Asking questions is not something that comes naturally to everyone. And even for those of us who it does, there is often still some hesitancy before putting our hand in the air. What if my question is dumb or obvious? What if the presenter already answered my question, but it was when my phone buzzed because McDonald's wants to give me free fries with the purchase of a quarter pounder. I am definitely gonna get that quarter pounder, but wish it hadn't distracted me. What if people are mad because it is towards the end of class, and everyone wants to leave but my question will take longer so they can't leave yet?
These (the McDonald's one comes up more than you'd think) and others are common reasons why people hesitate to ask questions during class or presentations. In reality, presenters, especially instructor's, are usually more than happy — if not actively hoping to be able to answer questions. Some exceptions exist, of course, but asking questions often is a sign of respect; you were paying attention and cared enough to want to know more about the topic. Besides driving discussion or getting more information, asking a question of a speaker or instructor also helps imprint you on their memory and build rapport. Being good at asking questions can even help readers' love lives: one of the best ways to make an impression on potential dates or on a first date is asking meaningful question. This article will attempt to assist readers in becoming better critical thinkers by providing some different types of questions to ask. We will be moving past the five W's and How, and into the purpose of different questions.
Elaborate
Asking a speaker to "please elaborate" or "expand further" is an excellent strategy. It is a more elegant way of asking for a piece of information than a standard "what" question because it allows the asker to add in their context for the question. Compare, if you will:
"What was Elvis's most popular song?"
or
"Could you please share what Elvis's most popular song was, and why you think it stood out?"
The first has a very simple answer, which could be Googled. The latter allows the presenter to give some individual insight and their own flair to their answer. It also gives the speaker the impression the asker really cares about their question.
Clarification
Never feel bad for asking for clarification, even if you get a snotty response. I think any presenter who gets upset when his audience is unclear of their message probably has an inflated ego. Rather, most presenters would rather someone pipe up and respectfully ask them to clarify a point instead of going through the entire presentation with their audience confused. Odds are if you are confused, someone else likely is as well.
What's Next?
Asking about the future of a speaker's topic again shows interest and communicates that their topic is important, but can also present an opportunity. It may lead the speaker to revealing a new project our asker could be involved in, or presenting a previously unconsidered research avenue. "What's next" questions can often lead to some interesting outcomes, and I wish they would be brought up more often.
Asking About Conflicting Information
If you have heard something contrary to what the speaker has presented, it is ok to ask them about their opinion on the topic, though I would recommend trying to avoid coming off combatively. Do not try to prove the speaker wrong. Rather, simply share what you have heard, who you heard it from, and then conclude with something like "I was hoping you could share your thoughts on *thing*." You may knock the speaker off their guard a bit, and, if they are worth their salt, they will likely be able to answer in a professional way.
Leading
Leading questions are questions the where the asker is trying to get the speaker to answer in a specific way. These are typically found in court rooms and domestic disagreements, and are usually bad faith. The only time a leading question is good is if your friend is the speaker and you are trying to softball them a good question to make them look smart. Otherwise, avoid these.
These are just some of the different types of approaches students can use to level up their question game from high school. With the exception of leading questions, they carry a level of professionalism that was not required or even at times not welcomed in high school settings, depending on the speaker. But remember, students have moved on from high school and asking to use the restroom. College students not only need to be curious but need the means to apply that curiosity. That comes from asking smart questions.
