Characteristics of effective discussion questions

• does not have an obvious yes/no answer
  
  
• does not presume too much knowledge on the part of the students
  
  
• sends students to the assigned readings
  
  
• asks students to make comparisons
  
  
• enquires about change over time
  
  
• asks about the contemporary significance of the material under consideration
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• asks students to engage in counter-factual exercises
  
  
• asks students to think about historiography or methodology
  
  
• provokes debate