5W + 1H
- Information
One of the most universally used tools
for information gathering, analysis, organization and presentation is the 5W1H
framework. This method is used across a range of professions, from process
analysts to quality engineers to journalists, to understand and explain
virtually any problem or issue. The same method can be used to organize the
writing of reports, articles, white papers, and even whole books.
- The Basic Approach
This approach seeks to answer six
basic questions in gathering information about nearly any subject: Who, What,
When, Where, Why, and How. Sometimes, depending on the context, a second
"H" might be used: How Much.
In journalism, news story writing
requires that the questions to be answered take a basic form:
1. Who is it about?
2. What is it about?
3. When did it happen?
4.
Where did it happen?
5.
Why did it happen?
6.
How did it happen?
Applying the 5W1H framework to other
types of writing or investigation takes some interpretation. The order in which
the answers to the questions is presented may vary, but the "what" is
usually addressed first.
- What
In journalism, the "what"
identifies an event and is often stated in the "lead (or lede)," the
first paragraph of a news story. The "what" is the primary subject,
the reason the information is being gathered and presented. Apart from
journalism, it may be stated in a title and in a purpose statement. The
"what" may need to be defined, a process that may comprise the
remainder of a document.
Example : What, specifically,...?
- Who
A news story identifies who an event
involves. The "who" may be part of the lede, and could be the reason
the story is news worthy. In other contexts, the "who" identifies the
persons or groups the "what" concerns. It might describe the audience
of a document, or those who are affected by a policy, process or procedure.
Example : Who benefits?
- When
A key part of a news story is
describing when an event happened. Answering the "when" indicates any
time sensitivity related to the "what." It may be part of an
instruction regarding the proper point at which a action should be taken.
Sometimes it may be part of an "If...then" scenario of conditional
action.
Example : When will it start/end?
- Where
A news story reports the location at
which an event took place. The "where" describes a geographical or
physical location of importance to the "what." At times, the where
may be less important than other factors.
Example : Where are you?
- Why
The "why" is usually the
most neglected of the questions in the framework. News stories often lack
information from authoritative sources to explain the "why." In other
contexts, the "why" may be considered irrelevant, particularly when
describing a policy or procedure decreed by an organizational authority.
Efforts to ascertain and explain the "why" may help those affected be
more accepting of any change the "what" requires.
Example : Why does that happen?
- How
For journalists, determining how an
event took place may be nearly as challenging as explaining the
"why," although more effort is usually put to satisfying the
question. When describing policies, processes or procedures, the how may be the
most important part of the effort. A considerable appetite for understanding
how to do something can be found across audiences. Sometimes effort focuses on
the "what" when more work should be devoted to explaining the
"how."
Example : How much?
- Conclusion
The 5W1H framework can be applied to
any topic at any level of granularity to gather, analyze and present
information from the simplest to the most complex. Attributed to a Rudyard
Kipling poem, 5W1H is the place to start and may be enough to take you to the
finish.
Yes No Question
Definition: An interrogative construction that expects
an answer of "yes" or "no." Contrast with wh- question.
Examples and Observations:
Homer : Are you an angel?
Moe : Yes, Homer. All us angels wear Farrah
slacks.
(The Simpsons)
"Directing a movie is a very
overrated job, we all know it. You just have to say 'yes' or 'no.' What else do
you do? Nothing. 'Maestro, should this be red?' Yes. 'Green?' No. 'More
extras?' Yes. 'More lipstick?' No. Yes. No. Yes. No. That's directing."
(Judi Dench as Liliane La Fleur in Nine, 2009).
Principal McGee: Are you just going
to stand there all day?
Sonny: No ma'am. I mean, yes ma'am.
I mean, no ma'am.
Principal McGee: Well, which is
it?
Sonny: Um, no ma'am.
(Eve Arden and Michael Tucci in
Grease, 1978)
The yes-no question is found in three
varieties: the inverted question, the typical exemplar of this kind; the
inverted question offering an alternative (which may require more than a simple
yes or no for an answer); and the tag question:
Are you going? (inversion)
Are you staying or going?
(inversion with alternative)
You're going, aren't you? (tag)
The inverted question merely inverts
the subject and the first verb of the verb phrase of the corresponding
statement pattern when that verb is either a modal or an auxiliary verb or the
verb be and sometimes have. The question itself may be positive or negative:
She is leaving on Wednesday.
Is she leaving on Wednesday?
. . . A positive question appears to be neutral as to the expected
response--yes or no.
However, a negative question seems to hold out the
distinct possibility of a negative response.
Are you going? Yes/No.
Aren't you going? No.
(Ronald Wardhaugh, Understanding
English Grammar: A Linguistic Approach. Wiley-Blackwell, 2003)
"There are many different ways to
format questions on a survey. Let's say you want to measure people's attitudes
toward premarital sex. You could ask a simple yes-no question:
Are you in favor of premarital sex?
___ Yes ___ No
Or you could use a Likert-type scale
where the question is phrased as a statement." (Annabel Ness Evans and
Bryan J. Rooney, Methods in Psychological Research, 2nd ed. Sage, 2011) Also
Known As: polar interrogative, polar question, bipolar question
Tag
Question
Question tags are the
short questions that we put on the end of sentences – particularly in spoken
English. There are lots of different question tags but the rules are not
difficult to learn.
Positive/negative
If the main part of
the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative ….
§ He’s a doctor, isn’t
he?
§
You work in a bank,
don’t you?
… and if the main part
of the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive.
§
You haven’t met him,
have you?
§
She isn’t coming, is
she?
With auxiliary verbs
The question tag uses
the same verb as the main part of the sentence. If this is an auxiliary verb
(‘have’, ‘be’) then the question tag is made with the auxiliary verb.
§
They’ve gone away for
a few days, haven’t they?
§
They weren’t here,
were they?
§
He had met him before,
hadn’t he?
§
This isn’t working, is
it?
Without auxiliary
verbs
If the main part of
the sentence doesn’t have an auxiliary verb, the question tag uses an
appropriate form of ‘do’.
§
I said that, didn’t I?
§
You don’t recognise
me, do you?
§
She eats meat, doesn’t
she?
With modal verbs
If there is a modal
verb in the main part of the sentence the question tag uses the same modal
verb.
§
They couldn’t hear me,
could they?
§
You won’t tell anyone,
will you?
With ‘I am’
Be careful with
question tags with sentences that start ‘I am’. The question tag for ‘I am’ is
‘aren’t I?’
§
I’m the fastest,
aren’t I?
Intonation
Question tags can
either be ‘real’ questions where you want to know the answer or simply asking
for agreement when we already know the answer.
If the question tag is
a real question we use rising intonation. Our tone of voice rises.
If we already know the answer we use falling intonation. Our tone of voice falls.
http://windawigati.blogspot.com/2013/03/5w-1h-and-yes-no-question.html
If we already know the answer we use falling intonation. Our tone of voice falls.
http://windawigati.blogspot.com/2013/03/5w-1h-and-yes-no-question.html
