  Many physics instructors aim to support student sensemaking in their
classrooms. However, this can be challenging since instances of sensemaking
tend to be short-lived, with students often defaulting to approaches based on
answer-making or rote mathematical manipulation. In this study, we present
evidence that specific recurring questions can serve a key role in the
sensemaking process. Using a case-study of two students discussing an E&M
thought experiment, we show how students' entry into sensemaking is marked by
the articulation of a particular question, based on a perceived gap or
inconsistency in understanding and how this question recurs throughout their
subsequent explanations, arguing that these recurrences may serve to stabilize
and extend the process.
