What kind of questions are designed to stimulate conversation and elicit detailed responses?

Open questions are designed to encourage respondents to provide detailed, elaborate answers, facilitating a deeper conversation. These questions typically begin with words like "what," "how," or "why," prompting individuals to express their thoughts, feelings, or explanations in full. This type of questioning is particularly effective in gathering extensive qualitative data, as it allows for a range of responses rather than limiting the answer to a simple "yes" or "no."

In contrast, closed questions often restrict responses to a predetermined set of options, making it difficult to stimulate further dialogue. Leading questions can direct respondents toward a particular answer, which may not fully capture their genuine insights. Focused questions narrow the scope of inquiry, which can limit the depth of the responses obtained. Therefore, open questions are the most appropriate choice when the aim is to foster a rich and meaningful exchange of ideas.