For these weekly assignments, students will generate three to four critical-thinking questions. Thought-provoking or critical-thinking questions require students to go beyond the facts to think about them in ways that are different from what is presented explicitly in the class or the text. In other words, there should be no "correct" factual answer to these questions. Students should try to generate questions to which you may not already have developed a response, but about which you may have some ideas. These assignments are designed to help you complete the reading, develop a habit of asking thoughtful questions about what you read and what others say, and to improve class discussion. Students should bring a TYPED copy of these questions to class - no handwritten assignments will be accepted.

Examples of Thought-Provoking Question Stems for Critical-Thinking Questions

What are the strengths and weaknesses of…?

What is the difference between… and …?

Explain why…. (Explain how…)

What would happen if ….?

What is the nature of …..?

Why is ….. happening?

What is a new example of …..?

How could …….. be used to …..?

What are the implications of …..?

What is ….. analogous to?

What do we already know about …..?

How does ….. affect ….?

How does …. tie in with what we learned before?

What does …. mean?

Why is …. important?

How are ….. and ….. similar?

How does …. apply to everyday life?

What is a counterargument for ….?

What is the best ….., and why?

What is a solution to the problem of …?

Compare …. and …. with regard to ……

What do you think causes ….? Why?

Do you agree or disagree with this statement: …?

What evidence is there to support your answer?

What is another way to look at …?