Listed below is a compilation of a few common science stems. Due to the need for situation/real life type problems, this guide does not include every possible stem. Often, you will have to look at the entire problem and foils in order to determine the task and thus the thinking skill involved. Hopefully this sheet will serve as a guide to help you with classifying the various questions you select or write.

• Knowing questions focus on clarifying, recalling, naming, and listing

  • Which illustrates...?
  • A... is an example of...?
  • From where do... get...?
• Organizing questions focus on arranging information, comparing similarities/differences, classifying, and sequencing

  • Which shows... in order from...?
  • What is the order...?
  • Which is the difference between a... and a...?
  • Which is the same as...?
  • Express... as a...?
  • How would... compare to...?
  • Which sequence...?
  • One similarity is...
• Applying questions in this category focus on prior knowledge to solve a problem

  • What was the total...?
  • What is the value of...?
  • How many... would be needed for...?
  • Find....
  • Graph....
• Analyzing questions focus on examining parts, identifying attributes/relationships/patterns, and main idea

  • Which tells...?
  • If the pattern continues,....
  • Which could...?
  • What is/are missing?
  • Which shows...?
  • What is the effect of...?
  • What most likely caused...?
  • What is the main purpose...?
  • What is the principle role of...?
  • This information indicates that....
  • Base you answer on....
  • According to the diagram,....
• Generating questions focus on producing new information, inferring, predicting, and elaborating with details

  • What is the probability...?
  • What are the chances...?
  • What effect...?
  • What can you correctly conclude...?
  • What would probably happen if...?
  • The best inference that can be made from... is...?
• Integrating questions focus on connecting/combining/summarizing information, and restructuring existing information to incorporate new information

  • How many different...?
  • What happens to... when...?
  • What is the significance of...?
  • What does the experiment show?
  • What relationship exists between...?
  • Which has both... and...?
  • What conclusion does... support?
• Evaluating questions focus on reasonableness and quality of ideas, criteria for making judgments, and confirming accuracy of claims

  • Which most accurately...?
  • Which is correct?
  • Which statement about... is true?
  • What are the chances...?
  • Which would best...?
  • Which would... the same...?
  • Which statement is sufficient to prove...?
  • What evidence is there that...?
  • Which is the most logical conclusion?