World History Honors Name: ______________________________

Kogan
SEMINAR QUESTION INTRODUCTION:
Opening, Core and Closing Questions

Seminar questions are written questions centered on a specific reading, group of readings or 
topic. The purpose of seminar questions is to make students THINK critically about what the read.
With the development of seminar questions, students will learn to think globally, in a cross-
disciplinary fashion, and will better understand the need to place content (specific text) in
context (larger themes and trends).

Seminar questions are divided into three categories: opening questions, core questions, and
closing questions. Understanding the purpose and construction of each type of question is
vital to the success of a seminar discussion.

OPENING QUESTION: 1 questions

- A broad generalization that connects to a major theme or concept exhibited in the text
- Elicits raw material for discussion
- Introduces and explores topics, ideas and themes of the text
- Usually a “How” or “Why” question
- Does Not relate specifically by name to the seminar text at hand

 CORE QUESTIONS:  3 to 5 questions with answers
- Content specific
- Examine central points of the text
- Can be an interpretation or analysis of a passage or assertion
- Can explore a quotation
- Must be a question that begins with “How” or “Why” – no “yes or no” questions.
- Core questions must be answered with textual evidence from the selection
- Correct MLA parenthetical citations must be used to cite the source in the answer 
(unless otherwise specified)

 CLOSING QUESTIONS : 1 question
- Establishes relevance
- Connection of content of the text to the real world
- Permits reflection

Writing Seminar Questions:
1. Literature should be written about in the present tense; historical documents should be written about in the 
past tense
2. Seminar questions never begin with a verb; otherwise, questions can be answered in either the affirmative 
or negative with no requirement for substantiation
World History Honors Name: ______________________________
Kogan
3. Opening questions are most effective when they link to trans­historical and trans­disciplinary themes
4. Opening and closing questions are never responded to in writing. Instead, the questions serve as a 
launching point for contemplation and/or reflection
5. A core questions is comparable to a body paragraph from an essay—having a topic sentence (potentially 
derived from the question), and defending that assertion with textual evidence and explanatory commentary
6. Core question responses must contain textual references
7. Questions (all types) never use personal pronouns—I, you, he, she, we, they or us