Chapter 3: Interviewing Skills (Questions)

Disadvantages of closed questions

-answers to these contain too little of information requiring to ask several questions when one open question would do the job -Don't reveal why a person has a particular attitude -Interviewers talk more than interviewees so less information is exchanged -Interviewees have no opportunity to volunteer or explain information -they can select an answer or say yes/no without knowing anything about the topic

Moderately close questions

-ask for specific, limited pieces of information ex: What are your favorite classes?, Which North Carolina Beaches have you visited, At what time of the year do you prefer to travel?

Advantages of closed questions

-enable you to control the length of answers and guide respondents to specific information -require little effort from either party and allow to ask more questions, in more areas, in less time

how are leading questions useful?

-recruiters use them to see ow applicants respond under stress -sales reps do it to persuade customers to make decisions

Advantages of open ended questions

-show interest and trust in respondent's ability to disclose important information and are easier to answer -encourage respondents to talk and to determine the amount of info to disclose -lengthy answers: reveal what respondents think is important and encourage them to provide details and descriptions you might not think to ask for

Disadvantages of open ended questions

-single answer may consume a signficant portion of interview time (time consuming) -respondents may give unimportant/irrelevant information -may withold information they feel is irrelevant or too obvious, sensitive, or dangerous

Silent Probes

Be patient and wait for more; no words; head nods, appropriate eye contact etc; Dont over use but can be effective -do it if the respondent is hesitant or the answer is incomplete

moderately open questions

More restrictive but give respondents considerable latitude in answers. ex: Tell me about your study abroad experience in Prague, Describe the Australian Outback at dusk

Clearinghouse probe

a question designed to discover whether previous questions have uncovered everything of importance on a topic or issue -enables you to proceed to next primary question or to close the interview confident you have gotten all the info you needed ex: what have i not asked that you would like to tell me?, Is there anything else?

Question Pitfalls

a slight alteration of questions, often unintentional, that changes them from open to closed, primary to secondary, and neutral to leading

Bipolar questions

a type of closed question that forces an interviewee to select one of two responses -choose two polar choices, sometimes polar opposites ex: Are you a conservative or liberal?, Do you prefer this or that?

Nudging probe

a word or brief phrase that urges a respondent to continue answering/ when silent probe fails or words seem necessary to get what is needed ex: I see, and?, go on., so?, yes?, uh-huh?

the unintentional bipolar question

accidentally asks a bipolar question when you want a lengthy answer or when there are more than two choices from which a respondent may choose ex: do you, did you, have you, will you (avoid these)

The most common bipolar questions

ask for a yes or no response ex: Have you received a flu shot, Are you going to the state conference, Do you have a top secret clearance

informational probing questions

ask for additional information or explanation -if the answer is superficial ex: how exactly was the contract worded?, tell me more about your relationship with the sheriff, -if the answer is vague/ambiguous Ex: you write that you went to a small college now many students were enrolled at the time?, you say you were upset with the judge's decision. how upset were you? -if answer suggests a feeling or attitude ex: do i detect a note of anger in your answer?, you appear to be confused by zoning board's rejection of your request

some bipolar questions

ask for an evaluation or attitude ex: Do you like/dislike dark chocolate, do you approve/disapprove of changing time zones, are you for or against this

Reflective Probing

ask when it's necessary to CLARIFY or VERIFY an answer to be certain you have received it as intended -avoid bad wording/nonverbal signals ex: You seem to be saying that you will not go pro after this year?, when you say the president you mean Donal Trump?

interviewer bias occurs

because of the way a question is phrased, how a question is asked nonverbally, the interviewees desire to please a person of authority, or a conspicious symbol the interviewer is wearing

Neutral questions

enable respondents to decide upon answers without direction or pressure from questioners ex: in open neutral, interviewee determines length, details, nature of answer/ in closed, the interviewee may choose between equal choices

loaded question

extreme form of leading question that virtually dictates a desired answer ex: name calling, emotionally charged words, expletives

the yes no question downfall

happens when you ask a question that has only one obvious or acceptable answer either a yes or no answer ex: did you want to die?

Restatement probes

interviewee may not answer question as asked. restate tactfully all or part of the original question and focus on important words -also used if the interviewee makes a mistake to avoid embarrassing or judging interviewee -if interviewee seems hesitant you question may be unclear or difficult so restate it with clearer and easier wording -if it has more than two parts or options and interviewee only answers first part, restate part/option left unanswered

Primary Questions

introduce topics or new areas within a topic and can stand alone even when taken out of context ex: How did you prepare for the Bar exam, Which U.S. president of the last century do you admire the most (open ended and closed ended questions are these)

open questions and closed questions

may follow up one another -go from open to closed or closed to open

Closed questions

narrow in focus and restrict the interviewee's freedom to determine the amount and kind of information to provide

The open to close question pitfall

occurs when you ask an open question then switch to a closed question, often bipolar, before interviewee can reply ex: tell me about your trip to new york to did you visit the 9/11 memorial? -interviewee limits question to memorial

Curious Questions

occurs when you ask for information you do not need

don't ask, don't tell questions

occurs when you delve into information and emotions that interviewees may be incapable of addressing because of social, psychological, or situational constraints -delay touchy questions until you've established a comfortable relationship with -gender and cultural differences may affect social and psychological accessibility (ex: women disclose more) -plan questions prior to interview

the too high or too low question

occurs when you fail to prepare questions that take into consideration the interviewee's levels of knowledge and expertise -questions above this level may cause embarrassment and questions below this level may be offensive

unintentional leading question

occurs when you unintentionally ask a question phrased to influence an answer instead of a neutral question -may be unaware of this

Unipolar questions

one option is made less accessible than the other

the tell me everything question

opposite of intentional bipolar question and yes/no question -occurs when you ask an extremely open ended question with no limits or guidelines ex: tell me about yourself may cause respondent to have difficulty of where to begin

double-barreled questions

questions that attempt to get at multiple issues at once, and so tend to receive incomplete or confusing answers Ex: tell me about your trip to rome and venice? -may not give a long enough answer to these questions

Probing questions

questions that dig deeper into answers that may be incomplete, superficial, suggestive, vague, irrelevant or inaccurate -make sense only when connected to the previous question

A lengthy probing question may

stifle the interchange or open up a new area or topic, the opposite of what you want

Mirror probes

summarizes a series of answers or interchanges to ensure accurate understanding and retention putpose: to avoid problems in interviews caused by memory, assumptions, and procedures ex: okay so as i've heard, you would do this then this...

Interviewer bias

the leading question may intentionally or unintentionally suggest the answer the interviewer expects or prefers, so the interviewee gives this answer because its easier or more tempting to give that answer

Questions are

the most powerful technology ever created

guessing question

try to guess information instead of asking for it ex: instead of asking were you in your car when you saw the accident to where were you when you saw the accident

open ended questions

vary in degree of openness in which respondents have considerable freedom to determine the amount and kind of info to give -place no restrictions on interviewee -minimal control (ex: tell me about Prague, Describe the Australian Outback for me) -invite open answers

Highly closed questions

very restrictive and may ask respondents to identify a single bit of information Ex: When were you in Haiti, What is the interest rate on your student loan, Where were you born

They are not only questions but also

words, phrases, statements, or nonverbal acts that invite answers or responses

probing questions are problematic because

you may jump in with a probing question when it's not needed -phrase probing questions carefully and be aware of vocal emphasis