Definitions: Readers can find the answers to FACTUAL QUESTIONS in the text itself, and they have only one correct answer.

Readers can and must find support for their responses to INTERPRETIVE QUESTIONS in the text, and they have more than one possible response or interpretation. Readers should always reserve a level of doubt about the veracity of both their own and others’ responses to an interpretive question and acknowledge and respect opposing perspectives as valid if they have textual support. Many valid, even conflicting, interpretations may exist.

EVALUATIVE QUESTIONS do not require one to access text in order to respond. GOOD (Evaluative) QUESTIONS…

…recur throughout our lives; they have relevance outside a particular environment such as a classroom, a novel, or school.

…have neither easy answers nor even a final resolution.

…are arguable, debatable, and have many possible solutions.

Examples of good evaluative questions about learning:

Why do people generally tend to resist learning and accepting new ideas?

How can we overcome resistances to learning? How can we help others overcome it?

What obligations do we have, if any, for sharing our learning?

Examples of good evaluative questions about prejudice:

What are the sources of prejudice?

When is it either appropriate or inappropriate to act on prejudice?

How can we recognize and control our prejudices instead of letting them control us?