Three Levels of Questions Literal Interpretive Evaluative

Answers to literal questions can be found in the literature.

Literal questions and answers ask for and provide factual information found directly in the text. These are all based on RECALL: Your questions will ask for information that can be found in the text. Your responses will retell, summarize, or cite information directly from the text.

Literal Questions Signal Words: Define, identify, describe, list, name, observe, recite

Interpretive Questions

Interpretive Questions An interpretive question asks that you interpret the text: Take what you know from the text and give it meaning through your own inferences (educated guesses) Answers cannot be found DIRECTLY in the text alone!

Interpretive questions and answers ask for and provide information that is understood but not directly expressed.

Interpretive Questions These ask you to ANALYZE: Your questions will ask “how” and “why,” looking at motives and causes. Your responses will compare/contrast and uncover purpose, theme, and point of view (among others).

Interpretive Questions They also ask you to INFER: Your questions will combine information in new ways. Your responses will draw conclusions, make predictions, and/or state educated guesses.

Evaluative Questions Evaluative questions deal with judgment, value and choice.

Evaluative Questions Ask you to make and defend judgments and choices: What do you think about…? What is your opinion on…?

Evaluative Questions They ask you to EVALUATE: Your questions and answers will ask to determine importance, to make judgments and decisions.

Evaluative Questions They will also ask you to make CONNECTIONS: To make these evaluations, you will have to bring in your own experiences, your understanding of the world, and possibly other texts.

Discussion that involves interpretive and evaluative questions requires higher-level thinking—and is usually more interesting.

This is the goal, to get you to ponder and discuss these types of questions!!!! And not just in this class, but every day of your life.