The document discusses the characteristics of effective peer instruction questions in a workshop format, highlighting aspects such as clarity, context, learning outcomes, distractors, and the ability to stimulate discussion. It includes various example questions across different subjects, illustrating how to engage students and assess their understanding through thoughtful questioning. The objective of the workshop is to help educators discern between good and bad peer instruction questions.

1. Peer Instruction Questions
These questions are used in a workshop about
writing good peer instruction questions. Some are
good and some are bad.
Which are which? I’m not telling you here – that’s
what the workshop is about…
Peter Newbury
ctd.ucsd.edu
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2. What makes a good
peer instruction question?
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clarity Students waste no effort trying to figure out
what’s being asked.
context Is this topic currently being covered in class?
learning
outcome
Does the question make students do the right
things to demonstrate they grasp the concept?
distractors What do the “wrong” answers tell you about
students’ thinking?
difficulty Is the question too easy? too hard?
stimulates
thoughtful
discussion
Will the question engage the students and
spark thoughtful discussions? Are there
openings for you to continue the discussion?
(Adapted from Stephanie Chasteen, CU Boulder)

3. Chemistry
Melt chocolate over low heat. Remove the
chocolate from the heat.What will happen
to the chocolate?
A) It will condense.
B) It will evaporate.
C) It will freeze.
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(Question: Sujatha Raghu from Braincandy via LearningCatalytics)
(Image: CIM9926 by number657 on flickr CC)

4. Prediction (Physics)
A ball is rolling around
the inside of a circular
track.The ball leaves
the track
at point P.
Which path
does the ball
follow?
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P
A
B
C
E
D
(adapted from Mazur)

5. Astronomy
Which of these are reasons for the seasons?
i. height of the Sun in the sky during the day
ii. Earth’s distance from the Sun
iii. how many hours the Sun is up each day
A) ii only
B) iii only
C) i and ii
D) i and iii
E) i, ii and iii
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(P. Newbury, UCSD)

6. Astronomy
How many of these are reasons for the seasons?
 the height of the Sun in the sky during the day
 Earth’s distance from the Sun
 how many hours the Sun is up each day
A) one
B) two
C) all three
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(P. Newbury, UCSD)

7. English / Literature
Select the line
that you feel has
the strongest
imagery in “Fast
rode the knight”
by Stephen
Crane (1905).
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Fast rode the knight
With spurs, hot and reeking,
Ever waving an eager sword,
"To save my lady!"
Fast rode the knight,
And leaped from saddle to war.
Men of steel flickered and gleamed
Like riot of silver lights,
And the gold of the knight's good banner
Still waved on a castle wall.
. . . . .
A horse,
Blowing, staggering, bloody thing,
Forgotten at foot of castle wall.
A horse
Dead at foot of castle wall.
A 
B 
C 
D 
E 
(adapted from David Kurtz, via LearningCatalytics)

8. Mathematics
Evaluate:
A)
B)
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(adapted from Bruff (2009))
 
4
0
32
1 dxxx
23
)65(16
9
16
C)
D)
)165(
9
2 23

3
1022

9. Mathematics
Which of the following is an incorrect step when
using the substitution method to evaluate the
definite integral
A)
B)
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 
4
0
32
1 dxxx
3
1 xu 
dxx
du 2
3


4
03
1
duu
(adapted from Bruff (2009))
C)
D) none

10. History
According to Augustine, which do you think was
the most significant event in his conversion to
Christianity? Be prepared to defend your choice
with evidence from the readings.
A) Corporal punishments as a school-boy
B) Student years of follies (studies and
promiscuity)
C) Stealing the pears from the neighbor’s tree
D) Death of his classmate/friend
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(H. Keller-Lapp, UCSD)

11. Physics, Part 1
Susan throws a ball straight up into the air. It goes up and
then falls back into her hand 2 seconds later.
Draw a graph showing the velocity of the ball from the
moment it leaves her hand until she catches it again.
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time
velocity
2 sec0
(adapted from CWSEI UBC)
After students
draw their
graphs, present
the choices in
Part 2.

12. Physics, Part 2
Which of these is the closest match to your graph?
A)
B)
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(adapted from CWSEI UBC)
time
velocity
2 sec0 time
velocity
2 sec0
time
velocity
2 sec0 time
velocity
2 sec0
C)
D)
E) something else
After students
draw their graphs
in Part 1, present
these choices.

13. Physics
Susan throws a ball straight up into the air. It goes up and
then falls back into her hand 2 seconds later.Which graph
shows the velocity of the ball?
A)
B)
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(adapted from CWSEI UBC)
time
velocity
2 sec0
time
velocity
2 sec0
time
velocity
2 sec0 time
velocity
2 sec0
C) v
D)

14. Statistics
What are the mean and median of these
numbers?
74, 32, 35, 87, 28, 36, 11, 26, 93, 56, 34, 52, 8
A) 13, 36
B) 44, 35
C) 572, 93
D) 48,13
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(adapted from Peck, mathquest.carroll.edu/resources.html)

15. Statistics
For the data set displayed in the histogram, which
is larger, the mean or the median?
A) mean
B) median
C) can’t tell without knowing the numbers
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(adapted from Peck, mathquest.carroll.edu/resources.html)

16. History / Political Science
In what year did the U.S. join World War II?
A) 1939
B) 1941
C) 1944
D) 1945
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17. Computer Science
How many times does X get printed?
A) 0
B) 9
C) 10
D) 11
E) infinitely many times
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for (int i = 0; i<10; i++)
{
Print(“X”);
{
(Beth Simon, UCSD)

18. Computer Science
Which of these for-loop headers runs10 times?
A) for (int j = 0; j < 10; j++)
B) for (int j = 1; j < 10; j++)
C) for (int j = 0; j <= 10; j++)
D) for (int j = 1; j <= 10; j++)
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(Beth Simon, UCSD)

19. History
In your opinion, which had the most positive
impact on the modern world? Be prepared to
defend your choice with evidence from the
readings.
A) coffee
B) tea
C) chocolate
D) spice
E) sugar
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(M. Herbst, UCSD)

20. Research Methods
A researcher tests whether Medicine A is more
effective than Medicine B. She hypothesizes Medicine
A will be more effective.
After analyzing the results of her study, she find there
is no difference in the effectiveness of the two
medicines. What can she conclude?
A) The null hypothesis should be accepted.
B) The alternate hypothesis should be accepted.
C) The alternate hypothesis should be rejected.
D) The null hypothesis should be rejected.
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(Adapted from E.Walker, UCSD)

21. Research Methods
A researcher tests whether Medicine A is more
effective than Medicine B. She hypothesizes Medicine
A will be more effective.
After analyzing the results of her study, she find there
is no difference in the effectiveness of the two
medicines. She can conclude
the ______ hypothesis should be ______.
A) null, accepted
B) null, rejected
C) alternate, accepted
D) alternate, rejected
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(Adapted from E.Walker, UCSD)

22. Biology
Your sister calls to say she’s having twins.Which of
the following is more likely? (Assume she’s not
having identical twins.)
A) twin boys
B) twin girls
C) one boy and one girl
D) all are equally likely
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(D. Bruff, Vanderbilt U)

23. Linguistics
“Lawyers give poor legal advice”
What does this newspaper headline mean?
A) Lawyers are giving legal advice to poor
people.
B) The advice lawyers are giving isn’t very good.
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(adapted from C. Barkley, UCSD)