Get an overview . Historical understanding requires a basic knowledge of the content and the historical context. The student of history cannot ask good questions without some understanding of the facts, people, events, and ideas within which the answer must be found. Furthermore, students need contextual knowledge and perspective of time and place in order to construct sound historical arguments. Ask a probing question.
Historical inquiry requires that students ask one or more good questions.
Good questions are those that launch an investigation into the data, and require students to analyze the data in order to find an answer. Good questions are therefore probing questions. For example, students' questions might indicate what they want to learn more about, verbalize a problem they are having trouble understanding, identify an issue to resolve, or explore cause and effect over time. Triangulate the data. Historical research requires that students obtain data from multiple sources.