Qar Strategy Handout
National Behaviour Support Service
Question Answer Relationship (QAR)
Reading and Learning Strategy
After Reading Strategy
Question Answer Relationship
Purpose of Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) Strategy:
QAR (T. E. Raphael, 1982; 1986) provides a basis for teaching three comprehension strategies: locating information; showing text structures and how the information is organised; and determining when an inference or reading between the lines is required. QAR shows students the relationship between questions and answers, how to categorise different types and levels of questions (Right There, Think and Search; the Author and You and On My Own questions), as well as how the text does not have all the answers. QAR helps students consider both information from the text and information from their own background knowledge. If students are asked to create their own questions, QAR also extends their writing ability.
Explicitly Teaching QAR:
STEP 1
Introduce the strategy showing the relationship of the Questions to Answers. An enlarged chart of this can be hung in the classroom where students can refer to it.
STEP 2
Create QAR questions from small sections of text (not longer than five sentences) for each of the four levels. Using these questions, model how each level of the QAR questions can be identified and answered.
Discuss the differences between questions using the class textbook and subject exam papers.
• Right There: the answer is found in the text, usually as a phrase contained within one sentence.
• Think and Search: while the answer is in the text, the student is required to combine separate sections or pieces of text to answer the question.
• Author and You: as the answer is not directly stated in the text, the student draws on prior knowledge as well as what the author has written to answer the question.
• On Your Own: requires students to think about what is already known from their reading and experience (prior knowledge) to formulate an answer.
STEP 3
Question Answer Relationship (QAR)
Reading and Learning Strategy
After Reading Strategy
Question Answer Relationship
Purpose of Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) Strategy:
QAR (T. E. Raphael, 1982; 1986) provides a basis for teaching three comprehension strategies: locating information; showing text structures and how the information is organised; and determining when an inference or reading between the lines is required. QAR shows students the relationship between questions and answers, how to categorise different types and levels of questions (Right There, Think and Search; the Author and You and On My Own questions), as well as how the text does not have all the answers. QAR helps students consider both information from the text and information from their own background knowledge. If students are asked to create their own questions, QAR also extends their writing ability.
Explicitly Teaching QAR:
STEP 1
Introduce the strategy showing the relationship of the Questions to Answers. An enlarged chart of this can be hung in the classroom where students can refer to it.
STEP 2
Create QAR questions from small sections of text (not longer than five sentences) for each of the four levels. Using these questions, model how each level of the QAR questions can be identified and answered.
Discuss the differences between questions using the class textbook and subject exam papers.
• Right There: the answer is found in the text, usually as a phrase contained within one sentence.
• Think and Search: while the answer is in the text, the student is required to combine separate sections or pieces of text to answer the question.
• Author and You: as the answer is not directly stated in the text, the student draws on prior knowledge as well as what the author has written to answer the question.
• On Your Own: requires students to think about what is already known from their reading and experience (prior knowledge) to formulate an answer.
STEP 3