Part III and final. This is AI letting you know how to ask a question. This document is not science and should not be admitted in an assignment.

The Question-Crafting Compass

By Mark White

A Practical Guide for Framing Thoughtful Questions

1. The Four Directions of Inquiry

Direction Purpose Example Starter Use When You Want…

North — Clarity To define, confirm, or correct

information.

“Can you explain…?”

“What exactly does… mean?”

A clean, factual answer

with no fluff.

East — Creativity To imagine alternatives or

possibilities.

“What if we thought about it like…?”

“How could this idea evolve?”

Speculative or

forward-thinking

exploration.

South — Depth To dig into causes, motives, or

philosophy.

“Why do you think…?”

“What makes that true or false?”

Reflection and layered

insight.

West — Connection To relate ideas, draw parallels, or

humanise the topic.

“How is that similar to…?”

“What does this tell us about

people?”

Warm, human-centred

discussion.

2. The Shape of a Great Question

A powerful question usually has three parts:

1. Anchor — what it’s about

2. Lens — how you’re approaching it (scientific, ethical, personal, etc.)

3. Tension — why it matters

Example:

“If AI can simulate empathy, what does that mean ethically for how we treat machines?”

→ Anchor: AI empathy

→ Lens: ethics

→ Tension: human–machine moral boundary

3. The Tone Dial

Tone Style Example

Exploratory Open-ended, curious “What might we learn if we compared AI memory to human memory?”

Critical Skeptical, probing “Isn’t calling it ‘intelligence’ just marketing?”

Playful Humorous or speculative “If AI dreams, do we owe it a good night’s sleep?”

Reflective Philosophical, personal “Does our fear of AI say more about us than it does about machines?”

4. When to Stop and Ask Back

If the topic starts ballooning or feels unfocused, pause and ask:

“Wait — before we go further, what would you say is the core of this idea?”

That resets the compass and ensures clarity before depth.

5. The Closing Habit

End big questions with something invitational, not conclusive:

“What do you think that reveals about us?”

“Would that still hold true if we removed emotion?”

That keeps the dialogue alive instead of closing it off.