1. QAR: Question Answer Relationships
Katie Seeberg
Summer 2012

2. QAR developed by Taffy Raphael
question, text, and background of reader
metacognition
4 question/answer relationships:
1. Right There
IN THE BOOK
2. Think & Search
__________________________________________
3. Author & Me
IN MY HEAD
4. On My Own

3. Right There
answer directly in text, usually in a single line
“according to the passage,” “how many,” “where is,” “what is”
Think & Search
answer is in selection, but reader must piece together bits of information
main idea, cause & effect, compare/contrast, summarize
Author & Me
answer not in the text—reader must think about what he already knows, what author reveals, and how both fit together
“author implies,” “the passage suggests,” “the speaker’s attitude”
On My Own
answer not in text; question can be answered without even reading the text
based solely on reader’s own experiences and knowledge
“in your opinion,” “based on your experience,” “think about someone you know”

4. According to Raphael, QAR “provides a framework that offers teachers a straightforward approach for reading comprehension instruction with the potential of eventually closing the literacy achievement gap” (2005).
Children who receive orientation in QAR framework consistently outperform those who do not (Ezell and Kohler 1992)
this framework particularly effective for average- to low-ability children

5. 1) “The need for a shared language to make visible the largely invisible processes underlying reading and listening comprehension.”

6. 2) “The need for a framework for organizing questioning activities and comprehension instruction within and across grades & subjects.”

7. 3) “The need for accessible and straightforward whole-school reform for literacy instruction oriented toward higher level thinking.”

8. 4) “The need to prepare students for high-stakes testing without undermining a strong focus on higher level thinking with text.”
QAR teaches students to be strategic readers regardless of text (language arts, other subjects, state/school assessments)
better equipped for growing # of higher level comprehension ?s on standardized tests
12 questions on 4th grade NAEP reading selection
6 multiple choice ?sRight There, Author & Me, Think & Search
5 short response Right There, Author & Me, Think & Search
1 extended responseAuthor & Me

9. QAR & Comprehension Strategies
On My Own
Activating prior knowledge (about genre, experiences, authors)
Connecting to the topic (self-to-text)
Right There
Scanning to locate information
Note-taking strategies to support easier recall of key info.
Using context clues for creating definitions
Think & Search
Identifying important info.
Summarizing
Using text organization to identify relevant info.
Visualizing
Using context to describe symbols and figurative language
Clarifying
Making text-to-text connections
Making simple inferences
Author & Me
Predicting
Making simple & complex inferences
Distinguishing fact & opinion
Making text-to-self connections

10. QAR & the Reading Cycle Before Reading During Reading After Reading
On My Own
Author & Me
During Reading
Think & Search
Right There
After Reading

11. For Consideration
Younger students need more training for QAR to be effective.
More studies needed on:
Students 3rd grade and younger
Effects of training students to generate their own QAR questions

12. References
Ezell, H., & Kohler, F. (1992). Use of peer-assisted procedures to teach QAR reading comprehension strategies to third-grade children. Education and Treatment of Children, 15(3). Retrieved July 16, 2012.
Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida. (2009). FCAT express: Question/Answer relationship. Question/Answer Relationship (QAR). Retrieved from strategies/qar.html
Jones, R. (2006, July 19). Question-Answer relationships. Readingquest.org. Retrieved from
Kinniburgh, L. H., & Shaw, E. L. (2009). Using question-answer relationships to build: Reading comprehension in science. Science Activities: Classroom Projects and Curriculum Ideas, 45(4), doi: /SATS
Raphael, T. E., & Au, K. H. (2005). QAR: Enhancing comprehension and test taking across grades and content areas. The Reading Teacher, 59(3), doi: /RT