted?
- Point of View: What is the author looking at, and how is s/he seeing it?
- Implications: If the author is correct (or insightful), what are some implications we should recognize?
When to use it
Studying for an exam: Use questioning to identify key concepts and gaps in understanding.
Reading a research article: Question the methodology and conclusions to evaluate credibility.
Learning a new skill from a book: Ask how the information applies to real-world practice.
Preparing for a discussion: Use the questions to form opinions and questions for debate.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Applying Questions to a Textbook
A student reading a dense history textbook actively applies questions: 'Why am I reading this? What is the author’s purpose?' By identifying the author’s argument and evaluating evidence, the student gains deeper understanding beyond surface facts.
Analyzing a Research Article
A researcher reads a scientific paper and uses the elements of reasoning: questioning the author’s assumptions, checking the information used, and considering implications. This leads to a critical evaluation of the study’s validity and relevance.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
The next time you read a challenging text, consciously apply at least five of the provided questions. Which ones were most helpful?
How does questioning as you read change your understanding compared to passive reading?
Choose a text you recently read and analyze it using the elements of reasoning questions. What new insights did you gain?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- The Art of Asking Essential Questions Based on Critical Thinking Concepts and Socratic Principles (Linda Elder, Richard Paul)