QAR: Question Answer Response Strategy
Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare
Purpose of the Strategy
Raphael (1984, 1986) studied the question-answer relationship, a taxonomy broken into
four levels: Right There; Think and Search; the Author and You; and On My Own. This
strategy promotes active comprehension of the message of the author and provides
students with a way to think about questions and answers. If students are asked to create
their own questions, QAR also extends their writing ability.
Directions
STEP 1--Introduce the Strategy
Introduce the strategy with the worksheet showing the relationship of the Questions to
Answers. Post an enlarged chart of this somewhere in the classroom where students can
refer to it.
STEP 2
Create QAR questions from small sections of text (not longer than about five sentences)
for each of the four levels. Using these questions, model how each level of the QAR
questions can be identified and answered. Discuss the differences between the
questions:
Found in the text:
Right There: the answer is textually explicit (can be found in the text), usually
as a phrase contained within one sentence.
Think and Search: while the answer is in the text, the answer is implicit and
the student is required to combine separate sections or chunks of text to
answer the question.
Found in your head:
On Your Own: requires students to think about what is already known from
their reading and experience (schema and prior knowledge) to formulate an
answer
Author and You: as the answer is not directly stated in the text, the student
draws on prior knowledge (schema) and what the author has written to answer
the question.
STEP 3
Give the students sample questions (such as the ones on the following handout), to
answer in small groups, and identify which of the QAR levels they used.
STEP 4
Have students work individually on questions from longer passages.
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ASSESSMENT
Growing awareness of how we read specific texts increases comprehension. As students
study different sources of information they learn that there are relationships between
questions that readers ask and the types of responses that can be given.
QAR: QUESTION ANSWER RESPONSE STRATEGY
Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare
ACT II SCENE 3
Name _______________________________
Directions:
Read the following passages and answer the questions on a separate piece of paper.
Passage 1 Act II scene iii lines 57-64
Romeo
Then plainly know my heat’s dear love is set
On the fair daughter of rich Capulet.
As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine,
And all combined, save what thou must combine
By holy marriage. When, and where, and how,
We met, we wooed, and made exchange of vow.
I’ll tell thee as we pass, but this I pray,
That thou consent to marry us to-day.
Question: What does Romeo want Friar Laurence to do?
Rationale: The answer to this question is “right there” in the text.
Passage 2 Act II scene iii lines 65-68
Friar Laurence
Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!
Is Rosaline that thou didst love so dear
So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies
Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
Question: What does Friar Laurence mean when he tells Romeo that “young men’s love
lies not truly in their hearts, but I their eyes”? Do you agree?
Rationale: To answer this question you must use think about the “author and you”.
Combine what you know of Friar Laurence and your own opinions to come up with
an answer.
Passage 3 Act II scene iii lines 73-78
Friar Laurence
The sun not yet thy sighs form heaven clears,
Thy old groans yet ring in mine ancient ears.
Lo here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit
Of an old tear that is not washed off yet.
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If e’er thou wast thyself, and these woes thine,
Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline.
Question: Why is Friar Laurence teasing Romeo?
Rationale: “Think and search” about this question and you’ll find the answer. It is there
in the text but you may have to search for it.
Passage 4 Act II scene iii lines 90-92
Friar Laurence
In one respect I’ll thy assistant be;
For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.
Question: Do you think that uniting two families that don’t get along through marriage
can help mend harsh feelings? Why or why not?
Rationale: The text can’t help you answer this one. You must use your experience and
opinions and
answer this “on your own”.
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