This is a helpful guide to deep inquiry.

I like questions like “Why do I like chicken nuggets?”

When a girl in the back of the room blurts out this question, half a joke, half a test (Do they really want us to write down any question that we think of?), she seems a bit surprised to have her query treated seriously.

Thanks for that question Neisha. Let's use it as an example of how to think of keywords for each of your questions. What would be a good one for that question?

Chicken nuggets.

Not really. That’s too specific. What's a more general word.

“Food,” somebody yells.

Right, write that down Neisha. What kind of food are we talking about?

Junk food. Fast food. Fried food.

Right. Right. Where do you get chicken nuggets?

Down on Nostrand Avenue where all the fast food places are.

And who…

Neisha catches the drift, interrupts: It’s in my neighborhood and not in White people's neighborhoods. They get healthy food, which is hard to find where I live.

So could we add “health” to your keywords?

Yeah.

And what else is in your description? What about “inequality?“

And “racism.”

What else?

They’re good, Mister.

So, what about “delicious? “

Do we have to write five keywords for every question?

Yup.

Ahhhh.

But what a gift this question was! Do you see how a question can start with something personal, something real for you, even if you aren't sure how important it is? Keep putting the personal pronoun, I, in your questions, then ask your friends and your teachers to help you find the social justice behind them. That's what to look for in your keywords.