Sometimes after listening to some piece of new information your head is full of fresh and actual questions. However, many students feel insecure to express their doubts in questions. Why do we feel ashamed asking for the answer? How to be taught to ask? We tried to answer all these questions and hopefully teach you how to prevent yourself from meaningless asking.
Ask… A Lot!
The unspoken rule is: if at the end of the lecture a professor isn’t being asked at all, then his students are too smart and find listening to a lecture hideously banal and boring (which is rare), or did not understand anything and now sit quietly, so no one would know about it. Therefore, the fact that you can build a question about a given topic indicates the presence of a certain understanding of the lecture. Of course, the question asked shouldn’t show your incapability to analyze and think thoroughly. So the mechanical ability to ask is not enough, you also need to be able to do it right. A right question will definitely show the presence of awareness about a particular subject.
How to Create a Question
At first it is necessary to clearly identify the problem or subject you refer to. You need to know exactly what you are going to ask. Otherwise, you will not get an answer. Make a clear formulation. This ability certainly comes with practice. If it is difficult for you to structure the issue mentally, then write it. Such questions are easier to analyze and edit. Additional learning and information search is required when there are obvious things of not knowing which, by some professional circumstances, you are ashamed of. Moreover, the gained knowledge will help to make a question well- formulated and “grown-up”. Do not answer by yourself. At least this behavior demonstrates disrespect to the other person, as the maximum, it will leave the question meaningless.
Don’t Forget About the Rules
While formulating what you are going to ask, do not forget about the ethical rules. Do not interrupt the person who is answering your question. In any case, an interruption response should be applied only in extreme cases: for example, when the person that is questioned behaves, inadequately and aggressively. Ask questions one by one with pauses so you can get a clear answer to each of them. Also, remember the time limits. If a lector says that you have two minutes to ask a question - so you really have only two minutes. The more attention you give yourself to ask the lesser will be the depth and the sense of an answer. Work on the art of asking, so that people would really think about what can be considered as a correct answer for you.
