statewhether

Statewhether is a term used to describe the act of declaring the truth value of a proposition. It is formed from the verbs state, meaning to express or declare, and whether, indicating a choice between two possibilities. The phrase is common in educational and instructional contexts, where a prompt directs a respondent to determine and report the binary outcome of a statement—that is, whether it is true or false, or yes or no.

In practice, prompts that use “state whether” typically require a concise verdict rather than extended justification. For example, a question might read: “State whether the following statement is true or false.” This use places emphasis on the truth-value assessment rather than on explanation, though some tasks may ask for brief justification after the verdict.

Linguistically, “state whether” functions as a directive that triggers evaluation of a proposition’s content. It is related to, but distinct from, phrases such as “state if” or “explain whether,” which may carry different implications about conditionality or reasoning requirements.

Usage notes include that the phrase can be broadened to “state whether or not,” though many editors prefer the simpler form when a binary outcome is intended. The concept is primarily encountered in educational testing, problem sets, and logical or mathematical exercises.

See also: truth value, proposition, binary decision, logic, examination item writing.