Whichquestions

Whichquestions refers to a category of interrogative tasks characterized by selecting one or more items from a defined set in response to a prompt. The questions are typically phrased starting with which, and are common in multiple-choice tests, information retrieval filters, and knowledge quizzes. The format emphasizes discriminative reasoning and item identification.

Origin and scope: The term is used in educational technology and natural language processing to describe question types that require choosing from alternatives rather than generating free-form answers. It encompasses items such as which option best fits the criteria, which item occurred in a list, or which of several choices satisfies a constraint.

Structure and features: Whichquestions often rely on attributes, categories, or relationships that distinguish candidates. Taxonomies may include which-item, which-attribute, and which-condition. Answering involves a combination of attribute comparison, elimination of impossible options, and verification against a source or dataset.

Applications: In assessments, Whichquestions test recognition, comprehension, and decision-making. In information retrieval, they guide facet filters and comparative queries. In dataset construction, annotators label items by which option applies, aiding supervised learning for classification tasks.

Limitations and outlook: The reliance on predefined option sets can introduce bias or ambiguity if candidates share attributes. Ongoing work focuses on expanding robust evaluation, natural language generation for which questions, and adaptive testing that adjusts the options based on user responses.