Open-Ended Questions – Collins Type II Writing Prompts
After Reading Strategy
How it is Used:
This strategy requires students to write about what they have read. Collins describes Type II
assignments as “writing to learn.” Type II prompts require writing that makes a point, with a
correct answer or correct content. However, prompts should require higher-level thinking skills,
not simply asking students to pull information that is “right there” in the text.
1. Writing Prompts: An open ended question just means that it is a question that you can't
answer with one word... like "yes" or "no," or someone's name. Open-ended questions require
thought and should allow you to write at least a paragraph to answer.
 Open-ended questions can come from closed questions (those that can be answered in a word
or two) by adding “How?” or “Why?”
o Closed question--Do you think living on campus enhances the college undergraduate
experience?
o Open ended question--In what ways does living on campus enhance an undergraduate
college experience?
 The open-ended items on standardized assessments will NOT require students to make
“personal connections” in your response. Therefore, Type II prompts should not ask for
personal opinions and/or personal connections to the text.
 Open-ended questions often ask for details from the text to support an answer. Type II
prompts should also ask for a specific number (usually 2 or 3) details from the text.
2. Require a Minimum: Type II prompts should ask for a specific minimum length (7
lines, 5 sentences, etc.) and a specific number of examples, reasons, or details from the
text to support the response. Do not simply write, “Use examples from the text to support
your response.” Indicate how many examples should be included.
3. Have Students Help You Grade: After the students have written their response, and
before they turn it in, have them underline their main point and circle or highlight the
details they used to support their point. This will tell you exactly what to look at when
you grade; you do not even have to read the entire response. If their main point is
incorrect, or if you are looking for three details and they only circled two, you know that
they did not meet the requirements.
4. How to Score: Type II writings are graded for correctness of content only, not grammar
or writing style. Use a 4-3-2-1 scale in which 4 means they met all of the requirements, 3
means they met most of the requirements, 2 means they met some of the requirements,
and 1 means they met few of the requirements. Assign points accordingly for your
gradebook.
5. Give Immediate Feedback. If you cannot return the responses by the next day, Type II
writing is not effective. You do not need to correct their writing, so you should not need
to spend more than a few seconds on each student. Allowing them to correct their
mistakes the next day is a great formative assessment and reteaching strategy, but if you
wait even two days, the assignment loses its impact.
Why it Works:
Writing promotes critical thinking, so writing about what they have read requires that students
think about what they have read. Writing also promotes learning; as students make connections
to prior knowledge and demonstrate their comprehension, they gain deeper understandings and
retain what they have learned. Type II writing promotes active learning by requiring students to
produce information rather than simply identifying information produced by others,
Type II writing assignments also serve as powerful formative assessment tools, giving you quick,
easy-to-grade feedback on what students have learned from your lesson. Writing Type II prompts
requires little teacher preparation, and if you have students mark their main points, they require
little time to grade.
Sample Collins Type II Prompt Templates:
Analysis
Why do___________? Explain your answer.
What are some possible explanations as to why_____________?
Would other ________be affected by __________? Why or why not?
How does __________? Support your answer (with information from reading,
from the chart etc.).
Tell what ____________did wrong. How would you design a better way?
Explain several reasons why ___________.
Explain how ______________.
Describe several ways __________________.
Describe several things we can do to _____________________.
Discuss (describe) _____________. Explain how ____________.
Predict and describe ______________. Support and defend your answer.
Discuss the likelihood that _______________.
From the information on chart, what is true of ________________?
List the properties of ____________. How are ____________?
Show or explain the role of ______________. (how __________).
Would everyone agree with ___________? Why or why not?
Comparison & Problem Solving
Suppose you want to __________. Make a _______ and ____________. Tell why you chose
(included) each.
Suppose you were a __________. Tell how you ________. Explain why you__________.
If you had to _________, which ___________would you suggest. Explain your answer.
If ___________, how would ___________be affected. (why)?
Discuss the pros and cons of _______________.
Discuss differences and similarities that exist between ______________. Include advantages and
disadvantages.
Think of a problem that ____________. Describe the problem and give a solution.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of ______________.
What could be done about ___________? Give reasons for your answer.
Compare the ____________. Tell which ____________would be most likely and which
_______would be least likely. Support your answer.
Tell what would happen if ____________.
What are the advantages of __________? What are the disadvantages of __________? What would
you do? Why?
Evaluation
Imagine you are _____________ (in _____________).
A. Based on what you know about __________, select (chose/decide) ________ and explain
your selection (chose/decision).
B. Write an argument you would use to convince_____________. Use information from your
reading to support your argument.
Would you like to ___________? Why or why not? Explain your answer giving examples
from_______.
How do you think ___________feels about ___________? Explain your answer.