Real Communication An Introduction

Appendix A   Competent Interviewing^509

together to paint my apartment this weekend?”), it is termed a leading question.

Other directed questions are bolder in their biasing effect and are called loaded

questions (“When was the last time you cheated on an exam?” assumes, of

course, that you have cheated). Questions that provide no hint to the interviewee

concerning the expected response are neutral questions—for example, “What

is your opinion of the administration on this campus?” (See Table A-3 for more

examples of directed questions.)

Question Sequence

The order in which the questions are asked can affect both the accomplishment

of the interview’s goals and the comfort level of the interviewee. There are three

main “shapes” that guide the ordering of questions: the funnel, inverted funnel,

and tunnel sequences (Figure A.1).

In the funnel sequence, the interviewer starts with broad, open-ended

questions (picture the big end of a funnel) and moves to narrower, more closed

questions. The questions become more personal or more tightly focused as the

interview progresses, giving the interviewee a chance to get comfortable with the

topic and open up. The funnel sequence works best with respondents who feel at

ease with the topic and the interviewer.

c “What do you think about children playing competitive sports?” (general)

c “What disadvantages have you witnessed?” (specific)

c “What constraints would you advocate for young players?” (very specific)

The inverted funnel sequence starts with narrow, closed questions and

moves to more open-ended questions. The inverted funnel works best with in-

terviewees who are emotional or reticent and need help “warming up.”

c “Did you perform a Mozart piece for your piano recital in junior high

school?” (very specific)

Question Behavior Definition Example

Leading Questions that subtly direct

interviewees to the correct

or desired answer

“Do you take home

office supplies like most

employees?”

Loaded Extremely leading questions

that almost dictate the

correct answer; to be

avoided in most cases

“When was the last time you

took home supplies from the

office?”

Neutral Questions that allow

respondents to choose their

answers without pressure

from the interviewer’s

wording

“Do you think the office

should provide you with

supplies to work at home?”

TABLE A.3

LEADING, LOADED, AND

NEUTRAL QUESTIONS

Even neutral questions

can become leading ques-

tions if you fail to consider

nonverbal communication

(Chapter 4). If you grimace,

roll your eyes, or change

your tone of voice when

you ask the neutral ques-

tion “What, if anything, is

your attitude toward frater-

nities and sororities on this

campus?” you are actually

asking a leading question

(and letting others know

your attitude toward the

Greek system on campus).

Even neutral questions

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