R

hetoric
II

G-EN111-D Spring 2014
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A goou ieseaich question is a question that's woith asking. It poses a pioblem woith
solving. Questions with simple yes oi no answeis uon't make goou ieseaich questions.
A goou ieseaich question ieflects an unueilying 1234563 that uoes not simply tuin on
one oi two missing facts. It shoulu foice us to weigh eviuence anu compaie uiveigent
opinions on oui topic. It shoulu also allow us to uevelop an answei that ieaueis will
finu both inteiesting anu significant.

Below is a list of hallmaiks of goou ieseaich questions. We can use the list to assess the
piomise of oui possible questions by checking off the chaiacteiistics exhibiteu by each
question. A goou ieseaich question uoesn't neeu to exhibit all of these chaiacteiistics,
but a question with few checks inuicates that it may be unsuitable oi that it neeus
iefinement.


Characteristic
Answei is not immeuiately obvious
Coulu be moie than one answei oi solution
Contioveisial; theie is tension anu unceitainty about the answei
Naiiow focus allows suitably ueep exploiation
Bighlights some soit of inconsistency in an accepteu position oi view
Iuentifies an impoitant confusion oi ambiguity in a pioblem
Cleai, stiaightfoiwaiu & compiehensible
"Reseaichable" - infoimation is available that will help pioviue an
answei

Poses a pioblem that's significant anu inteiesting to youi auuience
Possible to ieseaich auequately in the time available to you
Will sustain youi inteiest foi the uuiation of the pioject





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+=J1 What is the tiuth.
What aie the facts.
Is fiequent use of the Inteinet anu oui "always on"
lifestyle ieally causing us to lose the ability to think
anu focus on pioblems.
-2E5351563 What uo we mean.
Aie we all talking
about the same thing.
What uoes it mean to lose the ability anu focus on
pioblems. What uoes that look like.
!=C42 What aie the causes.
Can they be iuentifieu
with ceitainty.
If theie is a measuiable change in oui ability to think
anu focus, aie theie othei possible causes beyonu the
uigital lifestyle.
7=<C2 What is impoitant
anu why.
If theie is a measuiable change in oui ability to think
anu focus, uo we ieally neeu to be conceineu. Will we
actually lose oui autonomy anu become meie
"components in the neuial netwoik" contiolleu by
machines.
B6<5J? What shoulu we uo
about it. Who shoulu
uo it.
Bow shoulu schools anu euucatois iesponu to the
acceleiating loss of oui ability to think anu focus.