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RYERSON UNIVERSITY

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Using Questions to Test Your Understanding

The handouts Using the SQ3R Method of Reading Textbooks and Taking EffectiveNotes from Lectures, provide strategies for understanding course content. Thesestrategies include creating and answering your own questions to test your understandingof the material. This handout gives examples of the types of questions you can create.

If you want to know then ask

a person who is/was . . . ?who does/did . . . ?

a definition what is the definition of . . .

what does . . . mean?

an example what is an example of . . . ?

an amount how much/many of . . . ?

a time when does/did . . . occur?

a place where does/did . . . occur?

the types of something what are the types/kinds of . . . ?

the parts of something what are the parts/sectionsof . . .?

(a concept, system, or object)

causes and effects why does/did . . . occur?what is the cause of/reason for . . . ?what causes . . . to occur?how does . . . affect . . . ?what is the effect/result of . . . ?what results when . . . occurs?

if . . . occurs, then what will happen?if changed, then what would

change?what does theory X predict will

happen in situation Y?

how a system or process works how does . . . function?how does process X occur?

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what are the steps in process X?how two or more things are the same how is . . . similar to . . . ?

how two or more things are different how is . . . different from . . . ?

the nature of problem/conflict/issue X what is the problem/conflict/issue?what hypothesis/theory explains X?who is involved?what are the causes?

what are the effects? on whom?what are the advantages?what are the disadvantages?what is the best solution/resolution?

why?what should or should not happen?

why?

someones position on an issue what is this persons opinion?

what evidence/reasons/examplesdoes this person use to

support his or her opinion?how does this opinion compare with

the opinion of other expertsin the field?

Many of the above questions are questions of relationship, such as

examples that explain a general concept

the types that fit under a general category

causes and/or effects

the steps in a process

the similarities and/or differences between two or more things

the reasons that support an opinion

If you are having difficulty thinking of specific questions to ask, begin with the general

question, What is the relationship between . . . and . . . ? If you can determine thegeneral relationship, you will be able to generate specific questions that express that

relationship.