11A: Asking is easier than Answering

After discussing this week’s reading assignments I have come up with four questions that I think could be considered good inquiry questions and that are similar to what could possibly appear on a quiz. I believe that they require the reader to analyze and make connections rather than just repeating the facts. Below I have listed all my questions including an answer to #1.

1. What is the overnight test? How does not having enough time to reassess your work interfere with creativity?

2. In “The Joy of Boredom” it mentions that creative people are able to tolerate longer periods of boredom and uncertainty. What is the explanation for this? Why is it significant?

3. Technology attempts to make things easier and more efficient. According to this week’s readings, what is the downside to this?

4. “Indeed, group interaction appears to play a key role in innovation.” What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in groups?

ANSWER TO QUESTION#1:

The Overnight Test is the process of waiting until the next day to look over your work in order to determine which of your ideas still seem good and which don’t. Unfortunately, with the advance of technology most work has to be promptly turned in at certain deadlines not giving people as much of a chance to do such a test. When people know that they aren’t going to have enough time to reassess their work it interferes with creativity because it keeps them from taking as many risks and instead they just stick with what they know is safe even if it’s boring. In the article “A Short Lesson in Perspective” the writer mentions that this occurred in the advertising industry when new technology tools were introduced because in fear of being ridiculed and losing their jobs workers stopped being as creative and just proposed the concepts they trusted. I can relate to this because when I have a short amount of time to complete an assignment I too become more concerned with the requirements rather than trying to infiltrate interesting and creative ideas. In general when people know that they’ll have the chance to think over and filter their work it allows them to be more adventurous instead of limiting themselves.

After completing this assignment it made me realize that it’s not finding out which questions might appear on a quiz that is difficult but in reality my biggest problem is actually trying to formulate appropriate answers to such questions. I feel that this along with the other in class activities we did were helpful. I hope that I can continue to improve my ability to anticipate and answer inquiry questions for the future.