DEPTH ICONS – Dig deeper into the layers of a topic
Language of the Discipline:
 What specialized vocabulary or jargon is used to understand this topic?
 What common tools or tasks are related to this study?
Details:
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What are the traits or characteristics of the topic?
Prioritize the details.
What are the details of the details?
What examples and evidence support the opinions and ideas?
Patterns:
 What elements, events, ideas are repeated?
 Why are the patterns used?
 What predictions can you make based on past events?
Rules:
 What are the rules and order of the system?
 What is the hierarchy of the structure?
 How is the topic structured?
Trends:
 What course of action will take place due to the trend?
 What factors (social, political, economic, geographic) have influenced this trend?
Unanswered Questions:
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What is still unexplored or not understood about this topic?
What discrepancies (differing information) are present?
In what ways is the information incomplete or lacking in explanation?
Are there any fallacies (false information)?
Big Idea:
 What generalizations, big idea, or theory can be made about this topic?
 What conclusions can be made based on the collection of facts and ideas?
 What overarching statement best describes what is being studied?
Ethics:
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What moral principles are involved in this subject?
Is it a humane decision?
What elements can be identified that reflect bias, prejudice, discrimination?
What arguments could emerge from a study of this topic?
Proof:
 What information verifies this?
 How can this be validated?
Motive:
 How is the idea or work stimulated?
 What is causing this to happen?
Impact:
 How does ____________ influence ______________?
 What are the effects of ____________ on _____________?
Process:
 What are the steps used to ___________?
 What procedures are involved?
 Explain the process of _______________.
COMPLEXITY ICONS – Stretch your ideas through complex thinking
Relationships Over Time:
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How are the ideas related between the past, present, and future?
How has the time affected the information?
How and why do things change?
What has remained the same and what are the factors that affected this?
Multiple Perspectives:
 What are the pros and cons of the different viewpoints?
 How do different people in different roles view the events?
 What questions or statements will others have?
Relate Across the Disciplines:
 How does the topic influence and relate to other subject matters?
 How do the ideas relate to other subjects?
Judgment:
 How will the decision be made?
 How can the decision be justified?
Context:
 What is the background information?
 What features, conditions, or circumstances describe the situation?
 How does ____________ shape or affect what is happening?
Translate:
 Translate the text / sentence into your own words.
 How does the author interpret the topic?
Original:
 What are new or original ideas presented?
 How is this a new perspective?
 What are other formats for this text?
CONTENT IMPERATIVES – Critically examine the imperatives/essentials of a topic
Origin:
 How did this begin?
 What was the cause?
Parallel:
 What is similar?
 What is comparable?
Contribution:
 How long did this build?
 What is the significance or value?
Convergence:
 How did this all come together?
 How did things merge?
Paradox:
 What are the opposing ideas?
 What is the dilemma?