01:090:112 Spring 2021 - The Art of the Question
Questions drive inquiry. Ask scholars about their work, and they will tell you that finding answers is important but finding questions is even more so: without questions, there can be no research. Questions also drive learning. When you encounter new material in classes, you should ask yourself: How is this relevant? How does it connect with and extend what I already know? Answering such questions helps you internalize the material and make it your own. In both classes and research, asking honest questions is a sign of respect; it shows that you are engaged and grappling with the ideas.
In this spring’s Honors Colloquium, we will explore what it means to ask good questions. How general or technical should questions be? How broad or narrow? If you don’t know the answer yet, how do you devise a plan to find it? How do you convince others that the answer is worth finding? We will hear from scholars in different disciplines to learn how they come up with questions at levels ranging from class assignments to theses and dissertations to scholarly works.
