Leading Questions

Definition

Leading questions are inquiries that suggest a particular answer or contain information that prompts the respondent to answer in a certain way. These types of questions can influence the direction of an interview by guiding the subject toward specific responses, which can be useful for eliciting detailed information or clarity on a particular issue.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Leading questions can unintentionally bias the responses of interview subjects, making it crucial for journalists to recognize when they are using them.
2. These questions often start with phrases like 'Wouldn't you agree...' or 'Isn't it true that...', which can influence the interviewee's reply.
3. While leading questions can be useful for confirming specific details, they should be used sparingly to avoid skewing the integrity of the information collected.
4. In legal settings, leading questions are often discouraged because they can manipulate witness testimony, impacting the fairness of the proceedings.
5. Effective interviewers balance leading questions with open-ended and probing inquiries to gather comprehensive and unbiased narratives.

Review Questions

• How do leading questions differ from open-ended questions in terms of the responses they elicit during interviews?
  • Leading questions guide respondents toward a specific answer and may result in biased responses, while open-ended questions allow for more freedom in answering. This means that leading questions can restrict the interviewee's ability to express their true thoughts and feelings, whereas open-ended questions encourage deeper exploration of the subject's experiences and perspectives. By comparing these two types of questions, it's clear that leading questions might sacrifice depth and authenticity in favor of directing the conversation.
• Evaluate the ethical implications of using leading questions in narrative journalism. What are potential consequences?
  • The use of leading questions in narrative journalism raises ethical concerns as it can distort the truth and misrepresent a subject's views or experiences. If journalists rely too heavily on leading questions, they risk presenting biased narratives that do not accurately reflect reality. This could undermine public trust in journalism and lead to misinformation, as audiences may form opinions based on skewed representations rather than authentic voices. Therefore, maintaining ethical standards involves balancing leading questions with more neutral inquiries.
• Create a strategy for effectively incorporating leading questions in interviews without compromising the authenticity of the narrative.
  • An effective strategy for incorporating leading questions involves using them sparingly and intentionally within a broader framework of diverse question types. Start with open-ended inquiries to build rapport and gather expansive insights before strategically introducing leading questions to clarify specific points. Afterward, follow up with probing questions that invite further elaboration from the interviewee. This approach helps maintain the authenticity of the narrative while still obtaining necessary details without overly guiding the subject's responses.

Related terms

Open-Ended Questions: Questions that allow respondents to provide more elaborate and unrestricted answers, encouraging them to share their thoughts and feelings freely.

Closed-Ended Questions: Questions that limit responses to specific options, often requiring a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer, providing clear and concise data.

Probing Questions: Follow-up questions aimed at digging deeper into a subject, often used to clarify or obtain more detail after an initial response.