Listed below is a compilation of common social studies stems. This does not include every possible stem, but hopefully will serve as a guide for classifying questions.

• Knowing questions focus on clarifying, recalling, naming, and listing
  • What was a result of...?
  • Which situation was the immediate cause of...?
  • Which... is the best differentiation between... and...? (foils are definitions)
• Organizing questions focus on arranging information, comparing similarities/differences, classifying, and sequencing
  • When comparing..., what statement can be made about...?
  • Which heading (phrase) best completes the partial outline below?
  • What caused... to...?
  • Which event was most inconsistent with...?
  • Which best explains the difference between...?
  • In general, what is the difference between...?
  • Which describes...? is the best description of...?
  • What does this statement demonstrate about...?
  • Which best describes the similarities between...?
  • Which belief is shared by... and...?
  • What is one way in which... and... are similar?
  • The issue of... was settled by which...?
  • In what order do the above elements... take place during...?
• Applying questions focus on prior knowledge to solve a problem
  • What key activity does this illustration depict?
  • What event is portrayed in the illustration above?
  • In what document can... be found?
  • Who said, "..."?
  • Using the map above, what direction would one go in order to travel from...to...?
  • Using the map above, where would you go to find...?
  • The illustration above appeared in response to which...?
  • Above is an editorial cartoon from... that was intended to illustrate which...?
  • Which is a primary source of information about...?
  • According to the statements above, which constitutional amendments are under discussion?
  • Using the map above, what was the largest city in...?
  • Which word describes/refers to...?
  • Which word is a synonym for...?
  • How can the information in this chart be applied to... today?
  • What evidence is there that...?
  • How do... apply to...?
  • What does the problem of... show?
  • According to the graph above, what does this evidence indicate?
  • Which term means...?
  • In what way has... impacted...?
  • Using the map above, which city is located closest to... ° ...?
  • Which is the cause of...?
  • What was one reason for the development of...?
  • Which speaker refers to...?
  • ...is an example of...?
  • The main disagreement between... revolved around...?
  • Which generalization is best supported by...?
  • In..., what is the main political goal of...?
  • (a), (b), and (c) are examples of what?
  • (a), (b), and (c) came primarily from...?
  • Which ... completes this statement...?
  • Which statement reflects the philosophy of...?
  • With which ... are... most closely associated?
• Analyzing questions focus on examining parts, identifying attributes/relationships/patterns, and main idea
  • Which factor had the largest impact on...?
  • What was a main cause of...?
  • The most significant feature was...?
  • Which... was responsible for... as shown in the map above?
  • Why was... significant?
  • In the selection, what did... mean?
  • What was one impact of...?
  • Which generalization concerning... is most clearly supported by the information provided by the graph?
  • In the quote above, why does the author state that...?
  • This is a political cartoon of.... What does the artist want to express?
  • The picture above is an example of.... These... were intended to do...?
  • Why was this poster used during...?
  • Why did...? Why was...?
  • How has... affected...?
  • How did... change the way in which...?
  • What is the function of...?
  • Which advantages did... have over...?
  • What challenges do... face in...? (foils list attributes)
  • Which best explains the challenges... faced in...?
  • What are the components of...?
  • During..., which term was created?
  • Which idea during... validated...?
  • Which is an accurate analysis of...?
  • What would be a good title for the timeline above?
  • Which event was a cause of the other three events?
  • What is the reason for...? ...major reason...? ...primary reason...?
  • What was the main idea of this cartoon?
  • ...was largely the result of...?
  • Which concept is illustrated in this diagram?
  • Which statement would most likely be spoken by... and not by...?
  • According to the map above, which generalization about... is most accurate?
  • In..., which aspect of society has been most heavily influenced by...?
  • Which values are most closely associated with...?
  • Which political idea would the author of this statement most likely support?
  • Which Supreme Court case is correctly matched with the issue it addressed?
  • In this poem, the poet is expressing an opinion about...?
  • Which patterns exist in...?
  • Which... characterized...?
  • What was the main purpose of...?
  • What was one effect of...?
  • The... in the cartoon above represents...?
  • Which best depicts the effect of... and its impact on...?
  • Which best explains the effects... has had on...?
  • What was a major result of...?
  • ...has been characterized by...?
  • Which is the main reason why...?
  • Which theory explains why...?
  • According to the selection above, what was the biggest difference between...?
  • Which speaker describes most clearly the political situation that actually occurred after...?
  • Which conditions are most characteristic of...?
  • Why did... make this statement?
  • ...changed political thinking because it supported the idea of what?
  • What does... symbolize?
  • Which concept is illustrated in these statements?
  • Which philosophy had the greatest influence on...?
  • What was the purpose of...?
• Generating questions focus on producing new information, inferring, predicting, and elaborating with details
  • What is the following statement describing for...?
  • What might... in the illustration above represent?
  • What can be inferred from this statement?
  • Which statement explains the importance of...?
  • Which inference motivated... to...?
  • Which ... best explains the reason why...?
  • (a), (b), and (c) are major world problems that indicate a need for...?
  • (a), (b), and (c) are methods most often used by whom?
  • Why was... a major contribution to the development of...?
  • These rules reflect what policy?
  • The economic success of... will most likely lead to which...?
  • What would be an expected result of...?
  • What would result if...?
  • Which is the best prediction of what would happen if...?
  • What would the most likely reason be for...?
  • Which statement about the civilizations... can best be inferred by the information on the map above?
  • In the cartoon above, there are.... What idea might this represent?
  • This cartoon implies...?
• Integrating questions focus on connecting/combining/summarizing information, and restructuring existing information to incorporate new information
  • The passing of (a), (b), and (c) did which..?
  • This cartoon, which reflects the period from... to..., suggests which...?
  • What challenges have many... faced in recent years?
  • Which... is the best generalization about the information in the chart on forms of...?
  • Which statement best generalizes...? ...describes...?
  • ...might not have been so eager to do which... if...?
  • Which of these best summarizes why...?
  • Which was an immediate result of...?
    What are two ways that... affected...?
  • The geography of... has generally led to which...?
  • (a), (b), and (c) were all significant to their societies because they established what?
  • (a), (b), and (c) share a belief in which...?
  • (a), (b), and (c). These most closely reflect which idea?
  • In..., the primary goal of... has been to do what?
  • During..., what was the most notable action taken by...?
  • Which two speakers disagree most with each other about...?
  • Supreme Court decisions in (a), (b), and (c) established which important legal precedent?
  • The partial outline below concerns.... Which entry would be most appropriate for line I.?
  • What is the author of this statement advocating?
  • Which characteristic of... is part of...?
  • What was the main obstacle to solve the problem shown in the cartoon?
  • What is a valid conclusion that can be drawn from this quotation?
  • What relationship exists between... and...?
  • The history of... and the policy of... both illustrate a belief in which...?
  • Which conclusion is supported by the information provided on the map?
  • Using the map above, what conclusion can be made concerning...?
  • What general statement can be made about...?
  • Which... might have occurred if... had...?
  • What conclusion can be drawn from the statement...?
• Evaluating questions focus on reasonableness and quality of ideas, criteria for making judgments, and confirming accuracy of claims
  • Which best describes...?
  • Which statement best describes...? best explains why...? best expresses the main idea of...?
  • Which statement is correct about...?
  • Which statement is true concerning...?
  • This quotation presents a justification for which...?
  • Data from this graph support the conclusion that... did which...?
  • How did... justify... to bring about change?
  • Which is the best interpretation of the information in the chart above?
  • What was the significance of...?
  • Which statement about... is an opinion?
  • Which is a valid conclusion about... in...?
  • Which statement about the effects of... is most logical?
  • This quotation best expresses the major goal of which...?
  • Which statement concerning... is most accurate?
  • This selection describes the decision... to do which...?
  • This map best illustrates which concept?
  • Which conclusion can best be drawn from these statements?
  • Which event is directly responsible for the inclusion of this statement about...?
  • Which best completes the statement...?
  • Which statement is true regarding... in the circular flow model?
  • Which speaker best represent the attitudes of...?
  • Which statement provides the best evidence that...?
  • This poem presents a justification for which...?