Which term is defined as the set of questions that guide inquiry by asking what, why and how?

• A. Investigative questions
• B. Judicial Branch
• C. Labor
• D. Land

Answer: (A)

Investigative questions are sets of questions that guide inquiry by focusing on what happened, why it happened, and how things work. Using what, why, and how helps students determine the topic, explore causes and significance, and examine processes or methods behind events. In social studies, this approach turns study into an inquiry—students ask what occurred, why it mattered, and how the outcomes came to be, which drives evidence gathering and analysis. The other terms don’t describe a questioning approach: the Judicial Branch is a part of government that interprets laws, while Labor and Land are general terms not related to guiding inquiry.