Inquiry and Asking Questions
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| inquiry | 探究 | tàn jiū |
| sustained investigation | 持续探究 | chí xù tàn jiū |
Start by asking
- In AP Art and Design, making begins with inquiry 探究 — asking questions.
- Those questions guide a sustained investigation 持续探究 over time.
- This is Big Idea 1: investigate materials, processes, and ideas.
In AP Art and Design, making begins with...
Making begins with inquiry — questions that guide investigation.
An in-depth, question-driven study of materials, processes, and ideas over time is a ____ investigation.
A sustained investigation develops over time, guided by inquiry.
What a good question does
- Questions can be simple — who, what, when, where, why, how, what if, and why not.
- Investigation includes perception, curiosity, examination, and discovery.
- A question drives you to research, test, and make.
A strong inquiry question or not?
Sort each as a good inquiry question or not really an inquiry.
Select all things investigation includes.
Perception, curiosity, and discovery are investigation; thoughtless copying is not.
Match each term to its meaning.
Inquiry = questions; sustained investigation = study over time; evolve = change.
Questions evolve
- Questions evolve: early questions lead to new questions as the work develops.
- You do not need the perfect question at the start.
- Documenting your questions becomes a resource for your portfolio.
It is fine for your guiding questions to change as your work develops.
Questions evolve — the changing inquiry is valued.
A sustained investigation is driven by a question, not a fixed plan or a single style. Do not decide everything up front — start with a genuine question and let it evolve as you make. The evolution of your inquiry is exactly what AP readers reward.
A student starts with "How can I show the passing of time?" Early works try clocks and shadows; that leads to a new question, "What does memory look like?" The inquiry has evolved — and that visible journey is the heart of a strong sustained investigation.
Making begins with inquiry — asking questions that guide a sustained investigation. Good questions can be simple, and they evolve as the work develops. Documenting your questions is a resource for the portfolio; the evolving inquiry is what readers reward.