Socratic Approach to Problem Solving 1 Capella Proprietary and Confidential Learn to Apply a Socratic Approach to Problem Solving Applying a Socratic approach to problem solving, as shown in the steps in the table below, will help you identify gaps and improve your thinking when writing a course paper or completing a course project. You may also use the questions or tactics in the table to spark new insights when responding to discussion topics or to your fellow learners’ discussion posts. Steps Things you may do in this step Questions you may ask in this step (Paul & Elder (2006); Wertheim (n.d.)) Step 1: Identify the elements of the problem, issue, or question. This may include: Break the problem down into pieces, elements, or components. Notice how the pieces or components are related to each other. Look for missing information or gaps in what you know. Make note of the information that you do not have or cannot find, or that is unavailable. Separate symptoms from underlying causes. Avoid judgments and premature solutions. Gather information. Questions you may ask: What problem am I trying to solve? What are the key issues in this problem? What facts do I have? (A fact is “something that actually exists; reality; truth; a truth known by actual experience or observation; something known to be true.”) What evidence do I have? (Evidence is “that which tends to prove or disprove something; grounds for belief; proof.”) Which pieces of information that I have are opinions? (Opinion is “a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty; a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.”) Which pieces of information that I have are inferences? (To infer is “to derive by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence.”) Are the inferences well or poorly reasoned? Can alternative inferences be drawn from the same facts or observations? Which pieces of the information I have gathered are theories? (A theory is “a more or less verified or established explanation accounting for known facts or phenomena.”) What do I not know? What information is missing? Is it possible to get the information that I do not have? What are the possible sources of information? Socratic Approach to Problem Solving 2 Capella Proprietary and Confidential What must remain unknown for now? Step 2: Analyze/ define/ frame the problem, issue, or question. This may include: Gather information that you need to know more about the context surrounding this problem. Decide which pieces of information are important. Identify your point of view. Consider how your cultural values shape your perception of the problem. Evaluate conflicting evidence. Separate symptoms from underlying causes. Avoid value judgments. Avoid premature solutions. Analyze arguments. Identify the things you do .

1. Socratic Approach to Problem Solving
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Learn to Apply a Socratic Approach to Problem Solving
Applying a Socratic approach to problem solving, as shown in
the steps in the table below, will help
you identify gaps and improve your thinking when writing a
course paper or completing a course
project. You may also use the questions or tactics in the table to
spark new insights when responding to
discussion topics or to your fellow learners’ discussion posts.
Steps Things you may
do in this step
Questions you may ask in this step
(Paul & Elder (2006); Wertheim (n.d.))
Step 1:
Identify the
elements of the
problem, issue,
or question.

2. This may include:
Break the problem down into
pieces, elements, or components.
Notice how the pieces or
components are related to each
other.
Look for missing information or
gaps in what you know.
Make note of the information
that you do not have or cannot
find, or that is unavailable.
Separate symptoms from
underlying causes.
Avoid judgments and premature
solutions.
Gather information.
Questions you may ask:
What problem am I trying to solve?
What are the key issues in this problem?
What facts do I have? (A fact is “something that actually
exists; reality; truth; a truth known by actual experience
or observation; something known to be true.”)
What evidence do I have? (Evidence is “that which
tends to prove or disprove something; grounds for

3. belief; proof.”)
Which pieces of information that I have are opinions?
(Opinion is “a belief or judgment that rests on grounds
insufficient to produce complete certainty; a personal
view, attitude, or appraisal.”)
Which pieces of information that I have are inferences?
(To infer is “to derive by reasoning; conclude or judge
from premises or evidence.”)
Are the inferences well or poorly reasoned? Can
alternative inferences be drawn from the same facts or
observations?
Which pieces of the information I have gathered are
theories? (A theory is “a more or less verified or
established explanation accounting for known facts or
phenomena.”)
What do I not know?
What information is missing?
Is it possible to get the information that I do not have?
What are the possible sources of information?
Socratic Approach to Problem Solving
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4. Capella Proprietary and Confidential
What must remain unknown for now?
Step 2:
Analyze/
define/ frame
the problem,
issue, or
question.
This may include:
Gather information that you
need to know more about the
context surrounding this
problem.
Decide which pieces of
information are important.
Identify your point of view.
Consider how your cultural
values shape your perception of
the problem.
Evaluate conflicting evidence.
Separate symptoms from
underlying causes.
Avoid value judgments.

5. Avoid premature solutions.
Analyze arguments.
Identify the things you do not
understand.
Identify the complexities of the
problem.
Define a research problem.
Questions you may ask:
What are my goals? What am I trying to accomplish?
Which pieces of information that I have are the most
important in relationship to this problem?
Is the information or evidence presented relevant to the
problem?
Are there other ways to interpret the information?
How does the information relate to what I already
know?
How does the information relate to my personal and
professional experiences? (How does it support or match
my experiences? How does it contradict or differ from
my experiences?)
What information opposes my position?
What theories in my discipline shed light on this
problem?

6. What are the values, beliefs, and assumptions that are
implied in the problem statement? (Assumptions are the
things that are taken for granted, and they are usually
unstated.)
What are my own values and beliefs in relationship to
this problem?
Am I ignoring evidence that does not fit with my
beliefs?
Am I failing to consider or investigate evidence that
might contradict the theory that I support?
What are my assumptions in relationship to this
problem?
What support or evidence do I have to back up these
assumptions?
What are the values, beliefs, and assumptions of other
writers (sources of information, references) in
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relationship to this problem?

7. How does my culture or my world view shape my
approach to this problem?
How would someone from another culture or world
view approach this problem?
What are all of the possible causes of this problem?
What blind spots are keeping me from seeing additional
causes?
What evidence supports my assertions? How reliable is
the evidence?
What evidence supports the assertions of others? How
reliable is the evidence?
What other issues are related to this problem?
Am I considering the complexities of this problem?
How important is the problem relative to other
problems?
Step 3:
Consider
solutions,
responses, or
answers.
This may include:
Consider the evidence for and
against your theory or viewpoint.

8. Consider the evidence for and
against other theories or
viewpoints.
Analyze arguments.
Imagine the implications of each
possible solution.
Formulate research questions
or hypotheses.
Questions you may ask:
What theories in the discipline are related to these
solutions?
What are all of the possible views that experts may hold
on this problem?
Which views seem best supported by evidence?
What are all of the possible solutions to this problem?
What are the resources?
What are the constraints?
What blind spots are keeping me from seeing additional
solutions?
What are the implications of these solutions?
What might be the consequences of these solutions?

9. What world view does each of these solutions imply?
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Step 4: Choose
a solution,
response, or
answer.
This may include:
Evaluate your choice from
alternative viewpoints (put
yourself in someone else’s
shoes).
Question your choice.
Consider the problems that may
result from your choice
Choose research questions or
hypotheses.
Questions you may ask:

10. What theories in the discipline provide support for this
solution?
How did I reach this conclusion?
Is this solution aligned with my goals?
Does this solution address the most critical aspects of
the problem?
Why do I prefer this solution/response/answer?
How is this solution/response/answer supported by the
data, facts, and evidence?
How is this solution/response/answer supported by or
dependent upon opinions or inferences?
What are the costs of this solution?
What are the possible risks of this solution?
How likely are those risks?
What are the possible benefits of this solution?
How likely are those benefits?
How do my own biases affect my choice?
What alternative biases might be held by others, and
how would that affect their choices?
What assumptions does my choice imply?
What values does my choice imply?

11. What goals does my choice imply?
Step 5:
Implement
your choice.
This may include:
Develop an action plan.
Test research questions or
hypotheses.
Questions you may ask:
Is the implementation supported by theory?
Is the implementation supported by the facts?
Is the implementation consistent with my purpose?
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12. Step 6:
Evaluate the
results.
This may include:
Analyze the results of your
actions.
Analyze research data and
formulate new questions based
on the results.
Questions you may ask:
Did I make progress toward solving the problem?
What did I learn?
How do the results relate to existing theories?
How do the results shed light on the existing body of
evidence?
What new questions are raised by the results?
References
Paul, R., & Elder., L. (2006) The miniature guide to critical
thinking concepts & tools (4th ed.). Dillon
Beach, CA: The Foundation for Critical Thinking.
Wertheim, E. G. (n.d.). A model for case analysis and problem

13. solving. College of Business
Administration, Northeastern University. Retrieved August 7,
2007, from
http://web.cba.neu.edu/~ewertheim/introd/cases.htm
Definitions are from Dictionary.com.
http://dictionary.reference.com/Learn to Apply a Socratic
Approach to Problem SolvingStepsThings you maydo in this
stepQuestions you may ask in this step(Paul & Elder (2006);
Wertheim (n.d.))ReferencesWertheim, E. G. (n.d.). A model for
case analysis and problem solving. College of Business
Administration, Northeastern University. Retrieved August 7,
2007, from http://web.cba.neu.edu/~ewertheim/introd/cases.htm