Designing inquiry questions  (Page 2/5)

Asking questions that will have complex answers, such as "how" or "why," or sometimes "what," will help to produce well-rounded, in-depth inquiries. If you already have some idea of the kinds of influences on or by your chosen composer, you may be able to start with an inquiry-type question, such as "Why did Beethoven have such a substantial influence on Romantic-era composers?" or "What influence has Ravi Shankar had on American music?" or "How did church music influence Elvis Presley?"

Questions that involve "who," "where," or "when" usually lead to bits of knowledge rather than deeper understanding. However, if you do not know who influenced or was influenced by your composer-of-interest, you may have to start with that question. It is not unusual for inquiries to start with some early investigations that help to shape the direction of the inquiry. In fact, in this inquiry, rather than posing one question, you will pose and keep track of a whole series of questions that arise as you investigate, and this will help you identify the "good" inquiry question or questions that you create along the way.

Investigate

Begin your investigation with any relevant question (for example "What music influenced Joan Baez?") When a question occurs to you, write it down, and take notes on the answers you find until something in the answers inspires a related question that interests you. Write down the new question, and continue your investigation until you have enough information to create a short but thorough and interesting report or presentation on the influences of or on your chosen composer.

Suggested resources

• Online articles - Articles focused on your composer of interest can provide the orientation you need to start asking relevant questions.
• Online search - Focus on pertinent information by searching for phrases such as "influenced Brahms", "Brahms influential", and so on. If you phrase your searches as complete questions, such as "How did Duke Ellington influence American pop?" then your "search history" will include a record of the questions you asked.
• Books - You may be able to find a book about your chosen composer. Books about a musical era, genre, or style are often organized as a discussion of how the music developed as it was passed from one influential set of composers and musicians to the next.
• Recordings - Listen closely to the music of your chosen composer and the others whom you are discovering in your inquiry. Can you hear the similarities and differences that are being discussed in your reading? Can you analyze and discuss what you are hearing in your report? Does your listening raise questions that are useful for your inquiry?
• Personal Contacts - If you have chosen a contemporary composer or songwriter about whom not much has been written, a letter or email stating that you are a big fan and that you wonder who has influenced their music might receive an answer. If the composer is local or is giving a show in your area, asking the question in person after a show or while purchasing a CD may get an answer. Follow up by reading about the musicians named and listening to their music.