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Socratic Questions

Socratic questioning involves asking different types of questions to draw out knowledge and challenge assumptions. The document outlines the six types of Socratic questions: (1) questions for clarification, (2) questions that probe assumptions, (3) questions that probe reasons and evidence, (4) questions about viewpoints and perspectives, (5) questions that probe implications and consequences, and (6) questions about the question. Socratic questioning is used to enhance critical thinking skills by reflecting on ideas and making judgments about underlying assumptions. Several homework problems are designed around these six types of Socratic questions.

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976 views5 pages

Socratic Questions

Socratic questioning involves asking different types of questions to draw out knowledge and challenge assumptions. The document outlines the six types of Socratic questions: (1) questions for clarification, (2) questions that probe assumptions, (3) questions that probe reasons and evidence, (4) questions about viewpoints and perspectives, (5) questions that probe implications and consequences, and (6) questions about the question. Socratic questioning is used to enhance critical thinking skills by reflecting on ideas and making judgments about underlying assumptions. Several homework problems are designed around these six types of Socratic questions.

Uploaded by

nesuma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
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  • Socratic Questions Introduction
  • Techniques of Socratic Questioning

SocraticQuestions

Techniques>Questioning>SocraticQuestions
Conceptual|Assumptions|Rationale|Viewpoint|Implications|Question|Seealso

Socrateswasoneofthegreatesteducatorswhotaughtbyaskingquestionsandthusdrawingout
answersfromhispupils('exduco',meansto'leadout',whichistherootof'education').Sadly,he
martyredhimselfbydrinkinghemlockratherthancompromisehisprinciples.Bold,butnotagood
survivalstrategy.Butthenhelivedveryfrugallyandwasknownforhiseccentricity.Oneofhis
pupilswasPlato,whowroteupmuchwhatweknowofhim.
HerearethesixtypesofquestionsthatSocratesaskedhispupils.Probablyoftentotheirinitial
annoyancebutmoreoftentotheirultimatedelight.Hewasamanofremarkableintegrityandhis
storymakesformarvelousreading.
TheoverallpurposeofSocraticquestioning,istochallengeaccuracyandcompletenessofthinking
inawaythatactstomovepeopletowardstheirultimategoal.

Conceptualclarificationquestions
Getthemtothinkmoreaboutwhatexactlytheyareaskingorthinkingabout.Provetheconcepts
behindtheirargument.Usebasic'tellmemore'questionsthatgetthemtogodeeper.

Whyareyousayingthat?

Whatexactlydoesthismean?

Howdoesthisrelatetowhatwehavebeentalkingabout?

Whatisthenatureof...?

Whatdowealreadyknowaboutthis?

Canyougivemeanexample?

Areyousaying...or...?

Canyourephrasethat,please?

Probingassumptions
Probingtheirassumptionsmakesthemthinkaboutthepresuppositionsandunquestionedbeliefson
whichtheyarefoundingtheirargument.Thisisshakingthebedrockandshouldgetthemreally
going!

Whatelsecouldweassume?

Youseemtobeassuming...?

Howdidyouchoosethoseassumptions?

Pleaseexplainwhy/how...?

Howcanyouverifyordisprovethatassumption?

Whatwouldhappenif...?

Doyouagreeordisagreewith...?

Probingrationale,reasonsandevidence
Whentheygivearationalefortheirarguments,digintothatreasoningratherthanassumingitisa
given.Peopleoftenuseunthoughtthroughorweaklyunderstoodsupportsfortheirarguments.

Whyisthathappening?

Howdoyouknowthis?

Showme...?

Canyougivemeanexampleofthat?

Whatdoyouthinkcauses...?

Whatisthenatureofthis?

Arethesereasonsgoodenough?

Woulditstandupincourt?

Howmightitberefuted?

HowcanIbesureofwhatyouaresaying?

Whyis...happening?

Why?(keepaskingityou'llnevergetpastafewtimes)

Whatevidenceistheretosupportwhatyouaresaying?

Onwhatauthorityareyoubasingyourargument?

Questioningviewpointsandperspectives
Mostargumentsaregivenfromaparticularposition.Soattacktheposition.Showthatthereare
other,equallyvalid,viewpoints.

Anotherwayoflookingatthisis...,doesthisseemreasonable?

Whatalternativewaysoflookingatthisarethere?

Whyitis...necessary?

Whobenefitsfromthis?

Whatisthedifferencebetween...and...?

Whyisitbetterthan...?

Whatarethestrengthsandweaknessesof...?

Howare...and...similar?

Whatwould...sayaboutit?

Whatifyoucompared...and...?

Howcouldyoulookanotherwayatthis?

Probeimplicationsandconsequences
Theargumentthattheygivemayhavelogicalimplicationsthatcanbeforecast.Dothesemake
sense?Aretheydesirable?

Thenwhatwouldhappen?

Whataretheconsequencesofthatassumption?

Howcould...beusedto...?

Whataretheimplicationsof...?

Howdoes...affect...?

Howdoes...fitwithwhatwelearnedbefore?

Whyis...important?

Whatisthebest...?Why?

Questionsaboutthequestion
Andyoucanalsogetreflexiveaboutthewholething,turningthequestioninonitself.Usetheir
attackagainstthemselves.Bouncetheballbackintotheircourt,etc.

Whatwasthepointofaskingthatquestion?

WhydoyouthinkIaskedthisquestion?

AmImakingsense?Whynot?

WhatelsemightIask?

Whatdoesthatmean?

Seealso
Probing,SPINSelling

THE SIX TYPES OF SOCRATIC QUESTIONS


Duetotherapidadditionofnewinformationandtheadvancementof
scienceandtechnologythatoccuralmostdaily,anengineermustconstantly
expandhisorherhorizonsbeyondsimplegatheringinformationandrelying
onthebasicengineeringprinciples.
Anumberofhomeworkproblemshavebeenincludedthataredesignedto
enhancecriticalthinkingskills.Criticalthinkingistheprocessweuseto
reflecton,accessandjudgetheassumptionsunderlyingourownandothers
ideasandactions.
Socraticquestioningisattheheartofcriticalthinkingandanumberof
homeworkproblemsdrawfromR.W.Paul'ssixtypesofSocraticquestions:

1.Questionsfor
clarification:

Whydoyousaythat?

2.Questionsthatprobe
assumptions:

3.Questionsthatprobe
reasonsandevidence:

4.Questionsabout
Viewpointsand
Perspectives:

Howdoesthisrelatetoour
discussion?

"Areyougoingtoincludediffusionin
yourmolebalanceequations?"

Whatcouldweassumeinstead?

Howcanyouverifyordisapprovethat
assumption?

"Whyareneglectingradialdiffusion
andincludingonlyaxialdiffusion?"

Whatwouldbeanexample?

Whatis....analogousto?

Whatdoyouthinkcausesto
happen...?Why:?

"Doyouthinkthatdiffusionis
responsibleforthelowerconversion?"

Whatwouldbeanalternative?

Whatisanotherwaytolookatit?

Wouldyouexplainwhyitisnecessary
orbeneficial,andwhobenefits?

Whyisthebest?

Whatarethestrengthsandweaknesses
of...?

Howare...and...similar?

Whatisacounterargumentfor...?

5.Questionsthatprobe
implicationsand
consequences:

6.Questionsaboutthe
question:

"Withallthebendsinthepipe,from
anindustrial/practicalstandpoint,do
youthinkdiffusionwillaffectthe
conversion?"

Whatgeneralizationscanyoumake?

Whataretheconsequencesofthat
assumption?

Whatareyouimplying?

Howdoes...affect...?

Howdoes...tieinwithwhatwe
learnedbefore?

"Howwouldourresultsbeaffectedif
neglecteddiffusion?"

Whatwasthepointofthisquestion?

WhydoyouthinkIaskedthis
question?

Whatdoes...mean?

Howdoes...applytoeverydaylife?

"Whydoyouthinkdiffusionis
important?"

Socratic Questions   Techniques > Questioning > Socratic Questions Conceptual | Assumptions | Rationale | Viewpoint | Implica
 What would happen if ... ?  Do you agree or disagree with ... ? Probing rationale, reasons and evidence When they give a r
 Then what would happen?  What are the consequences of that assumption?  How could ... be used to ... ?  What are the imp
 How does this relate to our  discussion?  "Are you going to include diffusion in  your mole balance equations?" 2. Questio
 "With all the bends in the pipe, from  an industrial/practical standpoint, do  you think diffusion will affect the  convers

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