5W + 1H : An Effective Approach to Collecting and Presenting Key
Ø Information
One of the most universally used tools
for information gathering, analysis, organization and presentation is the 5W1H
framework. This method is used across a range of professions, from process
analysts to quality engineers to journalists, to understand and explain
virtually any problem or issue. The same method can be used to organize the
writing of reports, articles, white papers, and even whole books.
Ø The
Basic Approach
This approach seeks to answer six basic
questions in gathering information about nearly any subject: Who, What, When,
Where, Why, and How. Sometimes, depending on the context, a second "H"
might be used: How Much.
In journalism, news story writing
requires that the questions to be answered take a basic form:
1.
Who is it about?
2.
What is it about?
3.
When did it happen?
4.
Where did it happen?
5.
Why did it happen?
6.
How did it happen?
Applying the 5W1H framework to other
types of writing or investigation takes some interpretation. The order in which
the answers to the questions is presented may vary, but the "what" is
usually addressed first.
v What
In
journalism, the "what" identifies an event and is often stated in the
"lead (or lede)," the first paragraph of a news story. The
"what" is the primary subject, the reason the information is being
gathered and presented. Apart from journalism, it may be stated in a title and
in a purpose statement. The "what" may need to be defined, a process that
may comprise the remainder of a document.
Example : What, specifically,...?
v Who
A news story identifies who an event
involves. The "who" may be part of the lede, and could be the reason
the story is news worthy. In other contexts, the "who" identifies the
persons or groups the "what" concerns. It might describe the audience
of a document, or those who are affected by a policy, process or procedure.
Example
: Who benefits?
v When
A key part of a news story is describing
when an event happened. Answering the "when" indicates any time
sensitivity related to the "what." It may be part of an instruction
regarding the proper point at which a action should be taken. Sometimes it may
be part of an "If...then" scenario of conditional action.
Example
: When will it start/end?
v Where
A news story reports the location at
which an event took place. The "where" describes a geographical or
physical location of importance to the "what." At times, the where
may be less important than other factors.
Example
: Where are you?
v Why
The "why" is usually the most
neglected of the questions in the framework. News stories often lack
information from authoritative sources to explain the "why." In other
contexts, the "why" may be considered irrelevant, particularly when
describing a policy or procedure decreed by an organizational authority. Efforts
to ascertain and explain the "why" may help those affected be more
accepting of any change the "what" requires.
Example
: Why does that happen?
v How
For journalists, determining how an
event took place may be nearly as challenging as explaining the
"why," although more effort is usually put to satisfying the
question. When describing policies, processes or procedures, the how may be the
most important part of the effort. A considerable appetite for understanding
how to do something can be found across audiences. Sometimes effort focuses on
the "what" when more work should be devoted to explaining the "how."
Example
: How much?
Ø Conclusion
The 5W1H framework can be applied to any
topic at any level of granularity to gather, analyze and present information
from the simplest to the most complex. Attributed to a Rudyard Kipling poem,
5W1H is the place to start and may be enough to take you to the finish.
Yes No Question
Definition: An interrogative construction that expects an answer of
"yes" or "no." Contrast with wh- question.
Examples and Observations:
Homer : Are you an angel?
Moe :
Yes, Homer. All us angels wear Farrah slacks.
(The
Simpsons)
"Directing
a movie is a very overrated job, we all know it. You just have to say 'yes' or
'no.' What else do you do? Nothing. 'Maestro, should this be red?' Yes.
'Green?' No. 'More extras?' Yes. 'More lipstick?' No. Yes. No. Yes. No. That's
directing." (Judi Dench as Liliane La Fleur in Nine, 2009).
Principal
McGee: Are you just going to stand there all day?
Sonny:
No ma'am. I mean, yes ma'am. I mean, no ma'am.
Principal McGee: Well, which is it?
Sonny: Um, no ma'am.
(Eve Arden and Michael Tucci in Grease, 1978)
The
yes-no question is found in three varieties: the inverted question, the typical
exemplar of this kind; the inverted question offering an alternative (which may
require more than a simple yes or no for an answer); and the tag question:
Are
you going? (inversion)
Are
you staying or going? (inversion with alternative)
You're
going, aren't you? (tag)
The
inverted question merely inverts the subject and the first verb of the verb
phrase of the corresponding statement pattern when that verb is either a modal
or an auxiliary verb or the verb be and sometimes have. The question itself may
be positive or negative:
She
is leaving on Wednesday.
Is
she leaving on Wednesday?
. . . A positive question appears to be
neutral as to the expected response--yes or no. However, a negative question
seems to hold out the distinct possibility of a negative response.
Are
you going? Yes/No.
Aren't
you going? No.
(Ronald
Wardhaugh, Understanding English Grammar: A Linguistic Approach.
Wiley-Blackwell, 2003)
"There
are many different ways to format questions on a survey. Let's say you want to
measure people's attitudes toward premarital sex. You could ask a simple yes-no
question:
Are you in favor of premarital sex?
___ Yes ___ No
Or
you could use a Likert-type scale where the question is phrased as a
statement." (Annabel Ness Evans and Bryan J. Rooney, Methods in
Psychological Research, 2nd ed. Sage, 2011) Also Known As: polar interrogative,
polar question, bipolar question
