Questioning Techniques Vocabulary

allowing a free response rather than a yes/no

“Ask open-ended questions to get richer responses.”

requiring a specific, limited answer

“Use closed-ended questions for quantitative data.”

tending to suggest the desired answer

“Avoid leading questions that bias responses.”

seeking to explore or examine deeply

“Follow up with probing questions to understand motives.”

asked for effect, not requiring an answer

“That was a rhetorical question—the answer is obvious.”

involving or based on a supposed scenario

“Consider this hypothetical: what if we had unlimited budget?”

using questions to stimulate critical thinking

“The Socratic method helps learners discover answers themselves.”

designed to identify or determine something

“Ask diagnostic questions to pinpoint the issue.”

intended to make something clearer

“Let me ask a clarifying question before proceeding.”

continuing a line of inquiry from previous questions

“I have a follow-up question about that response.”

relating to what has not happened but might have

“A counterfactual question: what if we hadn't made that change?”

referring to itself or to the conventions of its type

“A meta question: is this even the right question to ask?”

containing an assumption that may not be true

“That's a loaded question—I reject the premise.”

combining multiple questions into one

“Avoid compound questions; ask them separately.”

relevant or applicable to the matter at hand

“Focus on pertinent questions to save time.”

only slightly relevant; diverging from the main point

“Let's set aside tangential questions for now.”