Higher Order Thinking Questions

List compiled by Mary Mickle:

UNDERSTAND (Level 2)

Interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, explaining

• Elaborate on__________.
• How can you describe_________?
• How would you clarify the meaning _________?
• How would you compare/contrast_________?
• How would you differentiate between________ and _________?
• How would you express_________?
• How would you generalize_________?
• How would you identify_________?
• What can you infer from_________?
• What can you say about_________?
• What did you observe_________?
• What is the main idea of _________?
• What would happen if _________?
• Will you restate_________?

APPLY (Level 3)

Executing and implementing

• How would you develop_________?
• How would you alter _______ to _________?
• How would you change_________?
• How would you modify_______?
• How would you demonstrate_________?
• How would you develop________ to present _________?
• How would you present _________?
• How would you solve_________?
• What actions would you take to perform_____?
• What examples can you find that _________?
• What other way would you choose to _________?
• What would the result be if _________?
• Why does ________ work?

ANALYZE (Level 4)

Differentiating, organizing, attributing

• Discuss the pros and cons of __________.
• How can you classify ________ according to _________?
• How can you compare the different parts of _________?
• How can you sort the parts of _________?
• How is _________ connected to _________?
• How would you explain _________?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of _________?
• What can you infer _________?
• What can you point out about _________?
• What evidence in the text can you find that _________?
• What explanation do you have for _________?
• What ideas support/validate_________?
• What is the problem with _________?
• What is your analysis of _________?
• Why do you think _________?

EVALUATE (Level 5)

Checking and critiquing

• Create a poem/riddle/song that explains_________?
• Devise a way to_________?
• How would you compile the facts for_________?
• How would you elaborate on the reason_________?
• How would you generate a plan to_________?
• How would you improve_________?
• How would you portray_________?
• Predict the outcome if _________?
• What alternative would you suggest for_________?
• What changes would you make to revise_________?
• What could you invent_________?
• What facts can you gather_________?
• What would happen if _________?

CREATE (Level 6)

Generating, planning, producing

• Determine the value of _____.
• How could you verify_________?
• How would you determine which facts__________?
• How would you grade_________?
• Rank the importance of ______.
• Rate the _________. Explain your rating.
• What choice would you have made_________? Explain your reasoning.
• What criteria would you use to assess_________?
• What data was used to evaluate_________?
• What information would you use to prioritize_________?
• What is the most important_________? Tell why.
• What is your favorite_________? Why?
• What would you suggest_________?
• What is your opinion of _________? Support your response.