Inferential and Analytic Questions

Inferential Questions: These questions assist students in going beyond the obvious information provided to students to extend their thinking to activate their prior learning or help them create a framework within which they learn new information. The following examples of inferential questions about events, things, people, actions and states of being are found in Classroom Instruction That Works by Dean, Hubbell, Pitler and Stone (p. 55, 2012).

Events	Things/People	Actions	States of Being
Who is usually involved in this event? During which season or time of the year does this event take place? Where does the event usually take place? What equipment is typically used in tis event?	What action is usually performed on this thing or person? How is this thing usually used? What is this thing a part of? Does this things have a particular taste, feel, smell, sound, color, number, or location? What is it? Does this thing have a particular value?	Who or what usually performs this action? What effect does this action have on the taste, feel, sound, or look of a thing? How is the value of a thing changed by this action? How does this action change the size or shape of a thing?	What is the basic process involved in reaching this state? What are some of the changes that occur when something reaches this state?

Analytic Questions: Analytic questions provide students the opportunity to think more in depth and critically about information presented. The following questions are example of questions analyzing errors, constructing support, and analyzing perspectives are found in Classroom Instruction That Works by Dean, Hubbell, Pitler and Stone (p. 56, 2012).

Analyzing Errors	Constructing Support	Analyzing Perspectives
What are the errors in reasoning in this information? How is this information misleading? How could this information be corrected or improved?	What is an argument that would support this claim? What are some of the limitations of this argument or the assumptions underlying it?	Why would someone consider this to be good (or bad or neutral)? What is the reasoning behind this perspective? What is an alternative perspective, and what is the reasoning behind it?

Dean, C., Hubbell, E., Pitler, H. & Stone, B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement (2nd ed). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development & Denver, CO: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.

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