TEN SIMPLE QUESTIONS? (Attention to Detail)

Objectives	To encourage students to be alert to tiny details, dangerous assumptions, and the importance of careful reading that hold the key to success.
Procedure	Present the Ten Simple Questions quiz, allowing a very tight time limit (e.g., 3 minutes). Before you give them the correct answers, ask them how many had the (most likely) incorrect answer for each one (e.g., 13 hours and 45 minutes for question 1; 4 [September, April, June, and November] for question 2; 11 for question 3). Then present the answers to them, and lead a discussion.
Discussion Questions	1. What factors caused you to err? 2. How might those factors affect your work performance? 3. What can you do to control (minimize or eliminate) such factors?
Tips	This type of activity can be deflating to some individuals who strong self-images, and they may become defensive. There you must carefully decide whether to ask for individual reports of success on the exercise (e.g., number incorrect or correct). The purpose is not to make participants look or feel badly, but to alert them to the necessity of reading carefully, noting small but important factors, and not making improper assumptions.
If you have more time	After the individual members have had a chance to answer the questions (but before providing the answer key), you may wish to break the total group into small groups to collaborate on responses.

Ten Simple Questions quiz

Rhonda Russell
Bethel High School
Hampton VA