Critical Thinking Cheat Sheet: Lesson 4 - The Art of Questioning

Types of Questions and Their Uses

Question Type	Purpose	Examples
Closed Questions	Getting specific information or confirmation	“Did you finish the report?” “What time is the meeting?”
Open Questions	Exploring ideas and gathering detailed information	“How did you approach this problem?” “What factors influenced your decision?”
Probing Questions	Digging deeper into responses and uncovering assumptions	“Can you tell me more about that?” “What led you to that conclusion?”
Hypothetical Questions	Exploring possibilities and alternatives	“What would happen if…?” “How might we approach this differently?”
Reflective Questions	Examining your own thinking and biases	“Why do I believe this?” “What evidence would change my mind?”

The Socratic Method: Questioning Sequence

Clarifying Questions: “What exactly do you mean by…?”
Questions about Assumptions: “What are you assuming when you say…?”
Questions about Evidence: “What evidence supports that view?”
Questions about Implications: “If that’s true, what would follow from it?”
Questions about Alternative Viewpoints: “How might someone else see this issue?”
Questions about the Question: “Why is this question important?”

Powerful Questions for Different Contexts

When Evaluating Claims: - “What evidence supports this?” - “How reliable is the source?” - “What would falsify this claim?” - “What alternative explanations exist?”

When Making Decisions: - “What problem are we really trying to solve?” - “What are our options beyond the obvious ones?” - “What are the potential unintended consequences?” - “How might this look five years from now?”

When in Disagreement: - “What do we agree on?” - “What would convince you to change your mind?” - “What concerns underlie your position?” - “What’s at stake for each of us in this discussion?”

When Solving Problems: - “How have others addressed similar problems?” - “What constraints are we taking for granted?” - “What’s preventing us from solving this?” - “What’s the real problem beneath the presenting problem?”

Principles for Effective Questioning

Ask Genuinely: Questions asked with curiosity get better responses than rhetorical questions
One at a Time: Ask single questions rather than multiple questions at once
Give Space: Allow silence after asking questions to give time for thought
Listen Actively: Show you’re listening through body language and follow-up questions
Be Open to Unexpected Answers: Don’t just seek confirmation of what you already believe
Mind Your Tone: The same question can sound accusatory or curious depending on tone

Remember