Ask Questions

Asking Questions should be done BEFORE you begin to access information. Sometimes your assignment will include the questions your teacher wants you to answer through your research, but you will increasingly be asked to identify your own questions. Formulating good questions will make your end product more effective. To do this you must understand the difference between reports and research projects.

• Reports answer questions on the lower level of Bloom’s Taxonomy (describe, explain, etc.)
• Research questions require synthesis of information and ideas in order to answer them. You will be working on the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy if you have asked research questions (defend, judge, design, formulate, etc.)

Bloom’s Taxonomy and Research

Using Bloom’s taxonomy can help you to ask more challenging questions, which can result in a more interesting project both for you and your reader.

Reference:
Schultz, Lynn. Bloom’s Taxonomy. Old Dominion University. 30 Jan. 2006
<http://web.odu.edu/educ/llschult/blooms_taxonom

Be sure you have at least one research question that requires synthesis.