Which interviewing approach minimizes leading questions and encourages detailed responses?

• A. Open-ended interviewing techniques
• B. Closed-ended interviewing
• C. Rapid-fire questioning
• D. Yes/No questioning

Answer: (A)

Open-ended interviewing techniques focus on questions that require more than a yes or no, inviting detailed responses and reducing the chance of guiding the interviewee. This approach lets the person describe events in their own words, share observations, and provide a fuller timeline, which helps the interviewer gather richer, more reliable information. Because the questions don’t imply a specific answer, they minimize bias and encourage elaboration, follow-up clarification, and uncovering details the interviewee might not think to mention with yes/no prompts. In contrast, close-ended or yes/no questions and rapid-fire questioning tend to constrain responses, push for quick conclusions, and can steer the conversation, limiting the depth and breadth of information obtained.