This short presentation is meant to guide Grade 7 students through the Question Formulation Technique in order to generate questions they should ask about the sources they use when doing research.

1. Reliability
of sources

2. Question
Formulation
Technique

3. “The Reliable Source of Information” by Adam Zyglis, Buffalo News
http://docudharma.com/2010/08/the-week-in-editorial-cartoons-part-i-dropping-the-ball

4. Step 1: Question-storm
Read the question focus.
Write your questions down in order.
You will not worry about spelling or grammar.
You will not judge, criticize or try to answer the
questions now.
Number your questions in the order you write
them down.

5. Question Focus
It is important to think critically
about the sources you use
when you research.
Think about the questions you
can ask about the sources you
use.

6. Step 2: Open & closed questions
1. Change one open question to closed.
2. Change one closed question to open.
3. What are some advantages of closed questions?
4. What are some advantages of open questions?
5. What are some disadvantages of closed questions?
6. What are some disadvantages of open questions?

7. Step 3: Prioritize
Decide which five (5) questions
you think are the most important
to ask about the sources you use.
Put stars beside these questions.

8. Share
Each group should share one
of their top five.
Do not repeat a question
another group has asked.

9. Step 4: Reflect
What did you realize during this
process?
(In other words, what did you think
about while doing this that you
haven’t thought about before?)