Questions can be asked to fill information gaps or contradictions by the person directing them. Reasons for asking a question may vary depending on the relationship between the person asking and the person expected to answer. For example, a teacher may ask a question to extract information or assist the correspondents in connecting to an idea, referring, adding awareness, inducing creativity and imagination, and aiding them in critical thinking. A question, in general, can be asked for the respondent to compare different things, evaluate and assess, appraise, defend, estimate or judge. Question of judgment, preference question, factual question, evaluative question convergent and divergent question are among the many examples of types of questions (Cornelia, 1995).
‘What is the best way to address obesity in the United States?’ is a question of judgment. This is so because this type of question requires the person handling it to evaluate or judge among the various ways of addressing obesity in answering it. In addition, it requires intelligent levels of psychological and emotional judgment. This will be achieved through filtering among the alternatives. Based on personal judgment or evaluation, one merits the various ways and chooses one that has the highest weight. The ultimate choice will depend on a person’s awareness or knowledge, and the information to be gathered through reading.
This question is different from a question of fact or question of preference. A question of fact or a factual question is generally inclined toward asking for simple and direct answers based on apparent facts or knowledge. Factual questions have few psychological features since their answers are either correct or wrong. The answers to such questions are answered with remarks to facts and grounds having logical relations emerging from those facts. Factual questions in many ways can be subjected to proof (Cornelia, 1995). The answers given to them may call for the fact to be proven. Proving beyond a reasonable doubt requires the provision of evidence and linking the evidence with the fact. The question of fact is thus different from the question of judgment since the latter does not have to be based on fact or facts.
‘What is the best way to address obesity in the United States?’ is not a preference question. A preference question is a question that requires its respondent to choose by selecting something over another or others. The things one chooses are usually provided within the question phrase. Preference questions can in turn be answered through granting precedence or attaching a prior right or advantage to one choice among two or more choices in the question. Preference question differs from judgment question by the fact that in a judgment question the respondent generates from his thinking the choice to chooser in answering the question (Roy, 2006).
The question does not qualify for a converging question in that the answer is not directed in a certain direction like diet, or exercise. The question also does not qualify to be a divergent question in that it does not allow the respondent to give all the explore-able alternatives of curbing obesity; it’s a question of judgment (Jeff, 2001).
Finally, the ability to identify the type of question will greatly play part in answering it correctly. This goes hand in hand in establishing what is expected by a particular question. Proper understanding of question types also aids in determining the required scope while answering them. The sole purpose of a question is to add knowledge and awareness since they are an inherent component of learning.
Reference List
Cornelia, Nelson. (1995) Grammar smart: building an educated grammar vocabulary. New York: Villard Books.
Jeff, Solloway. (2001) Grammar Smart: A Guide to Perfect Usage.: Madison: Demco Media.
Roy, Killen. (2006) Effective teaching strategies Scarborough: Nelson Education.