Assessing What Statements
To see if a What Statement is worth discussing, answer these questions:
- Is the What Statement a sentence?
- Are there two variables?
- Is one variable New? (Use the Old/New formula to determine this.)
Sentence
A sentence is something you can say and it sounds okay. If it sounds strange, then it is usually a fragment.
Variables
A variable is a central idea expressed in the What Statement. They are the ends of the Barbell of Communication Some variables are hidden. We will cover those later.
Old Variable
Old Variables are ones the intended audience likely knows about or does not care about.
New Variable
New Variables are ones the intended audience does not know much about and are likely to interest the intended audience.
Expressed as a flowchart:
| Is the What Statement a sentence? | Rewrite. |
|---|---|
| Are there two variables? | Re-determine the variables. |
| Is at least one variable (or their relationship) | Funnel one or both variables or their relationship, or start over |
| New information? | Funnel one or both variables or their relationship, or start over |
The Formula
You can express the effectiveness of a What Statement with this formula:
O + O = poor subject
O + N = good subject
N + O = good subject
N + N = good subject