Literal and Inferential Evaluative Questions:
These terms are often used in the context of reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. Let's break down each type:
Literal Evaluative Questions:
* Focus: These questions assess a reader's ability to identify and understand explicitly stated information in the text.
* Examples:
* "What are the main characteristics of the character X?"
* "What is the author's purpose in writing this paragraph?"
* "What evidence from the text supports the author's claim?"
* Key words: "state," "identify," "explain," "summarize," "describe."
Inferential Evaluative Questions:
* Focus: These questions go beyond the literal text, requiring readers to make inferences and draw conclusions based on the information provided.
* Examples:
* "Why do you think character Y reacted in this way?"
* "What is the author's opinion about the topic discussed?"
* "What is the significance of this event in the story?"
* "What are the author's biases or assumptions?"
* Key words: "infer," "conclude," "predict," "analyze," "interpret," "evaluate," "judge."
Here's a table for easy comparison:
| Feature | Literal Evaluative Questions | Inferential Evaluative Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Explicitly stated information | Implicit information; drawing conclusions |
| Level of Thinking | Lower-level; recalling facts | Higher-level; critical thinking |
| Examples | Identifying character traits, summarizing events, explaining the main idea | Interpreting character motivations, analyzing author's purpose, drawing conclusions |
| Key Words | State, identify, explain, summarize, describe | Infer, conclude, predict, analyze, interpret, evaluate, judge |
Benefits of Both Types:
* Literal: Essential for building a foundation of understanding.
* Inferential: Promote critical thinking and deeper understanding of the text.
Important Note:
Both literal and inferential questions can be evaluative. The key difference lies in whether the question is directly answerable from the text or requires interpretation and reasoning.
By mastering both types of questions, students can develop comprehensive reading comprehension skills.