DOK Question Stems

DOK 1 DOK 2
• Can you recall______? • Can you explain how ____ affected ____?
• When did ____ happen? • How would you apply what you learned
• Who was ____? to develop ____?
• How can you recognize____? • How would you compare ____?
• What is____? Contrast_____?
• How can you find the meaning of____? • How would you classify____?
• Can you recall____? • How are____alike? Different?
• Can you select____? • How would you classify the type of____?
• How would you write___? • What can you say about____?
• What might you include on a list • How would you summarize____?
about___? • How would you summarize___?
• Who discovered___? • What steps are needed to edit___?
• What is the formula for___? • When would you use an outline to ___?
• Can you identify___? • How would you estimate___?
• How would you describe___? • How could you organize___?
• What would you use to classify___?
• What do you notice about___?

DOK 3 DOK 4
• How is ____ related to ____? • Write a thesis, drawing conclusions from
• What conclusions can you draw _____? multiple sources.
• How would you adapt____to create a • Design and conduct an experiment.
different____? Gather information to develop
• How would you test____? alternative explanations for the results of
• Can you predict the outcome if____? an experiment.
• What is the best answer? Why? • Write a research paper on a topic.
• What conclusion can be drawn from • Apply information from one text to
these three texts? another text to develop a persuasive
• What is your interpretation of this text? argument.
Support your rationale. • What information can you gather to
• How would you describe the sequence support your idea about___?
of____? • DOK 4 would most likely be the writing of
• What facts would you select to a research paper or applying information
support____? from one text to another text to develop
• Can you elaborate on the reason____? a persuasive argument.
• What would happen if___? • DOK 4 requires time for extended
• Can you formulate a theory for___? thinking.
• How would you test___?
• Can you elaborate on the reason___?

From Depth of Knowledge – Descriptors, Examples and Question Stems for Increasing Depth of Knowledge in the Classroom Developed by
Dr. Norman Webb and Flip Chart developed by Myra Collins