The use of questioning skills is essential to systematic
investigation in any subject area. In such an investigation 1)
one asks questions to identify the reason or reasons for the
investigation: 2) questions are asked to direct the search for
information and to synthesize what has been discovered; and
3) the conclusions resulting from investigations are evaluated
via questions. However, using questions to assist
students' investigations is a relatively new technique in the
schools. In the past, teachers primarily questioned students
to ascertain whether or not they were learning the book
content and to see if students were paying attention in class.