Dimensions of Depth and Complexity

By: Deborah Lyons

Icons by: Sandra Kaplan

8 Steps

of Depth

Language of the Displine

What words are specific to the work in this discipline?

What tools are used by the experts in this displine?

What are the origins of new terms in this discipline?

Thinking Skills

identify, list, define the terms

prioritize

identify relationships

categorize the terms or tools

judge with criteria

distinguish appropriateness of usage of the terminology

determine relevance

Language of the Discipline Refers to

terminology

nomenclature

lexicon

tools of the discipline

combinations and patterns of terms

jargon, idiom

signs and symbols

figures of speech

eponyms and neologisms of the discipline

Details

What details define ________?

Which details are more important than others and what is your evidence of this?

What distinguishes this from other things?

What are its attributes?

What features characterize this?

Thinking Skills

describe the details

prioritize the most important details

note ambiguity among the details

identify relationships among the details

determine relevance

sequence the details

select details to determine bias or absence of bias

Details Are:

clues

facts

Features

data

ideas

traits

items

parts

particulars

specifics

elements

factors

attributes

Patterns

Describe the patterns you find.

How do you evaluate a patterns importance to what you are studying?

How does one pattern compare to another?

Identify the primary patterns and the secondary patterns.

How are patterns and details related?

Thinking Skills

decribe the patterns

define cause and effect

prioritize

categorize, classify patterns

idenitify relationships among the patterns

determine relevance

sequence the pattern parts

judge with criteria the importance of a pattern

Patterns are

predictive

able to be replicated

cycles

motifs

repetitive

made up of details

person-made and natural designs

recurring elements

Rules

Describe the rules.

Identify the implicit and explicit rules.

How do you evaluate rules’ efficiency and validity?

How are rules related to patterns and details?

Compare structural rules and procedural rules.

Thinking Skills

describe the rules

identify relationships among rules

categorize, classify rules

prioritize the most important rules

differentiate fact from opinion and fact from fantasy and conjecture

determine relevance

judge with criteria the importance of a set of rules

Rules Are

standards

related to structure

authoritative directions for conduct or procedure

usual courses of action or behavior

statements of truth (all or most of the time)

methods

organizational elements

Trends

Describe the trends.

Identify the causes and results of a trend.

How do you evaluate a trend’s importance to what you are studying?

How are trends related to patterns?

How and when does a fad become a trend?

Thinking Skills

describe

compare and contrast

Identify relationships

categorize, classify

prioritze

determine relevance

judge with criteria

prove with evidence

Trends are

general directions

tendencies

current styles

drifts

influences

changes over time

Unanswered Questions

Describe the unknown details or stimuli for the event.

Identify the origins of an unanswered question.

How do you evaluate an unanswered questions importance?

How do you determine if, in fact, a question is unanswered?

Which areas of science or human behavior can you connect with unanswered questions?

Thinking Skills

describe, state an unanswered question

note ambiguity

distinguish fact from fiction and opinion

formulate questions

problem solving

Identify missing information

test assumptions

prove with evidence

Unanswered Question Is

a puzzle

a conundrum

unsolved

an unknown

something unexplained

a dilemma

doubtful or uncertain

Ethics

Describe the ethical issues you find.

How did or does an ethical issue affect the information you are studying?

Why are there different ethical issues in different times and places?

What are some universal ethics or values?

How do ethics get developed?

How does a culture teach or transmit its ethics?

Thinking Skills

determine bias

prioritize

identify relationships

determine relevance

judge with criteria

distinguish fact from opinion or fantasy

test assumptions

Ethics Are

controversies

dilemmas

biases

Prejudices

decision-making

principles of right behavior

a set or theory of moral values

philosophies, metaphysics

professional rules or standards

value-laden ideas

Big Idea

List the evidence needed to support a big idea.

How do you evaluate a big idea’s importance to what you are studying?

How does working with big ideas help you learn new knowledge?

How are patterns, trends, and rules related to big ideas?

Thinking Skills

describe

infer a big idea from supporting evidence/information

categorize, classify big ideas

identify relationships

determine relevance

judge with criteria

Big Ideas Are

generalizations

related to many instances

developed from many facts

overarching

related to global or universal themes

principles, laws, theories