During an interview, what type of questions should you use to elicit detailed responses?

During an interview, what type of questions should you use to elicit detailed responses?

• A. Yes/No questions only
• B. Open-end questions
• C. Leading questions
• D. Closed-ended questionnaires

Answer: (B)

Open-ended questions invite the interviewee to describe events in their own words, which brings out details, context, and the full narrative rather than a simple yes or no. This approach helps you gather richer information—timeline, actions, motivations, and sequence—while also making it easier to spot inconsistencies or gaps that warrant follow-up. For example, asking what happened, how things unfolded, or what led to a particular moment encourages the person to elaborate. In contrast, yes/no questions usually end the conversation quickly with a single word, leading to limited information. Leading questions steer the person toward a specific answer and can bias the account, and closed-ended questionnaires box responses into brief, predefined options. Open-ended prompts are the most effective for eliciting detailed responses.

Open-ended questions invite the interviewee to describe events in their own words, which brings out details, context, and the full narrative rather than a simple yes or no. This approach helps you gather richer information—timeline, actions, motivations, and sequence—while also making it easier to spot inconsistencies or gaps that warrant follow-up. For example, asking what happened, how things unfolded, or what led to a particular moment encourages the person to elaborate. In contrast, yes/no questions usually end the conversation quickly with a single word, leading to limited information. Leading questions steer the person toward a specific answer and can bias the account, and closed-ended questionnaires box responses into brief, predefined options. Open-ended prompts are the most effective for eliciting detailed responses.