How do you create effective study questions?

Wednesday, November 22, 2023
by Dragana Kostic, Academic Development and Retention Specialist

Study questions are a great way to help you prepare for an exam or test. They help you review the course material and practice applying it to questions — just like ²â´Ç³Ü’l±ô do during the test.

The key to doing this effectively is to create study questions that force you to use the same skills ²â´Ç³Ü’l±ô use during the exam.Ìý

Back in high school, you had to remember, understand and apply new information. But in university, ²â´Ç³Ü’r±ð expected to demonstrate higher levels of learning. You also have to analyze, evaluate and create something to demonstrate your knowledge.

When ²â´Ç³Ü’r±ð making study questions, break them down into these six categories, starting from the simplest ones (remember) and working your way up to the most complex ones (create).

Tip: Questions in the higher stages—analyze, evaluate and create —will typically have higher grades attached to them! Ìý

Remember

  • Key words: Who, what, identify, recall
  • Questions that require you to quickly recall specific information
  • Examples:
    • Who…? What…? Where…? How…?

Understand

  • Key words: Interpret, summarize, give an example of
  • Questions that require you to organize and select facts and ideas
  • Examples:
    • Re-tell in your own words ____.
    • What is the main idea of _____?
    • What difference exists between _____?
    • Write a brief outline of _____.

Apply

  • Key Words: Construct, demonstrate, predict, show that
  • Questions that require you to demonstrate use of facts, rules and principles
  • Examples:
    • How is ____ anÌý example of_____?
    • How is _____ related to_____?
    • Why is _____ significant?
    • What difference exists between _____?

Analyze

  • Key words: Break down, what is the relationship between, compare
  • Questions that require you to separate a whole into component parts
  • Examples:
    • Classify_____according to_____.
    • What are the features of_____?
    • How does_____compare/contrast with_____?

Evaluate

  • Key words: Judge, defend, evaluate, critique
  • Questions that require you to combine ideas to form a new whole
  • Examples:
    • What ideas can you add to_____?
    • What solutions would you suggest for _____?
    • What might happen if you combine_____with_____?
    • How would you design a new_____?

Create

  • Key words: Create, compose, design, prove
  • Questions that require you to develop opinions, judgements or decisions
  • Examples:
    • Do you agree that_____? Explain.
    • Prioritize according to_____.
    • What criteria would you use to assess?
    • How would you decide about_____?

Study question tips and tricksÌý

  • Make sure to have at least one question for each of the six categoriesÌýabove (remember to create)Ìý
  • Refer to your notes, quizzes and course material when ²â´Ç³Ü’r±ð creating questionsÌý

  • Try to find the topics that the instructor emphasized in the lectures and make sure to include these in your questionsÌý

  • Write down your questions and put the paper somewhere visibleÌýÌý

  • Work through the questions as part of your test or exam reviewÌý

  • Try saying the answers our loud or writing them down Answer the questions in your own wordsÌý

  • ¶Ù´Ç²Ô’t be discouraged if you »å´Ç²Ô’t know all the answers. Review the material again and go back to the questions you struggled with