8 Socratic Questioning

Socratic Questioning Techniques are encouraged to deepen the learners thinking about the content and to encourage independent and life long learning. Clarification as to the types of questions are below and these are followed with examples:

Conceptual clarification questions

Encourage the learner to think more about what exactly they are asking or thinking about. Prove the concepts behind their argument. Use basic 'tell me more' questions that get them to go deeper.

• Why are you saying that?
• What exactly does this mean?
• How does this relate to what we have been talking about?
• What is the nature of ...?
• What do we already know about this?
• Can you give me an example?
• Are you saying ... or ... ?
• Can you rephrase that, please?

Probing assumptions

Probing the learners assumptions makes them think about the presuppositions and unquestioned beliefs on which they are founding their argument. This is shaking the bedrock and should get them really going!

• What else could we assume?
• You seem to be assuming ... ?
• How did you choose those assumptions?
• Please explain why/how ... ?
• How can you verify or disprove that assumption?
• What would happen if ... ?
• Do you agree or disagree with ... ?

Probing rationale, reasons and evidence

When the learner gives a rationale for their arguments, dig into that reasoning rather than assuming it is a given. People often use un-thought-through or weakly-understood supports for their arguments.

• Why is that happening?
• How do you know this?
• Show me ... ?
• Can you give me an example of that?
• What do you think causes ... ?
• What is the nature of this?
• Are these reasons good enough?
• Would it stand up in court?
• How might it be refuted?
• How can I be sure of what you are saying?
• Why is ... happening?
• Why? (keep asking it -- you'll never get past a few times)
• What evidence is there to support what you are saying?
• On what authority are you basing your argument?

Questioning viewpoints and perspectives

Most arguments are given from a particular position - so attack the position. Show that there are other, equally valid, viewpoints.

• Another way of looking at this is ..., does this seem reasonable?
• What alternative ways of looking at this are there?
• Why it is ... necessary?
• Who benefits from this?
• What is the difference between... and...?
• Why is it better than ...?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of...?
• How are ... and ... similar?
• What would ... say about it?
• What if you compared ... and ... ?
• How could you look another way at this?

Probe implications and consequences

The argument that they give may have logical implications that can be forecast. Do these make sense? Are they desirable?

• Then what would happen?
• What are the consequences of that assumption?
• How could ... be used to ... ?
• What are the implications of ... ?
• How does ... affect ... ?
• How does ... fit with what we learned before?
• Why is ... important?
• What is the best ... ? Why?

Questions about the question

You can also get reflexive about the whole thing, turning the question in on itself. Use their attack against themselves. Bounce the ball back into the learners court, etc.

• What was the point of asking that question?
• Why do you think I asked this question?
• Am I making sense? Why not?
• What else might I ask?
• What does that mean?

Examples of Socratic Questions

Clarification Questions

• What do you mean by ?
• What is your main point?
• How does relate to ?
• Could you put that another way?
• What do you think is the main issue here?
• Let me see if I understand you; do you mean or ?
• Jane, would you summarize in your own words what Richard has said? . . .
• Richard, is that what you meant?
• Could you give me an example?
• Would this be an example: ?
• Could you explain that further?
• Could you expand upon that?

Questions about the initial question or issue

• How can we find out?
• What does this question assume?
• Would put the question differently?
• How could someone settle this question?
• Can we break this question down at all?
• Is the question clear? Do we understand it?
• Is this question easy or hard to answer? Why?
• Does this question ask us to evaluate something?
• Do we all agree that this is the question?
• To answer this question, what questions would we have to answer first?
• I’m not sure I understand how you are interpreting the main question at issue.
• Is this the same issue as ?
• How would __ put this issue?
• Why is this question important?
• Does this question lead to other questions or issues?

Assumption Probes

• What are you assuming?
• What is Karen assuming?
• What could we assume instead?
• You seem to be assuming . Do I understand you correctly?
• All of your reasoning depends on the idea that . Why have you based your reasoning on rather than ?
• You seem to be assuming __. How would you justify taking this for granted?
• Is it always the case? Why do you think the assumption holds here?
• Why would someone make this assumption?

Reason and Evidence Probes

• What would be an example?
• How do you know?
• Why do you think that is true?
• Do you have any evidence for that?
• What difference does that make?
• What are your reasons for saying that?
• What other information do we need?
• Could you explain your reasons to us?
• Are these reasons adequate?
• Can you explain how you logically got from to ?
• Do you see any difficulties with their reasoning here?
• Why did you say that?
• What led you to that belief?
• How does that apply to this case?
• What would change your mind?
• But is there good evidence to believe that?
• Is there reason to doubt that evidence?
• Who is in a position to know if that is so?
• What would you say to someone who said __?
• Can someone else give evidence to support that response?
• By what reasoning did you come to that conclusion?
• How could we find out whether that is true?

Origin or Source Questions

• Where did you get this idea?
• Do your friends or family feel the same way?
• Have you been influenced by media?
• Have you always felt this way?
• What caused you to feel this way?
• Did you originate this idea or get it from someone else?

Implication and Consequence Probes

• What are you implying by that?
• When you say are you implying ?
• But if that happened, what else would happen as a result? Why?
• What effect would that have?
• Would that necessarily happen or only probably happen?
• What is the probability of this result?
• What is an alternative?
• If this and this are the case, then what else must also be true?
• If we say that this is unethical, how about that?

Viewpoint Questions

• You seem to be approaching this issue from perspective. Why have you chosen this rather than that perspective?
• How would other groups/types of people respond? Why? What would influence them?
• How could you answer the objection that would make?
• What might someone who believed __ think?
• Can/did anyone see this another way?
• What would someone who disagrees say?
• What is an alternative?
• How are Ken's and Roxanne's ideas alike? Different?