This document discusses the use of probing questions when working with individuals to evaluate their knowledge, help them learn, and check for comprehension. Probing questions require the individual to elaborate on earlier responses and indicate that the original response was incomplete. Examples of probing questions provided include asking what will happen if a statement is true, what made them think of an answer, and what the opposite position would be. The document emphasizes letting the individual do the work of thinking for themselves rather than just being shown answers.

1. USE OF PROBING
QUESTIONS
RINELLA LEARNING CENTER: CRLA WORKSHOP
SERIES
Presented by: Derek Zike

2. QUESTIONING IS IMPORTANT IN
THREE WAYS
1. To evaluate what an individual knows
2. To help the individual learn the material
3. To check for comprehension

3. WHY ASK QUESTIONS INSTEAD
OF PROVIDING ANSWERS?
I. Asking questions requires the individual to be
active in learning using his/her knowledge to
solve a problem.
II. The individual’s answer will also provide
information as to what is understood and
what needs more work.
III.Strictly providing answers encourages
students to become passive learners.

4. EVALUATE WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL
KNOWS
I. Individuals often claim they know little or
nothing about a subject.
II. At the beginning of every new
concept/problem, ask simple questions to
assess the individual’s knowledge about the
subject.
III.Individuals almost always know more than
they think.

5. LET THE INDIVIDUAL DO THE
WORK
I. Learning is frustrating.
II. Part of the learning process is getting things
incorrect.
III. If you are “showing” everything to an individual, any
successes are yours, not their own.
IV. Don’t do the thinking for them.
V. The more independent they become, the better you
are.
VI. You should be working your way out of a job.

6. WHAT ARE PROBING
QUESTIONS?
I. Probing questions require individuals to
elaborate on the response given to an earlier
question.
II. Such questions indicate to the learner that
the original response was in the right
direction but was not adequate.
III.They are intended to help the individual think
more deeply about the issue at hand.

7. ASK PROBING QUESTIONS
Probing questions follow up on an individual’s
contribution.
– “What will happen if what you said is true?”
– “What made you think that?”
– “What is the opposite of this position?”
– “You’re correct. The answer to this question is false.
What would be needed to make it true?”

8. CLARIFICATION
When the individual gives vague answers or not
enough information, seek to further understand
him/her by asking for clarification.
What exactly did you mean by ___________?
What, specifically, will you do next week?
Could you tell me more about___________?

9. PURPOSE
Sometime individuals say things where the
purpose of why they said it is not clear. Ask
them to justify their statement or dig for
underlying causes.
– Why did you say that?
– What were you thinking about when you said ……..?

10. RELEVANCE
If an individual seems to be going off-topic, you
can check whether what he/she is saying is
relevant to the main purpose of the inquiry.
Is that relevant to the main question?
How is what you are saying related to what I asked?

11. COMPLETENESS AND
ACCURACY
You can check that they are giving you a full and
accurate account by probing for more detail and
checking against other information you have.
Sometimes people make genuine errors, which you
may want to check.
– Is that all? Is there anything you have left out?
– How do you know that is true?
– How does that compare with what you said before?

12. REPETITION
One of the most effective ways of getting more
detail is simply by asking the same question
again. You can use the same words or you can
rephrase the question (perhaps they did not
fully understand it the first time).
What did you do next?
What steps did you use?

13. PROBING QUESTIONS
You should try to actively engage an individual in the
learning process.
If possible, try to use the individual’s own experience
to get him/her involved. Ask questions that will help
individuals develop the concept (not memorize the
process).
Example: If you take 3 steps north and 2 steps south,
how far are you from the starting point?
What math concept is being illustrated in this
example?

14. PROBING QUESTIONS
Encourage them to think by avoiding questions
with a “yes” or “no” answer.
You must also demonstrate patience.
Questions that require thought will take more
than the usual 5 to 10 seconds.
Therefore, WAIT; give them TIME TO THINK.

15. SILENCE
Sometimes, just being patient while waiting for
a response will yield results.
It is often difficult to anticipate the amount of
time an individual needs to process the
information.

16. EXAMPLE PROBING QUESTIONS
Why do you think this is the case?
What do you think would happen if…?
What sort of impact do you think…?
How did you decide…?
How did you determine…?
How did you conclude…?
What is the connection between… and…?
What if the opposite were true? Then what?

17. ACTIVITY
Get into pairs. I’ll designate a topic, and I want one
person to act as the interviewer and the other as the
interviewee. The interviewer will ask probing questions
about the topic until the time is up. When time is up
the participants switch roles. We will do this twice at
intervals of 2 and 4 minutes.

18. ACTIVITY 2 (OPTIONAL)
http://www.nsrfharmony.org/system/files/protocols/probing_questi
ons.pdf