Leading and Neutral Questions

A leading question encourages a particular answer through its wording or assumptions. A neutral question allows the participant to describe their experience without having to accept the researcher's preferred interpretation. Neutral wording helps, but does not remove every source of research bias.

Ask what happened

“The assistant would save you time, wouldn't it?” invites agreement with a proposed benefit. “How did you handle the last invoice with missing information?” invites a description of work. Follow up on the steps and evidence rather than supplying an explanation for the participant.

Open and closed serve different purposes

An open question can reveal unexpected difficulties. A closed question such as “Was the receipt available at the first check?” can establish a specific fact. Neither format is inherently neutral or biased. Choose it for the information needed and avoid treating a hypothetical preference as observed behavior.

References:

• GOV.UK: Using In-depth Interviews