6.1 Define the detail of a complex enquiry in conjunction with the client

Table of Contents

1. Reference interview techniques for complex enquiries
   1. Defining the nature of the enquiry
   2. Communication skills
   3. Spoken language
   4. Body language
   5. Feedback
   6. Note taking
   7. Writing e-mails
   8. Open and Closed Questions
   9. Using open and closed questions
2. Eliciting information and advice from knowledgeable clients
3. Determining the nature of detailed information to be provided
4. Constraints

Using open and closed questions

Closed questions prompting yes/no or short factual answers are mainly used in the reference interview context to:

• elicit specific pieces of information from the client
• gain confirmation that your understanding of what the client has said is correct - an important feedback tool.

You are likely to use closed questions

• at the start of the interview when you are taking basic personal details of the client
• at intervals throughout the discussion when you want to check you have your facts right
• at the end of the interview to sum up and agree on future action.

Open questions encourage longer answers and their main uses in the reference interview context are to:

• establish rapport with the client, especially in the initial stages of the interview and with clients who are not already known to you
• set the scene for the enquiry and gain background information at the beginning of the discussion
• encourage input from the client as the interview progresses.

So you will use both open and closed questions at appropriate times. When framing a question, always think of the type of response you hope to generate and word the question so as to encourage either a brief or an extended answer.

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