Formal questioning (Socratic Method) uses carefully chosen questions to guide students to the premises necessary to draw the correct conclusions. Ideally, the instructor relies on a series of carefully crafted formal questions to stimulate the curiosity of students and prompt them to incrementally infer the insights to derive the correct conclusions. However, in the real world, students typically wander off track, go down dead ends, or lack the background knowledge to fully comprehend a topic. As the online discussion proceeds, problems with the questions and their sequence may become apparent.

Therefore, no matter how well prepared, you will likely need to formulate additional questions extemporaneously to get students back on track or out of a dead end. You might also have to provide missing background information and tune your questions and the sequence they are asked in response to student feedback. Obviously, all of this can be difficult to carry off on the spot, but the rewards for success are significant.

When things go well, the Socratic Method teaches students to think critically by learning to reason deductively to draw and defend sound conclusions. It also helps students distinguish facts from assumptions and identify key information, while learning to disregard irrelevant information. Students will generally find formal questioning intriguing and the process of "discovering" facts on their own simulating. In addition, this method offers a comprehensive way to cover a subject because the branches of an online discussion will likely touch on many tangential points. Finally, it provides an ongoing means to track student understanding, as the series of instructor questions and student responses unfold, you can continually monitor student progress.

The following example demonstrates how to implement the formal questioning technique (Socratic Method):

Instructor: If you were going to start a bookstore, which legal form of organization would you choose?

Student: A sole proprietorship.

Instructor: Why?

Student: I would be the sole owner and not responsible for others in the business.

Instructor: Why is that important?

Student: Because other people in a business can make mistakes that can cost me money.

Instructor: So, are you worried about liability?

Student: Yes.

Instructor: What if a customer slips on the floor of your bookstore--wouldn't you be potentially liable for this person's injuries?

Student: I could buy injury insurance.

Instructor: A very good answer. However, let's say you suddenly experience a huge demand for fantasy books, spend all of your money stocking up on them, and then experience a sharp drop off in demand. You own your home, but have little income, no savings, and your creditors are beating on your door. What do think would happen?

Student: I would close the business.

Instructor: In a sole proprietorship, when you go out of business, you are still personally liable for any debt. What do you think would happen to the equity in your house?

Student: The creditors would go after it, but I would file for bankruptcy.

Instructor: In Washington State, bankruptcy only protects a small portion of the equity in your home. The rest of the equity would go to your creditors. Do you still think a sole proprietorship protects you from liability?

Student: Apparently not.

Instructor: In fact, a sole proprietorship exposes you to unlimited liability, with regards to your personal assets. So, what legal of organization protects your personal assets?

Student: I understand what unlimited liability means now and, according to the textbook, there are three other options - a limited liability company, S corporation, and corporation.

Instructor: A good summary. So, which one would you choose to avoid unlimited liability?

Student: I would set it up as a limited liability company.

Instructor: Why?

Student: According to the textbook, there is less paper work and I don't have to pay corporate income tax.

Instructor: Two excellent points supporting your choice. A word of caution, however, a limited liability company must be set up properly to be legal.

Student: I really don't want to pay an attorney to set it up for me, as it is expensive.

Instructor: There are books that provide step-by-step instructions on how to set up a limited liability company.

Student: Great, I will buy a book and do it myself.

Instructor: You can still save money by doing most of the work yourself using advice from a book, but be sure to run it by an attorney who specializes in setting up a limited liability company to review your paper. You still save money by doing most of the work and avoid potentially costly legal mistakes.

Student: Thanks! This sounds like the way to go for me.

When using formal questioning, expect to be surprised with clever or innovative answers that require detours in the online discussion sequence. Be on guard for mistaken beliefs that are strongly held because they can greatly lengthen the conversation. You may need to offer convincing counterarguments to dissuade students from incorrect assumptions. In addition, pay attention to signs that indicate students have become confused or lose the trail of sequential logic (i.e., the premises leading to the correct conclusion).

It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between incorrect assumptions and guesses. When guessing, students will tend to give brief answers, appear uncertain, lack zeal, or slack off in participating in the discussion. If student responses are confident and correct, it is likely that they comprehend the logical follow of the discussion. If their answers are incorrect but assertive, they are likely acting upon incorrect assumptions.

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