Engage the Trivium Mind

By

Questioning

 Part II.

Part I is here. Asking questions is necessarily part of the Trivium. Asking questions is carried over when you read a book too. Mentally when you read any book you engage authors with all sorts of questions.

Asking questions isn’t always easy to do on line.  

If you are asking questions in an on-line community such as list serv or other groups, it’s a good idea to format your question and it’s content in a way that will greatly increase your chances for receiving a good answer. Show your polite by searching the library or on-line first before you ask a question. If you still can’t find your answer at the very least you can post your question to your list serv by demonstrating in your question you tried. This will brand you as a person who wasn’t being a lazy sponge in wasting people’s time. Also prepare your questions. Think about the question you are asking. A hasty question may get you a hasty answer or none at all. The more you take the time to demonstrate in your question that you really tried to find an answer the more likely someone may answer. Never assume you are entitled to an answer.

q     Sorting & Sifting Questions- With the advent of internet comes a lot of information. It comes to us the minute we open our computer in the morning. It yanks open the internet door and drags it in screaming and kicking. Screaming at us everyday for our attention. You will need to trash anything that does not work for you. Keep only what is relevant to the information you seek. To do this you need to sort and sift. Create “Sorting & Sifting” questions that illuminates good questions. Ex: What “part” of the information is really what you need? Is the information accurate, logical?   

q     Inventive Questions- These questions exude excitement because here is where you have your “Aha” moments. They produce brewing practical ideas you needed. You can get very creative with these types of questions. Ex: How can I regroup, these questions in order to illustrate a point I want to make? How can I eliminate the confusing portion that surrounds my data in order to bring clarity to it?

q     Telling Questions- These questions lead you to precision then to your target. The telling questions tells you something. Ex: In Homeschool magazines, what specific demographics make up the readership? What aspect of the demographics have gone overlooked so we could use it in our marketing plan? When you create telling questions they work for you efficiently because they are pointed. Further, a telling question could have a profound impact by increasing your awareness in a given subject resulting in monetary gain.

q     Clarification Questions- Smoke and fog cloud our vision. Clear vision as in clear questions helps us leave the dust behind. Clarification questions are central to understanding the issues at hand. Clarification questions bring order to chaotic questions. Asking clarification questions prevents misunderstandings. Ex: Pardon me, I wonder if you could explain what you mean…I don’t quite follow.

q     Provocative Questions- Will serve you well if you want to debunk a silly notion or a false hood. They help cut pass the noise and get to the bottom of an issue.

q     Planning Questions- A view from a plane gives you a much better picture of the whole city. Looking from above means you look on top. This reminds me of a event planner. Similarly, planning questions requires time and structure. Ex: Who is the Market leader in _______ business? What are the major events that gave rise to ______? Who are the shakers of that particular industry, subject? What on-line data base has the most extensive resources I need in order to look at the whole picture from above? What exemplary works exists on this subject?

q     Strategic Questions- These types of questions take planning. Often they call for switching over to another way of formulating your question.  You could ask the same question in different ways. Ex: How do I locate information on Google algorithms? Or you could ask… How do I locate information on making a website rank better in search engines?  Depending on what forum you are posting your on-line questions you will want to tweak your questions in order to get the best possible response while not irritating others.

q     Irrelevant Questions- These questions have the potential of distracting you and wasting your time. An irrelevant question does not serve or support you.

Maribel Hernandez, Alternative Phyto-Med Formulators  www.APMFormulators.com Join APMFormulators e-list