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Client Centered Interviewing
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Client Centered Interviewing through storytelling
Client Centered Interviewing through storytelling
By Laurie Shanks, Clinical Professor Law at Albany Law School
Interviewing Techniques
Closed/Narrow questions
A closed or narrow question usually receives a single word or concise answer.
Best used when:
- Testing your understanding, or the other person’s
- Concluding a discussion
For example:
- “Do you live in California?” The answer is “yes” or “no”
- “How old are you?” The answer will be a specific number
Open Questions
An open question elicits longer answers. Most begin with: what, why, and how. An open question usually asks an individual about the following: her knowledge, opinion or feelings.
Best used when:
- Prompting the individual to speak more freely
- Finding out more information
- Finding out an individual’s opinion or concerns
For example:
- What happened to your car?
- Why did he leave early?
- How was the wedding?
Leading Questions
Leading questions influence an individual to answer in a particular way.
Best uses:
- To help make assumptions
- Encourage agreement
- Create associations or personal preference
For Example:
- “How enormous do you think the cake will be?”
- “This book is really boring, isn’t it?”
- “The restaurant is rated very high and everyone loves the food. Do you want to eat there?”