<h2>Asking questions</h2><p>Socratic questions are open-ended, probing questions designed to promote critical
evaluation of ideas, as well as encourage the creation of new ideas. Below are
some examples of such questions:</p><h3>Questions of Clarification</h3><ul><li>What do you mean by ____?</li><li>What is your main point?</li><li>How does _____ relate to _____?</li><li>Could you put that another way?</li><li>Is your basic point _____ or _____?</li><li>What do you think is the main issue here?</li><li>Let me see if I understand you; do you mean _____ or _____?</li><li>How does this relate to our problem/discussion/issue?</li><li>What do you, Mike, mean by this remark? What do you take Mike to mean by
his remark?</li><li>Jane, can you summarize in your own words what Richard said? . . . Richard,
is this what you meant?</li><li>Could you give me an example?</li><li>Would this be an example, . . .?</li><li>Could you explain this further?</li><li>Would you say more about that?</li><li>Why do you say that?</li></ul><h3>Questions that probe assumptions</h3><ul><li>What are you assuming?</li><li>What is Jenny assuming?</li><li>What could we assume instead?</li><li>You seem to be assuming _____. Do I understand you correctly?</li><li>All of your reasoning depends on the idea that _____. Why have you based
your reasoning on _____ instead of _____?</li><li>You seem to be assuming _____. How do you justify taking that for granted?</li><li>Is that always the case? Why do you think the assumption holds here?</li><li>Why would someone make that assumption? </li></ul><h3>Questions that probe reasons and evidence</h3><ul><li>What would be an example?</li><li>How do you know?</li><li>Why do you think that is true?</li><li>Do you have any evidence for that?</li><li>What difference does that make?</li><li>What are your reasons for saying that?</li><li>What other information do you need?</li><li>Could you explain your reasons to us?</li><li>Are these reasons adequate?</li><li>Why do you say that?</li><li>What led you to that belief?</li><li>How does that apply to this case?</li><li>What would change your mind?</li><li>But, is that good evidence for that belief?</li><li>Is there a reason to doubt that evidence?</li><li>Who is in a position to know that is true?</li><li>What would you say to someone who said that ____?</li><li>Can someone else give evidence to support that view?</li><li>By what reasoning did you come to that conclusion?</li><li>How could we find out if that is true? </li></ul><h3>Questions about Viewpoints or Perspectives </h3><ul><li>The term "imply" will require clarification when used with younger
students.</li><li>What are you implying by that?</li><li>When you say _____, are you implying _____?</li><li>But, if that happened, what else would happen as a result? Why?</li><li>What effect would that have?</li><li>Would that necessarily happen or only possibly/probably happen?</li><li>What is an alternative?</li><li>If _____ and _____ are the case, then what might also be true?</li><li>If we say that ____ is ethical, how about _____? </li></ul><h3>Questions that Probe Implications and Consequences </h3><ul><li>How can we find out?</li><li>What does this question assume?</li><li>Would _____ ask this question differently?</li><li>How could someone settle this question?</li><li>Can we break this question down at all?</li><li>Is this question clear? Do we understand it?</li><li>Is this question easy or hard to answer? Why?</li><li>Does this question ask us to evaluate something? What?</li><li>Do we all agree that this is the question?</li><li>To answer this question, what other questions must we answer first?</li><li>I'm not sure I understand how you are interpreting this question. Is this
the same as _____?</li><li>How would _____ state the issue?</li><li>Why is this issue import
