1.1 Evaluating the evidence in the interviews
You saw previously that there are different styles of questions, and that the style of question asked has a profound effect not only on the answer given but on what the witness may remember.
To help you evaluate the interviews conducted by DI Bullet, the next activity involves looking at the particular styles of questioning that he used. For each question in the quiz, you will be provided with a question that was used by DI Bullet in the interviews that you heard. Your job is to decide which of four question styles is being used. Identifying the question style will help you evaluate the evidence gained in the interview.
Here is a quick summary of the four question styles to help you with the activity:
Leading questions
These questions tend to strongly suggest what response is expected, and/or assume details that have not been provided by the witness.
Open questions
These questions seek an open-ended response from the witness, and do not limit, focus or direct the witness’s response except in the most general way.
Focused questions
These questions focus the witness’s attention on details or aspects of the event that the witness has previously described. They direct the witness to search their memory for details or aspects of the event that they have mentioned previously.
Option-posing questions
These questions limit the response the witness can give to specific options, and usually focus on aspects of the event that the witness has not already described.
Activity 2 Evaluating DI Bullet's interview questions
Allow about 15 minutes
Q1. ‘Did they all have shot guns?’ This is:
Q2. ‘Can you describe any of these men?’ This is:
Q3. ‘What did you notice about the car and can you tell me what happened?’ This is:
Q4. ‘So he was in charge? He was telling the others what to do and it was his decision to grab Liz?’ This is:
Q5. ‘When you say he looked like a soldier, did he have a soldier’s hair?’ This is:
Q6. ‘This driver guy, the one who was the leader. He was a big guy right? Dressed in army fatigues, and with an army like hair cut?’ This is:
OpenLearn - Forensic psychology
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