:: THE ART OF QUESTIONING

For Hard News

• Who, What, When, Where, Why, How

For People's Life Stories

• How did this begin for you?

• What happened then?

• And the future, what does that hold?

To Elicit Passion

• What's important about that to you? (and continue that until you get a core value)

Open and Closed Questions

• An open question is one that allows the interviewee to express an answer that gives more information. A closed question only allows a simple yes or no answer.

• Be aware that you can, for deliberate effect, put assumptions into your questions

• "Are you aware how unfair these laws are?"

• "Should Peter Hollingworth be sacked, or should he resign?"

• "Does testosterone cause violence?"

• "Was this a cock-up or a cover-up?"

Other Tips

• Avoid asking two questions in one.

• Listen to people's answers. Consider how they'll look in the finished programme.

• Think about what the audience would want to know about the subject.

Prepared by Bob Hughes hughes@corpcoms.com 0407 901 587