{"id":23775,"date":"2015-03-20T14:27:28","date_gmt":"2015-03-20T18:27:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=23775"},"modified":"2015-03-20T14:27:28","modified_gmt":"2015-03-20T18:27:28","slug":"asking-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2015\/03\/20\/asking-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Asking Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few weeks ago, I suggested that students try applying to conferences<\/a>. A question I\u2019ve heard since then is: \u201cBut how can I participate in conferences outside of presenting a paper or poster?\u201d \u201cGood question\u201d, I respond, spinning them into a cycle of positive feedback: you should ask questions.<\/p>\r\n

Of course, this isn\u2019t just about conferences; the same thing applies to the classroom. You don\u2019t have to be presenting in a seminar or working on an assignment to engage with the material: you can always comment and ask questions. Granted, I know that\u2019s not always easy, so here are some tips I\u2019ve developed for myself on how to ask questions, wherever you are.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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1. Forget about the power dynamics.<\/strong> When I first attended local conferences, there seemed to be a bit of a power battle in the Q&As, with each person trying to gain an upper hand and prove their worth by either answering all the questions, or presenting an unanswerable query. Don\u2019t do this. When asking questions, we should set ourselves as equals in the pursuit of knowledge. This might sound lovey-dovey, but there is no need for toxicity or power-struggles when people are trying to get feedback on their work! The same applies for classrooms: no need to try and control the room, we're all here to learn!<\/p>\r\n

2. Keep a pen and paper handy.<\/strong> It\u2019s easy to lose track of what\u2019s being said or what thought\u2019s you\u2019re having. Try jotting down notes, concerns, or questions while others are presenting or doing the Q&A or lecturing.<\/p>\r\n

3. Don\u2019t worry about making a splash.<\/strong> Even pebbles make a splash: your questions don\u2019t have to be supremely insightful to be worth asking. Questions for clarification are perfectly fine: don\u2019t expect that you\u2019re the only person who didn\u2019t understand something. But if you\u2019re seeking clarification, try also to state why that clarification might be important. If you have a question, go ahead and ask. This is particularly important in the classroom, where you are there specifically to learn.<\/p>\r\n

4. Listen to other questions<\/strong>. Sometimes it\u2019s easy to be blown away by the questions people ask: how did they come up with that in so little time? Chances are, they just know the topic better, but it\u2019s a great idea to take note of the questions you think are good (e.g., because they were well-phrased, or because they ask something really important) and try later to see what makes them tick.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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5. Get feedback on your questions.<\/strong> It seems like a weird thing to do, but you can\u2019t ask better questions without knowing where they went wrong. When I try to ask a question in a classroom but it just won\u2019t come out right, I try catching my prof after class to rearticulate myself and ask how I could have better asked my question. It\u2019s also good to ask people at conferences whether your question was a fair question, and if it helped in any way.<\/p>\r\n

6. Be positive<\/strong>. There are many kinds of questions that can be asked. If you\u2019re asking a question about someone\u2019s work, it\u2019s nice to consider prefacing your question with a statement about what you liked in the presentation, or contextualizing your question. Something like \u201cThank you for sharing your paper. I think X is an important topic, and your theory Y does some important things by A, B, and C. That said, I have a question about how C applies in this case\u201d. But you should also considering asking questions that are themselves supportive and positive: \u201cHave you considered adding D? I think it might patch up a few holes in your argument, because...\u201d or \u201cDr. Q has a good paper you might want to check out too, if you\u2019re looking at taking this paper further\u201d. There are enough negative or attacking questions that go around: try to bring some positivity to the table (you won\u2019t be forgotten for it!).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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[source]<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>Have any other tips about asking questions? Let me know in the comments below!","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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\nA few weeks ago, I suggested that students try applying to conferences. A question I\u2019ve heard since then is: \u201cBut how can I participate in conferences outside of presenting a paper or poster?\u201d \u201cGood question\u201d, I respond, spinning them into…\n<\/div>
Continue reading “Asking Questions”<\/span>…<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>
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