Question Answer Generation via Tables (Read them carefully)

In this task, we ask you to create temporal (time-related) questions based on a table and provide answers to these questions you create. In particular,

Given a table, you should write a question and answer based on

  1. time-related facts appearing in the table (using only the table),
  2. what you feel most people know about the world (temporal common sense).

To create meaningful questions, there are a few points to keep in mind:

  • Don't write questions that don't have temporal aspects.
    • Your questions should be self-contained. That is, even if the table is removed question still make sense.
    • Don't use pronouns "He", "She", "They" etc in writing questions
    • Please write grammatically correct questions and also provide answers.
    • For each question, the answer should be unambiguous and unique.
  • Write a question that would require some inference to answer instead of one explicitly mentioned in the tables.
    • Please avoid writing trivial questions that require only looking up from the table.
    • Your question should include an event, or ask about an event, and should not be a yes/no question.
    • Disregard the picture on the table top. Don't ask any question about the picture or caption.
  • If you annotate multiple HITs try to write diverse questions across HITs.
    • Try to avoid writing questions with similar patterns across HITs.
    • Across HITs write questions which have diverse temporal reasoning.
    • Don't merely rephrase questions from earlier HITs with different table terms.
  • When drafting multiple questions with a HIT, be sure that each one uses a different table sections and has diverse logical reasoning.
    • Use diverse parts of the table rows across questions. Avoid concentrating on only one part of the table for all questions.
    • Incorporate different logical aspects i.e. required reasoning across questions.
    • Write questions with varied starting tokens i.e., "What", "When", "Whose", "How", "Where", "Who", "How many", etc. across questions, if possible.
  • When writing a question, use information across different parts of the table.
    • Ideally, use multiple rows and columns to create a challenging question.
    • Concise and simple "answer" are preferred over verbose ones.
    • Answers should not be sentences long, but rather phrases conveying the exact answer.
  • Your question must be related to the table and be answerable with common sense.
    • Don't use names of people or places not mentioned in the table.
    • Also, don't refer to outside sources of information.
    • Incorporate more variations and complexity to the questions. In other words, we want you to use "instinct" or "common sense".
  • Encourage to use of temporal terms to represent time categories such as the following.
  • Category Terms
    before before, previous to, prior to, preceding, followed by, until
    after after, following, since, once, now that, soon after
    during during, while, when at the time, at the same time, meanwhile
    past earlier, previously, formerly, in the past, yesterday, last time
    future consequently, subsequently, in turn, henceforth, later, then
    beginning initially, originally, at the beginning, to begin, starting with, to start with
    ending finally, in the end, at last, lastly

The table below and the following examples clarify the instructions.

Joe Biden
46th President of the United States
Incumbent
Assumed Office January 20, 2021
Vice President Kamala Harris
Preceded By Donald Trump
47th Vice President of the United States
In Office January 20, 2009 - January 20, 2017
President Barack Obama
Preceded By Dick Cheney
Succeeded By Mike Pence
United States Senator from Delaware
In Office January 3,1973 - Janurary 15, 2009
Preceded By J. Caleb Boggs
Succeeded By Ted Kaufman
Personal Details
Born Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. November 20, 1942,(age 79) Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political Party Democratic (1969 - present)
Other Political Affiliations Independent (before 1969)
Spouse(s) Nelia Hunter (m. 1966; died 1972)
Jill Jacobs (m. 1977)
Website Campaign Website
White House website
Other offices
2007-2009 Chair of the International Narchotics Control Caucas
2001 -2003, 2007-2009 Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
1987-1995 Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee

 

  • Write a question and answer based on the time-related facts appearing in the table
    Bad Examples ( ✘ Avoid) Good Examples ( ✔ Preferred)
    ✘ Q. Which university did he finish his JD?
    A. Syracuse University (JD)
    ✔ Q. How many years after the second marriage did Joe Biden become POTUS?
    A. 44 years
    ✘ Q. What is the birth name of Joe Biden?
    A. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
    ✔ Q. Who was Joe Biden married to when he was first elected to the Senate?
    A. Unmarried
    ✘ Q. Who is Joe Biden's better half?
    A. Jill Jacobs
    ✔ Q. At what age does Joe Biden join the democratic political party?
    A. 27
    Reason: Questions are unrelated to the time. Also, middle question is using pronoun "He". Reason: Require indirect look across multiple rows and require numerical calculation addition/subtraction to get correct answers. Answering Unmarried requires temporal reasoning.
  • Write a question and answer based on the time-related facts appearing in the table
    Bad Examples ( ✘ Avoid) Good Examples ( ✔ Preferred)
    ✘ Q. Was Joe Biden married to Nelia Hunter in 1966?
    A. Yes
    ✔ Q. What positions did Joe Biden hold in 2008?
    A. The United States Senator from Delaware, Chair of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, Chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee
    ✘ Q. What is the current age of Joe Biden?
    A. Current age of Joe Biden is 79 years
    ✔ Q. How many total years (terms) does Joe Biden hold as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?
    A. 6 years (2 terms)
    ✘ Q. For what period did Joe Bide be Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee?
    A. 1987-1995
    ✔ Q. Who was the US senator from Delaware in Dec 1972?
    A. J. Caleb Boggs
    Reason: Yes/No answer questions are not permitted. Only require direct lookup to get the correct answers. Simple search of terms could lead to correct answer. Also long form answers are not recommended. Reason: Require an indirect look across several rows of the table and understanding in between time frames. Also, use multiple rows to answer an require temporal reasoning.
  • Write a question and answer based on the time-related facts appearing in the table
    Bad Examples ( ✘ Avoid) Good Examples ( ✔ Preferred)
    ✘ Q. Who was the VPOTUS in 2009?
    A. Joe Biden
    ✔ Q. Who was the better half of Joe Biden in 1970?
    A. Neilia Hunter
    ✘ Q. Who was the POTUS in 2021?
    A. Joe Biden
    ✔ Q. What was the relationship status of Joe Biden in 1979?
    A. Married to Jill Jocabs
    ✘ Q. For what period did Joe Bide be VPOTUS?
    A. January 20, 2009 - January 20, 2017
    ✔ Q. How many parties does Joe’s Biden’s is associated with in his entire lifetime?
    A. one
    Reason: Only require direct lookup to get the correct answers.The time is explicitly mentioned in the table Reason: Require indirect look across and understand that the other half term means spouse and understand in between time frames. Also use the commonsense temporal meaning in undertstanding life-time.
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