World History Honors Name: ______________________________Kogan
S
EMINAR
Q
UESTION
I
NTRODUCTION
:
Opening, Core and Closing QuestionsSeminar questions are written questions centered on a specific reading, group of readings ortopic. The purpose of seminar questions is to make students
THINK
critically about what theread. With the development of seminar questions, students will learn to thinkglobally, in a cross-disciplinary fashion, and will better understand the needto place content (specific text) in context (larger themes and trends).Seminar questions are divided into three categories: opening questions, corequestions, and closing questions.
Understanding the purpose andconstruction of each type of question is vital to the success of aseminar discussion.
O
PENING
Q
UESTION
: 1 questions
-
A broad generalization that connects to a major theme or conceptexhibited in the text
-
Elicits raw material for discussion
-
Introduces and explores topics, ideas and themes of the text
-
Usually a “How” or “Why” question
-
Does Not
relate specifically by name to the seminar text at hand
C
ORE
Q
UESTIONS
: 3 to 5 questions with answers
-
Content specific
-
Examine central points of the text
-
Can be an interpretation or analysis of a passage or assertion
-
Can explore a quotation
-
Must be a question that begins with “How” or “Why” – no “yes or no” questions.
-
Core questions
must
be answered with textual evidence from the selection
-
Correct MLA parenthetical citations must be used to cite the source in the answer(unless otherwise specified)C
LOSING
Q
UESTIONS
: 1 question
-
Establishes relevance
-
Connection of content of the text to the real world
-
Permits reflection
Writing Seminar Questions:
1. Literature should be written about in the present tense; historical documents should be written about in thepast tense
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