leading questions research definition

• Leading Questions: Definitions, Types, and Examples

If you’ve ever been in a situation where a question left you feeling boxed into a corner, then that must have been a leading question. Leading questions are common and at one point in time or other, you’d have to deal with them – whether in a survey or while requesting feedback from clients. 

Just as the name suggests, the goal of a leading question is to lead or nudge respondents towards premeditated responses. As a business or organization, it is important to know when to use leading questions and how to create the right types of leading questions. 

What is a Leading Question?  

A leading question is a type of question that prompts a respondent towards providing an already-determined answer. This type of question is suggestive as it is framed in such a way that it implies or points to its answer(s). 

A leading question typically leans towards established biases and assumptions and it is made up of specific information which the individual or organization (interrogator) wishes to confirm. In law, this type of question is commonly referred to as suggestive interrogation. 

Many times, leading questions are used by organizations to persuade clients to make a particular decision. For example, if you wanted clients to sign up for an insurance plan, you could craft a leading question like: “When would you like to sign up for our insurance plan?” 

The aforementioned question subtly prompts the client to decide on  the insurance plan, which would most likely be in your favor. Hence, it is more effective than asking clients if they would be interested in signing up for your organization’s insurance plan. 

Types of Leading Questions  

Leading questions are categorized based on their inherent intent, objective, and framing. Here are some common types of leading questions: 

Leading Questions that are Based on Assumptions

An assumption-based leading question is one that communicates a preconceived notion and is framed as such. In other words, the entire question stems from the assumption of the interrogator, with regards to the actions or perception of the client. 

Assumption-based leading questions are commonly employed in feedback surveys where the survey creator intends to evaluate a respondent’s perception of a product, service, or process. The objective of this type of leading question is to test assumptions. 

For instance, when collecting feedback from clients on a product or service you can include an assumption-based leading question like: “How much did you enjoy using our product?” This question presupposes that the client must have enjoyed using the product and only inquires to the degree of enjoyment. 

Here are other examples of leading questions that are based on assumptions: 

• How well did our services meet your needs?
• How satisfied are you with our product? 
• How exciting has this event been for you? 

Leading Questions Based on Interconnected Statements

Just as the name suggests, this type of leading question is one that encompasses two interrelated or closely connected statements. With interconnected leading questions, the first statement typically provides some sort of overview that points to the actual inquiry contained in the succeeding statement. 

Leading questions with interconnected statements are often used in employee feedback surveys aimed at gathering useful information for workplace policy revision. With this type of question, organizations can measure how employees feel about regulations and responsibilities in the workplace. 

Here are examples of leading questions with interconnected statements: 

• Many employees enjoy working overtime. What do you think about this? 
• Usually, employees view bonuses as a valid form of motivation. How do you feel about this? 
• Many employees hate commuting to work every day. What are your thoughts on this? 

Direct Implications Leading Questions

Leading questions with direct implications are the type of questions aimed at centering respondents to the possibility of a future occurrence of an event. In other words, direct implications leading questions allow respondents to consider the results of their possible perceptions or decisions. 

These types of questions are typically used in event feedback surveys. Apart from prompting respondents to make a decision, direct implications leading questions also make respondents feel like an important part of an organization’s decision-making process. 

Examples of Direct Implication Leading Questions

• If you enjoyed this movie, would you recommend it to other viewers? 
• If you liked this meal, would you be visiting again soon?
• If you enjoyed this event, should we host another edition? 

Coercive Leading Questions

A coercive leading question is a type of question that forces respondents to provide a specific answer; usually in the affirmative. Unlike other types of leading questions that can be subtle, coercive leading questions are framed in an extremely forceful manner.  

This type of leading question can be included in customer surveys and website evaluation surveys; although it communicates huge biases that may blur the actual perception of the respondent. Coercive leading questions are sometimes referred to as leading questions with tags due to their structure. 

Examples of coercive leading questions include: 

• You enjoyed our services, didn’t you? 
• You enjoyed interacting with our services, didn’t you? 
• Our product satisfactorily met your needs, didn’t it? 

Examples of Leading Question in Law, Sales, Marketing and Surveys

During cross-examination, attorneys typically make use of leading questions to nudge the witnesses to predetermined responses. Leading questions can also be used by an attorney to create perceptions by not allowing a witness to qualify their answer . Thus, by limiting a witness to specific responses, an attorney can leave certain perceptions in the mind of the jury, in his or her favor. 

Leading questions in law may take the form of suggestive insinuations which subtly plants an answer in the mind of the respondent or it can be framed to include too many variables. Sometimes, an attorney can intentionally merge independent information  to suggest a preconceived conclusion. 

Examples of leading questions in Law include: 

• How fast did the defendant appear to be driving?
• You traveled to New York on the 15th of January, 2019, didn’t you? 
• Did you see Mirabel at 3 pm on the 12th of August, 2007? 

In sales, leading questions are used to convince a prospective client to purchase a product or subscribe for a service. Typically, it helps the salesperson to obtain meaningful information from the prospective client which helps him or her to determine if the product is right for the client in question. 

Leading questions allow the salesperson to guide the client towards making the right purchasing decision in his or her favor. When crafting sales leading questions, it is important for you not to come off as desperate, and you can achieve this by emphasizing the value of the product. 

Leading questions in sales should be crafted in a way that they help the prospective buyer to see how the product meets his or her needs. 

Examples of Leading Questions in Sales: 

• What type of furniture would you mind having in your new home?
• Having a solid insurance plan is important, don’t you think so? 
• When would you like to subscribe to our premium software package? 
• How soon would you want your furniture to be delivered?

Digital marketers leverage leading questions to get leads to subscribe to or sign up for a service and in many instances, these questions can appear as web pop-ups. In a general sense, leading questions in marketing aim to guide the consumer towards an affirmative response to a product or service. 

Examples of Leading Questions in Marketing

• You would like to download our free e-book, wouldn’t you?
• Would you like to lose tummy fat in 3 days?  

Leading questions are used in different types of surveys including customer feedback surveys and event surveys. When a leading question is listed in a survey, it can largely alter the final results of the evaluation due to survey biases.

Examples of Leading Questions in Survey

• Did you enjoy our excellent service delivery? 
• How much did you enjoy our customer experience?
• Our website has an excellent user interface, doesn’t it? 

Advantages of Leading Questions  

• Time-efficient

Leading questions are time-efficient. Because they aim to achieve predetermined responses, including leading questions in your survey or marketing process helps you to save time and makes your data-gathering process more efficient. 

Leading questions exclude unnecessary conversations in data-collection as you can tailor these questions to suit the immediate objectives of your data-gathering process. Hence, it makes it easier for you to gather relevant data in little or no time. 

Leading questions help you to identify and focus on a definite direction for your research. This way, you can avoid all unnecessary information and pay attention to retrieving important research data.

• Specificity

Leading questions are specific and they help you to avoid generalized, vague, and ambiguous questioning. Leading questions are typically in sync with the primary objective of your data-gathering process . 

When framing leading questions, the researcher needs to have a  goal and then ask questions in a specific manner to lead the respondent into that definite direction.

In marketing and sales, leading questions serve as a powerful tool for persuasion. 

Disadvantages of a Leading Question

Leading questions infuse a lot of bias in research because they are aimed at achieving predetermined results. The questions are framed in such a manner that they evade neutrality and cajole the respondent into providing an answer that may not be entirely true.  

• Leading questions result in highly-subjective responses that ultimately affect the quality of data gathered. Many times, these answers do not provide a true reflection of the perceptions of the respondents. 
• Leading questions do not provide new insights or information in research. Simply put, the responses to leading questions are often a regurgitation of the biases communicated via the questions, and this makes it impossible for one to gather any new information. 
• Leading questions can negatively alter the behaviors of respondents. 
• Leading questions also provide false feedback. False feedback is very unhealthy for any organization because it creates an untrue impression of the market’s perception of a product or service.  This can negatively impact product improvement. 

How to Answer a Leading Question  

More often than not, you would encounter leading questions and you would need to respond to them accordingly. It may be when filling out a survey, providing feedback after attending an event, or undergoing cross-examination in the court of law. 

Whichever one it is, there are a few steps you can take to help you assert your opinion fully and limit the effect of the inherent biases on your responses. 

The first thing you need to do is to recognize that you’re being faced with a leading question. The easiest way to identify a leading question is to notice the biases that it presupposes.

After doing this, you can choose to respond in one of these ways:

• Clearly reject the bias. For instance, when asked: “How much did you enjoy this event?” — you can say, “I did not enjoy the event”. 
• Abandon the feedback or survey. 
• Call the attention of the survey creator to the bias, if possible. 

How to Create Online Questionnaires 

An online questionnaire is an easy way for you to gather information or feedback on your product or service from clients and customers. With Formplus, you can create an online questionnaire and collect tons of data from numerous respondents, conveniently.  

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create an online questionnaire with Formplus: 

• Sign in to  your Formplus account. If you do not have a Formplus account, sign up for one here. 

• Once you access your Formplus account, click on the “create form” tab to start creating your online questionnaire from scratch. Alternatively, you can edit the Formplus online questionnaire template to suit your needs. 

• Edit Form Title: Click on the field provided to input your form title, for example, “Online Questionnaire”.

• Edit the questionnaire by dragging and dropping fields from the builder’s inputs section into your form. You can also modify form fields. Save all changes to move to the customization section of the form builder.

• In the form customization section, you can change the overall outlook of your questionnaire. Here, you can add your organization’s logo to the questionnaire, add preferred background images, and also tweak the form’s layout. 

• Multiple Sharing Options: Formplus offers multiple form sharing options that enable you to easily share your questionnaire with respondents. You can use the direct social media sharing buttons to share your form link to your organization’s social media pages. 

You can also share your questionnaire via email invitations.  Your online questionnaire has a QR code that you can download, print, and share with form respondents too or embed it on your organization’s website for easy access. 

Before including leading questions in your survey or questionnaire , it is important for you to clearly outline the aims and objectives of the data collection process . If you want respondents to gain insights into the perceptions and behaviors of your customers, then you would need to avoid leading questions of any type. 

However, if you simply want to confirm certain assumptions about clients’ perceptions, then leading questions are your best bet. The hack to leading questions is knowing when and how to use them to arrive at the most appropriate responses. 

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What are leading questions, and how can you identify and avoid them?

Last updated

27 January 2024

Reviewed by

Miroslav Damyanov

Are your survey questions leading participants to answer you in a particular way?

Survey questions should be unbiased prompts designed to collect data and information from your target audience. But, when they are written (either intentionally or accidentally) in a way that leads the participant to a specific type of answer, you risk skewing your data. If you don’t address this, it can lead to significant problems for your brand.

Learn how to spot (and ultimately fix or avoid) leading questions when creating your next survey to improve the quality of your data and avoid user bias.

• What are leading questions?

A leading question is a style of question that intentionally or accidentally pushes participants to answer in a particular way. In most cases, the way they are framed or presented introduces some sort of bias that affects how a person chooses to answer.

For example, a question may persuade the participant to provide a more positive response than they would naturally based on how the question was presented or asked.

Properly editing and framing survey questions can help reduce bias—but you need to know what you are looking for to get the best results.

• Why you should avoid asking leading questions

A well-crafted questionnaire aims to collect unbiased information from your target audience. This isn’t easy if your questions are written to lead and guide respondents to specific answers. 

Left unchecked, leading questions pose a serious risk to the quality and accuracy of the data you are collecting and other areas of your business.

They can make participants uncomfortable

Depending on how they are framed, leading questions can make participants feel they need to share more personal information about themselves than they are comfortable doing. This can significantly impact user response rates and affect customer experience while collecting data as a result.

They often read as rude and unprofessional

Assumptions or biases are often baked into a leading question’s wording, which can come across as rude, ignorant, or even forceful. Including these types of leading questions in your survey, customer interview, or experimental tasks is never a good look for the brand and can actually impact how a client or consumer feels about your brand as a whole.

They affect the quality of future brand decisions

As a result, when it comes to launching a new product or service or adjusting existing features, your team will actually be taking a bigger gamble than you may realize. In the worst-case scenario, this can lead to significant damage to your company’s reputation and profit margin.

• Examples of leading questions

If you’re in the process of creating or editing survey or interview questions, you’ll want to avoid and watch out for the following types of leading questions:

Assumption-based questions

Assumption-based questions include unnecessary context or bias that impacts how a person will respond to the prompt. In most cases, assumption-based questions for products or brands often skew in a positive direction. This is because they are written in a way that encourages participants to share more positive feedback than they would otherwise.

You can resolve this type of leading question by removing any emotional language and simplifying the ask.

Here are some examples of assumption-based questions:

How much did you love the new features added to our product?

This question assumes the participant has positive feelings about the updated features.

A less biased version of this prompt would be, “On a scale of 1–5, with 1 being ‘very unsatisfied’ to 5 being ‘very satisfied,’ how did you feel about the new features added to our product?”

How much did you enjoy your most recent visit?

This question assumes the customer had an enjoyable experience during their visit. Hopefully, this is true, but it might not be.

You can improve this prompt by changing it to, “On a scale of 1–5, with 1 being ‘very unsatisfied’ and 5 being ‘very satisfied,’ how satisfied or not were you with your visit to our clinic?”

Coercive questions

Coercive questions are a very direct and often forceful form of leading prompts. They are written and framed to persuade the participant to answer the question in a specific way, which can feel threatening and overwhelming.

As the most unprofessional and aggressive type of leading question, you should never include these types of prompts in your surveys. Instead, reformat the question to be more open and less pointed toward a specific outcome.

Here are some examples of coercive questions:

You agree that our new web design is better than before, right?

This question reads very hostile and aggressive. The survey participant will likely just agree with the statement rather than share their true opinion because of its forceful and direct nature.

To make this question more effective, you could change it to, “On a scale of 1–5, where 1 is ‘strongly disagree’ and 5 is ‘strongly agree,’ please indicate your opinion on whether the new website design is an improvement on our previous design.”

You will recommend our brand to your friends and family, won’t you?

This question comes across as pushy, rude, and unprofessional. Avoid this type of wording and collect more accurate data by rephrasing the question as follows, “On a scale of 1–5, where 1 is ‘not likely at all’ and 5 is ‘extremely likely,’ how likely are you to recommend our brand to your friends and family?”

Direct implication questions

Direct implication questions dangle some sort of reward or insight into what could happen if the participant responds or behaves in a particular way.

These types of questions entice people to provide the desired feedback so they don’t lose out on a perceived opportunity.

Improve direct implication questions by removing the unnecessary context and asking simpler, more direct questions.

Here are some examples of direct implication questions:

If you liked our recent product launch, would you like to be invited to the next event?

This question implies that only those people who liked the recent product launch will be invited to the upcoming event. It heavily incentivizes participants to answer positively.

You can make the question less leading by simplifying the ask and removing the extra context as follows, “Would you like to be invited to the next launch event?”

If you’re a supporter of our brand, would you like to provide additional feedback to improve our upcoming new features?

This question implies that only brand supporters will be encouraged to share their feedback on upcoming updates.

To fix this question (and to collect accurate input from a more diverse group of opinions in your niche), change it to, “Are you interested in providing additional feedback to improve upcoming new features?”

Interconnected statement questions

Interconnected statement questions involve combining two similar statements to persuade the participant to answer in a particular way.

Often written with too much leading context, these questions can “guilt-trip” people into answering the question in a more positive way than they would like.

To remove the bias from these questions, simply take out the unnecessary context and connected sentence and ask a more simple, straightforward question.

Here are some examples of interconnected statement questions:

Our top customers use our platform every day. How often do you use it?

The introductory sentence to this question could make the respondent feel bad or uncomfortable about how often they use your platform.

Here’s a more effective and simplified version: “How often do you use our platform? Every day, a few times a week, once a week, a few times a month, a few times a year, or never?”

We appreciate customers who engage with us on social media. Do you follow any of our social accounts?

This question uses a leading statement to imply the company wants the participant to follow them on social media. It comes across as pushy and too direct.

A more effective version would be, “Do you currently follow us on social media? If not, why?”

• Avoid leading questions and improve the quality of your data

Are your existing survey questions leading your participants to provide a certain type of response? If so, it’s time to get your data back on track!

While it’s easy to miss the signs that your questions are leading, they can wreak havoc on the quality of your survey data. Try to pay close attention to identifying and removing all leading questions from your customer and client surveys to improve your data quality and customer satisfaction.

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Leading Questions: Definition, Characteristics and Examples

What are Leading Questions?

Leading question is a type of question that pushes respondents to answer in a specific manner, based on the way they are framed. More than often, these questions already contain information that survey creator wants to confirm rather than try to get a true and an unbiased answer to that question.

Biases can sneak up in the most unexpected ways and if these biases are present in the form of leading questions in a survey, the purpose of creating a survey is diluted, since the responses will be biased based on the leading question. These responses and collected data will not lead to insightful research reports and conclusions.

LEARN ABOUT: Testimonial Questions

Poorly constructed survey questions can lead to undesirable answers. If a survey creator is unaware of biases while framing questions, then these biases reflect in poor decision making based on partially true data. This may result in adversely affecting an organization or business who use this data for research and business purposes.

LEARN ABOUT: This or that questions

Characteristics of Leading Questions

As mentioned in the earlier section, leading questions prompt the survey respondents to answer in a specific manner by including certain terms and phrases.

5 main characteristics that define leading questions:

• They are intentionally framed to cultivate bias in respondents so that the answers are according to the survey creators plan.
• The questions have an element of conjecture and assumption.
• Leading questions thrive on a respondent’s personal input.
• These questions are often asked to understand the consequences of a situation.
• They tend to be forceful in terms of obtaining feedback.

LEARN ABOUT: Open-Ended Questions

Types of Leading Questions

Leading questions change the survey results due to the inherent intent and tone of the question types . They can be divided into multiple types –

• Leading questions based on an assumption: Asking questions on the basis of an assumption.  In student surveys , questions created on assumptions may be present: “How much did you enjoy with your teachers during the sports day at school?” – Here it is assumed that all the students would have had a frolicking time with their teachers during the school sports day. Instead, a question such as the following could be included: “Share with us your experience at the sports day.”
• Leading Questions based on interlinked statements: Ask questions that have two closely connected statements. Employee satisfaction surveys can have a leading question in the form of: “Most employees hate working for more than 10 hours a day…What do you have to say about it?” Here the work-life balance is interlinked with working fewer hours. Instead, “Would you prefer working for fewer hours, since your current work-life balance seems to be a problem.” will produce more impactful results.
• Leading Questions based on a direct implication: Asking questions that make respondents consider the results that would eventually happen in case a particular incident happens.  For example, in Conference feedback surveys – “If you enjoyed this conference, shall we conduct another conference in a similar manner?”.
• Leading Questions based on coerciveness: Asking questions that force respondents to answer in an extremely forceful manner.  Customer satisfaction surveys may have leading questions such as: “Your experience with our organization was satisfactory, wasn’t it?”.
• Leading Questions based on tagging: The above question can also be considered to be another type of leading question: Tag Question. This question includes a phrase to prompt respondents to answer and most often include negative elements such as “Don’t you” or “Isn’t is”.  Another example of a Tag Question is Website evaluation survey question , such as: “Our website was user-friendly and responsive, wasn’t it?”

LEARN ABOUT: Screening Question

What is a Biased Survey?

A biased survey is a survey that is bound to have errors due to:

• Survey design
• Leading questions asked in a survey

At all times, a survey creator should design and develop a survey, where the questions asked should not influence survey responses. A biased survey can lead to a higher dropout rate, as survey respondents lose interest in the survey.

A well-written survey question allows respondents to answer truthfully, without being pulled to one side or obvious biases. In simpler words, questions should not confuse respondents about which option to choose.

Good Examples of Leading Questions

Example: Did you like our excellent new offering?

Using “excellent” in the above question can lead to biases amongst respondents. A more neutral question would have been:

How would you rate our new offering?

Example: You are satisfied with our products, aren’t you?

This question generates a certain degree of confusion and eventually would have respondents succumb to an extreme answer option. A good survey design will not have a question that is highly likely to confuse respondents.  

The right question to ask in this context would be: How satisfied are you with our products?

• Very Satisfied
• Somewhat Satisfied
• Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied
• Somewhat Dissatisfied
• Very Dissatisfied

Example: Do you always consume fast food? ( Dichotomous Question )

Literally, this question would invariably lead respondents to answer no, even if they consume fast food a couple of times a week.

The right question to ask in this context would be: How frequently do you consume fast food?

• Very Frequently
• Occasionally
• Very Rarely

Learn more: Likert Scale Examples

How to avoid Leading Question?

• Keep questions clear and simple while creating a survey , avoid leading the respondent to a specific answer, provide appropriate answer options and offer, “other” options to make sure the survey is easy to respond to.
• To remove biases from leading questions, the survey creator can take an opinion from someone who is distant from a survey topic. It is always good to have an extra set of eyes scan through a survey to remove any biases before deploying a survey.
• Avoid using jargon in questions, using terms that are technical in nature or difficult to understand can lead to leading questions. When respondents fail to understand the question, they choose an answer option that is best understood by them.

Final Thoughts

A survey creator must avoid asking leading questions to be able to get correct and truthful responses. To avoid biases in a survey , make sure to clearly state all answer options so that respondents can choose the best possible options for them. Make sure to include “Prefer not to answer option”. Many people tend to drop out of a survey if they are uncomfortable answering a certain question.

By practicing the attributes mentioned above, survey creators can avoid asking leading questions and practice consciously, the art of asking the right questions to create an effective research design for their organizations or businesses.  

Learn more: Get 300+ FREE survey templates here

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How to avoid leading questions in UX research (+ examples)

Understand what leading questions are, how they influence UX research, and learn about the four types of leading questions you should know about.

Melanie Buset

User Research Manager at Spotify

If you’ve ever been asked, “How satisfied were you with [product]?” then you’ve experienced a leading question. This question assumes that you had a satisfactory experience ('how satisfied') and primes you to think positively about it, which can end up influencing your reply.

That is the essence of leading questions–they can strongly influence how participants answer them based on their structure and words. As a result, they impact your results and affect what your team decides to prioritize in product development.

Whenever we do any research, whether it's user interviews, customer satisfaction surveys, or field research, we should keep our assumptions in check and ask better questions.

In this article, we’ll look at what leading questions are, how they influence UX research, identify four kinds of leading questions you should know about, and share actionable advice on how to avoid asking them.

What are leading questions?

Leading questions are questions or statements that contain assumptions or affirmations and encourage respondents toward a specific answer or outcome. When using leading questions, we make inferences about people's feelings or experiences, and as a result, collect biased results.

We might not notice them but leading questions are quite present in our daily lives. For example, when we have a nice dinner out, we'll ask our dining partner "Wasn't that a good meal?"

To be completely neutral and not influence their response, we should instead ask "What did you think of the meal?" . In these kinds of situations, there's not a significant negative effect to using leading questions—it's completely normal to frame the question that way.

Unfortunately, in user research, leading questions can have more consequences. Leading questions can easily make their way into questionnaires, survey questions, interviews, and other types of customer feedback collection initiatives—skewing the validity of your results as they do. You may also have heard the term loaded questions, which are similar—but not quite the same.

Leading questions vs. loaded questions: What’s the difference?

Put simply, loaded questions are more extreme leading questions. While leading questions nudge respondents to give a specific response by phrasing questions a certain way, loaded questions are more overt—often emotionally-charged or implying a socially-desirable response—to guide respondents to a specific answer.

For example:

• Leading question: Did you prefer the blue button design to the green button option?
• Loaded question: Do you think that the blue button design is much better and more visually-appealing than the green button option?

There are lots of similarities between assumptive leading questions (which we’ll cover shortly) and loaded questions. Loaded questions can also be more intentional in their usage, while leading questions are often leading by mistake. Ultimately, the two are very similar, and both ultimately distort data and skew results.

How leading questions affect UX research

In UX research , leading questions impact the accuracy of results and what a team prioritizes to build. If you’re running user interviews or UX surveys with leading questions, you can get false feedback—either too positive or negative feedback unrepresentative of people’s actual lived experiences.

Leading questions are often caused by UX cognitive biases , like the framing effect , where the way a question is presented (either positively or negatively) impacts how someone responds.

A frequently used example of a positively-framed, leading question is "How easy was this product to use?" . This question instantly assumes the product is easy to use.

When research questions are framed incorrectly, it leads to missed opportunities to learn how to improve your product, which is the inherent intent of user research.

Positively-framed questions over-index on delightful experiences, leaving no room for people to share what didn't go well or what they disliked. When research questions are framed incorrectly, it leads to missed opportunities to learn how to improve your product, which is the inherent intent of user research.

As UX practitioners, we should make our participants feel like they can share all types of feedback, whether positive or negative. We must allow them to do so by asking open-ended, non-biased questions that focus on actual experiences, not assumptions.

The ease of use question above makes an assumption based on how someone experienced a product. Other types of leading questions make assumptions about people’s feelings or emotions, how they compare to others, and the cause-and-effect of their future actions. Let’s look at four examples of the different types of leading questions.

Types of leading questions to avoid + examples

1. assumptive leading questions.

These are questions that make assumptions about how others feel, what they’ve done or will do. These questions are usually framed in a positive light to achieve predetermined responses.

Examples of assumptive leading questions:

• How much do you enjoy [product]?
• What did you like and dislike about our product?
• Why do you prefer our product over [competitor product]?
• How often do you run?

How to reframe assumption-based questions:

• Please walk us through your experience when you did [x] with our product
• Recall a time when you used our product for [x] and share that experience
• First, ask: Do you partake in any physical exercise? Then, ask: On average, how many times per week do you engage in physical exercise?

The reframed questions remove the assumptions that they enjoyed, liked, or disliked the product and instead prompt respondents to share more about their experience. When asking people to recall and walk you through their experiences, you will naturally learn what went well (or what they liked) and what didn’t (or what they disliked) from their responses.

The order in which you ask questions is also critical to avoiding leading questions. First, confirm that respondents had the experiences you’re asking them to speak about, then ask a neutral question about their experiences.

2. Statement-based leading questions

These questions share an assumptive statement and then ask the respondent for feedback on the assumed experience. These questions can easily result in completely false answers due to response bias and sometimes even FOMO (fear of missing out).

Examples of statement-based leading questions:

• Our previous feedback survey showed that most people prefer breakfast as their favorite meal. Do you agree?
• Finance organizations report that many employees work overtime. Do you work overtime?

How to reframe statement-based questions:

• If you had to choose just one, which meal do you most prefer: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
• What are your thoughts on working overtime?

The reframed questions remove the leading statements to help avoid agreeable answers. The first example promotes breakfast as the most preferred meal and makes it easy for the respondent to say ‘yes'. The second question shares a belief that is apparently held by the group's majority, which may make it difficult for the respondent to disagree because people want to appear socially desirable to others.

3. Coercive leading questions

These questions begin with a seemingly factual statement and then ask you to confirm if it's the truth. These are the types of questions you will often see in legal interrogations. For example, questions related to whereabouts, such as "You were at the grocery store at 8 PM that evening, so you most likely saw the robber, right?" .

Examples of coercive leading questions:

• We can see that the last time you logged into your profile was on March 7th. That’s correct, right?
• You’ll provide me with a 5-star rating once I drop you off, yes?
• Our services met your needs, correct?

How to reframe coercive questions:

• Can you recall the last time you logged into your profile?
• After I drop you off, could you please rate your experience today?
• Please share if our services met your needs or not.

Similar to statement-based questions, coercive questions are loaded with assumptions. The use of affirmative language such as “yes?” and “right?” nudges the respondent to agree. These questions are also sometimes called ‘tag questions’—as you’re tagging on the questions at the end of a statement or assumption.

The more particular and personal the assumption is, the more difficult it can be to disagree and doubt its validity. These leading questions produce predetermined responses, leaving no opportunity to collect data about the actual context of respondents' experiences.

4. Consequential leading questions

These questions—which are often also called direct implication questions—ask people to predict their behavior and future events. Questions that require users to make predictions about their future behavior are ineffective because we’re not good at predicting our behavior reliably.

Examples of consequential leading questions:

• If you found what you were looking for today, will you come back and shop with us again?
• Imagine our product helped you save more money. Would you open another account with us?

How to reframe consequential questions: Framing questions based on current or existing experiences that people have had will produce more accurate survey results. For example, the first leading question above can be redesigned into a multi-select question:

Based on your previous experience(s) shopping with us, please share what contributes to you visiting our store:

• Cost of goods
• Selection of goods
• Quality of goods
• Location of the shop
• Other (please specify)

This allows the person to share why they visited the store, which yields more useful information than just asking if they will return or not.

💡 Want more from your next customer survey? Use Maze AI to write dynamic follow-up questions that leave no insights undiscovered.

5. Complex leading questions

Also known as double-barreled questions, these questions force respondents to think about two concepts at once. Typically, 'and' is used to merge multiple questions into one. This can confuse respondents and lead to incorrect data and missed insights.

Examples of complex leading questions

• Do you think our support team are efficient and effective?
• Can you access the blog and help center on our website?

How to reframe complex leading questions: Avoiding complex leading questions is simple—divide the two questions you’re asking at once into two separate questions. In doing so, you might also notice you’ve asked other types of leading questions. In our case, “Do you think our support team is efficient?” may lead respondents to give a favorable answer.

Instead, consider:

• What’s your experience with our support team?
• Can you access the blog on our website?
• Can you find the help center on our website?

This allows respondents to focus on one question at a time, instead of lumping two considerations into one.

6. Scale-based leading questions

This type of leading question encourages a particular answer by providing an unfairly balanced rating scale in which one sentiment outweighs another.

Examples of scale-based leading questions

How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the customer experience?

• Very satisfied
• Somewhat satisfied
• Dissatisfied
• Very dissatisfied

How to reframe scale-based leading questions: The above example includes 'satisfied' in three out of the five possible answers, encouraging participants to answer in a particular way. To avoid leading respondents towards a particular answer, consider adding a neutral middle option or turning it into an open-ended question:

• Neither satified nor dissatisfied

Can you tell us about your experience as a customer?

Rating scale questions are a great way to get quantitative data en masse, but opening up questions for qualitative data allows for much deeper customer feedback and insights.

How to avoid leading questions in UX research

Now you know what to watch out for when it comes to leading questions, here’s our top tips for how to avoid sneaky biases creeping into your UX research.

Access 350+ ready-to-use research questions 🙌

Get your research up and running with our Question Bank , the internet's best open-source question repository for user research.

Avoid words related to feelings and/or sentiment

Remove adjectives related to feelings, such as how much people like or dislike something. Instead, ask them to share their experience and naturally uncover what works and what is challenging.

Be mindful of the order of your questions

Be mindful of where and when you ask questions, so you don’t assume people have had experiences. A good rule of thumb is to start broad and then get specific. For example, start by uncovering if someone uses a particular feature and then ask specific questions related to that feature—don’t make assumptions right off the bat.

Create a safe and open environment

Create space for any type of feedback—positive and negative—and make participants feel safe to share their opinions. Remind people that there are no right or wrong answers and that you are not testing them—you’re testing the product.

Run through your questions with someone

Asking your questions out loud with someone not part of your company or team is a great way to identify if you’ve accidentally created a leading question. Call on a friend, family member, or even someone at the company who is unfamiliar with the product area to do a mock interview or run through your survey.

Use AI assistance when crafting questions

Using AI in UX design can optimize your questions to ensure you’re avoiding leading questions when collecting customer insights . Maze AI’s uses an advanced algorithm to identify bias in your questions—as well as illegibility and grammatical errors—and provides newly-phrased questions to avoid leading questions.

Don't let leading questions impact your data

Leading questions are pretty common in everyday life—whether we're the respondent or the interviewer. But while asking someone to confirm they enjoyed their meal is no big deal—using leading questions in product research leads you to a path of assumptions and misinformed product roadmaps .

The next time you prepare for your next user interview, keep these best practices in mind and practice framing questions in a neutral, unbiased way. The more experience you have with crafting effective research questions, the easier it will become to spot leading ones.

Frequently asked questions

How can I identify a leading question?

To identify leading questions, review the questions you prepared and ask yourself if they focus on a particular sentiment (e.g., like or dislike), or if they are balanced and neutral. Indicators of leading questions include affirmative language such as ‘right?’ ‘wouldn’t you?’ ‘isn’t that true?’ and so on; sweeping statements that assume an experience actually happened are usually followed by leading questions; and questions that ask participants to predict future behavior.

What are some examples of leading questions?

There are four types of leading questions you should be aware of, from assumptive questions to statement-based, coercive, and consequential questions. Examples of leading questions are: ‘How much do you enjoy using [product]?’ ‘What did you like and dislike about [x]?’ ‘Our services met your needs, right?’

How can I avoid asking a leading question?

To avoid asking leading questions, don’t use words related to feelings and/or sentiment in your questions. Be mindful of the order of your questions, and create an open environment, encouraging your UX research participants to share their thoughts. A best practice is to run through the questions with someone before using them in real-life research.

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Leading questions (with examples): What, why, and types (2024)

This article explains what leading questions are, why they are important, and provides examples of the different types of leading questions.

Product owners and user researchers often struggle with the challenge of obtaining accurate user feedback. 

Ever wondered why your survey responses seem biased or incomplete? Leading questions might be the culprit. 

Understanding what leading questions are and why they pose a problem is crucial for crafting effective surveys.

In this article, we unravel the mystery behind leading questions, explore their impact, and provide practical examples of different types. 

Equip yourself with the knowledge to ask questions that truly unveil user perspectives, enhancing the quality of your product research.

What are leading questions?

Leading questions are queries that subtly guide respondents toward a specific answer, potentially influencing their responses.

They often contain assumptions or suggest desired outcomes. 

Product owners and researchers should be cautious about using leading questions as they may introduce bias and compromise the validity of findings. 

To maintain objectivity, it's crucial to frame questions neutrally, avoiding preconceived notions. 

This ensures that insights collected accurately reflect user perspectives, fostering unbiased decision-making in product development. 

Now that we've defined what leading questions are, let's delve into their impact on user research and why they warrant careful consideration.

How do leading questions affect user research?

Leading questions wield considerable influence on user research outcomes, potentially skewing data and compromising the validity of findings. 

By inadvertently guiding participants towards desired responses, these questions can distort the user experience insights crucial for informed decision-making. 

Recognizing the impact of leading questions is pivotal for product owners and user researchers striving for unbiased and actionable results:

1) Misinformed product decisions

Leading questions in user research can misguide product owners, leading to uninformed decisions. 

When questions subtly steer participants towards a desired response, the resulting data may not accurately represent user opinions. 

This distortion can cloud the understanding of user needs and preferences, ultimately influencing product decisions based on skewed information. 

To ensure the integrity of decision-making, it is crucial to employ neutral and open-ended questions in user research, allowing users to express their thoughts genuinely.

2) Inauthentic and unreliable data

The impact of leading questions extends to the reliability of collected data. 

When users feel pressured to conform to implicit suggestions, their responses become less authentic. 

Inaccurate data can compromise the validity of research findings, leading product owners to base crucial decisions on unreliable information. 

To maintain the authenticity of user data, researchers should refrain from using leading questions and instead focus on creating an environment that encourages honest and unbiased responses from participants.

3) Reduced exploration

Leading questions can limit the depth of user exploration, hindering the discovery of valuable insights. 

By subtly directing participants towards specific aspects, researchers may inadvertently overlook unexpected user needs or preferences. 

This narrowed focus may result in a product that addresses only surface-level concerns, missing out on opportunities for innovation and differentiation. 

To foster comprehensive exploration, researchers should craft questions that allow users to freely express their experiences and opinions without influence.

4) Wasted resources

The use of leading questions in user research can lead to the misallocation of resources. 

If decisions are based on distorted data, resources may be invested in the wrong features or improvements, resulting in a product that fails to meet user expectations. 

Additionally, the time and effort spent on conducting research with leading questions may yield little actionable insight. 

To avoid wasted resources, product owners must prioritize the use of unbiased and open-ended questions, ensuring that research efforts translate into meaningful and impactful outcomes for the product.

To navigate the challenges posed by leading questions, it's essential to recognize the various types that exist. 

Let's explore the four main categories of leading questions next.

What are the 5 main types of leading questions?

In user research, leading questions manifest in various forms. There are four primary types to be mindful of: assumptive, statement-based, coercive, and consequential questions. 

Each type carries its own set of challenges and can impact the integrity of your research differently.

1) Assumptive leading questions

Assumptive leading questions guide respondents towards a particular answer by presupposing a specific scenario. In product research, this could involve assuming a positive experience to influence feedback. Consider:

• Framing questions with embedded assumptions about the product's benefits.
• Encouraging users to confirm presumed advantages, potentially skewing responses.
• Using language that presupposes a certain behavior or perception.

Bad Example: "Since most users find this feature very useful, how has it improved your workflow?"

Good Example: "How do you currently use the feature in your workflow?"

Avoid assumptions to ensure unbiased user feedback and uncover authentic insights into product experiences.

2) Statement-based leading questions

Statement-based leading questions present respondents with statements rather than open-ended queries. In user research, this technique can unintentionally influence opinions. Be cautious of:

• Offering predetermined viewpoints for agreement or disagreement.
• Crafting questions that presuppose a certain stance, limiting diverse perspectives.
• Creating an environment where users may feel compelled to align with presented statements.

Bad example: "The new design is more user-friendly, right?"

Good example: "Tell me about your experience with the current design."

Opt for open-ended inquiries to encourage users to express their genuine thoughts, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of user experiences.

3) Coercive leading questions

Coercive leading questions employ subtle pressure or influence to guide respondents towards a specific response. In product research, coercion can compromise the authenticity of user feedback. Be mindful of:

• Using emotionally charged language that may sway responses.
• Introducing subtle cues that encourage users to provide desired answers.
• Employing tactics that unintentionally coerce users into aligning with expectations.

Bad example: "You haven't faced any significant issues with the latest update, have you?"

Good example: "What challenges have you encountered while using the product?"

Maintain a neutral tone and avoid coercive elements to ensure honest and unbiased user insights, crucial for refining products effectively.

4) Consequential leading questions

Consequential leading questions hint at potential outcomes, encouraging respondents to consider repercussions when answering. In product research, this may impact the accuracy of user feedback. Watch out for:

• Framing questions with implied consequences, influencing user perceptions.
• Introducing scenarios that may prompt users to modify responses based on anticipated outcomes.
• Unintentionally steering respondents towards specific reactions by highlighting potential consequences.

Bad example: "Assuming these changes are implemented, it will make your job easier, right?"

Good example: "How do you think the proposed changes will impact your daily tasks?"

Choose questions that focus on immediate experiences rather than hypothetical outcomes to obtain user insights unaffected by perceived consequences.

5) Loaded questions

Loaded questions are a specific form of biased questioning that incorporates assumptions, often carrying an implicit agenda or predisposition. These questions are designed to lead respondents towards a particular answer or to provoke a specific reaction, making them a potential pitfall in unbiased research. It's important to be aware of:

• Implied assumptions or values embedded within the question.
• The potential for leading respondents to a predetermined conclusion.
• How loaded questions can unintentionally introduce bias into the data collection process.

Bad Example: " Don't you agree that our product is the most innovative in the market? "

Good Example: " What factors do you consider when evaluating the innovativeness of a product? "

By steering clear of loaded questions, researchers can maintain the integrity of the data and ensure that responses accurately reflect the diverse perspectives and experiences of users.

Now that we've outlined the types of leading questions, let's differentiate between leading and loaded questions to provide clarity on these commonly confused concepts.

Subtle difference between leading questions vs loaded questions

Leading questions and loaded questions have slightly distinct purposes in the realm of user research. 

A leading question guides respondents towards a desired answer, potentially skewing results. 

In contrast, a loaded question is deliberately phrased to provoke a specific response, often introducing bias. 

For product owners and user researchers, understanding the disparities is crucial for unbiased data collection. 

The table below illustrates key differences:

Being mindful of these differences empowers product owners and researchers to design surveys and interviews that yield objective insights, fostering better-informed decisions.

With the distinction between leading and loaded questions clarified, let's delve into practical examples of leading questions to better grasp how they can manifest in user research.

What are some of the examples of leading questions?

Concrete examples are invaluable for grasping the nuances of leading questions. By examining real-world scenarios, product owners and user researchers can hone their skills in identifying and mitigating leading questions. 

Let's explore instances where seemingly innocuous queries can inadvertently introduce bias into the research process:

Leading question example #1: Assumption-based leading questions in customer effort surveys

In customer effort surveys, the framing of questions can inadvertently lead respondents towards a particular answer, skewing the results. 

Consider the question: “ Is it easy for you to use [product feature]? ” This assumes the user finds the product feature easy to use, potentially biasing their response. 

Instead, a neutral and open-ended approach is recommended: “ How was your experience using [product feature]? ”

This revised question allows users to express their true sentiments without being influenced by the assumption embedded in the original query. 

Product owners and user researchers should strive for clarity and objectivity in their survey questions to obtain genuine insights from users.

Leading question example #2: Direct implication questions in net promoter score surveys

Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys aim to gauge customer loyalty and satisfaction. 

However, the framing of questions can impact the reliability of responses. 

A leading question like, “ If you enjoyed using [product name], how likely are you to recommend [product name] to others? ” implies a positive experience, potentially leading users to rate their likelihood of recommendation higher. 

A better alternative is a direct inquiry: “ On a scale from 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend [product name] to others? ”

By avoiding direct implications and framing questions in a straightforward manner, product owners can gather more accurate data on customer satisfaction levels, aiding in informed decision-making and strategic planning.

Leading question example #3: Coercive leading questions in product feedback surveys

Product feedback surveys should aim for unbiased responses, steering clear of questions that may coerce users into specific opinions. 

Consider the question: “Our recent product updates are helpful, aren’t they? ” This coercive approach may lead users to agree even if they harbor reservations. 

A preferable alternative is: “ How would you rate our recent product updates? ”

By posing questions neutrally, product owners create an environment where users feel comfortable providing honest feedback, facilitating a more accurate assessment of the product's strengths and areas for improvement.

Leading question example #4: Interconnected statements in leading questions for customer feedback surveys

The structure of questions in customer feedback surveys can impact the reliability of the obtained data. 

For instance, the question, “ Our customer service has resolved your help request in a timely manner. Do you find them supportive? ” establishes a connection between promptness and support, potentially influencing the user's response. 

A more effective approach is to separate the statements: “ Based on your recent interactions with our customer service, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with our company? ”

By disentangling statements, product owners and user researchers encourage respondents to independently evaluate different aspects, yielding insights that are more nuanced and reflective of their true experiences.

Leading question example #5: Leading questions to ask for product development ideas

When seeking input for product development, it's crucial to avoid leading questions that presuppose user needs. 

For instance, consider the question: “ Based on your experience with our analytics feature, what other analytics functions would you like to see? ” This question assumes a desire for additional analytics functions without allowing users to express their unique needs. 

A more effective approach is to inquire broadly: “ What improvements or new features would you like to see in our analytics capabilities? ”

By maintaining an open-ended format, product owners can uncover diverse perspectives, fostering innovation and ensuring that product development aligns closely with user preferences and requirements.

Leading question example #6: Leading questions to gain actionable insights

To extract actionable insights from users, questions should avoid suggesting specific issues. 

For example, “ It looks like you haven’t [done a core task]. Is there anything we can do to improve your experience? ” implies users face challenges due to incomplete tasks. 

A more neutral and open-ended version is: “ Is there anything we can do to improve your experience with [core task]? ”

This reframing allows users to share their experiences and propose solutions without being directed towards a specific issue. 

By crafting questions carefully, product owners can derive insights that lead to meaningful enhancements in user experience and overall product satisfaction.

Now equipped with examples, let's shift our focus to proactive measures. How can you avoid falling into the trap of asking leading questions in your user research? Let's explore some practical strategies.

How do you avoid leading questions?

Avoiding leading questions requires a proactive approach and a keen awareness of potential biases. By implementing the following strategies product owners and user researchers can foster an environment that encourages candid and unbiased responses from participants:

1) Embrace open-ended questions

To avoid leading questions, prioritize open-ended inquiries. 

Instead of steering participants toward a specific response, ask questions that encourage thoughtful and detailed answers. 

For example, replace "Did you like the new feature?" with "Tell me about your experience with the new feature." 

Open-ended questions empower participants to express their opinions without feeling confined to predefined options, yielding more valuable insights for product owners and user researchers.

2) Avoid suggesting answers

Resist the temptation to embed potential answers within your questions. 

Leading questions often contain subtle cues that guide participants toward a specific response. 

For instance, reframing "How easy was it to use the intuitive interface?" to "What was your experience using the interface?" eliminates suggestive elements. 

By maintaining question neutrality, you ensure unbiased participant feedback, fostering a clearer understanding of user perceptions and preferences.

3) Steer clear of yes/no or either/or questions

Opt for questions that prompt participants to elaborate rather than ones inviting a simple "yes" or "no." Closed-ended inquiries limit insights and may inadvertently shape responses. 

For instance, replace "Did you find the website helpful?" with "How did you find the website experience?". 

This encourages participants to share their thoughts in a more nuanced manner, providing richer data for product owners and user researchers to make informed decisions.

4) Use neutral language

Choose words carefully to maintain objectivity. Neutral language helps prevent leading questions by avoiding terms that may sway participant responses. 

For instance, replace "How satisfied were you with the amazing features?" with "What are your thoughts on the features?" 

Using neutral language ensures that participants form opinions without external influence, aiding product owners and user researchers in obtaining genuine feedback on their products or services.

5) Watch out for assumptions

Be mindful of assumptions that may inadvertently creep into your questions. 

Assumptions can lead participants to align their responses with perceived expectations. 

For example, rephrase "Since the recent update, have you noticed improved performance?" to "What changes, if any, have you observed after the recent update?". 

By avoiding assumptions, you create a space for participants to share their authentic experiences and insights, contributing to more accurate assessments for product owners and user researchers.

6) Pilot test your questions

Before deploying surveys or conducting interviews, pilot test your questions to identify and rectify any potential leading elements. 

This proactive step allows you to refine your inquiries based on participant reactions. 

For example, observe if participants exhibit confusion or bias during the pilot test, and adjust your questions accordingly. 

Piloting ensures that the questions effectively capture unbiased feedback, enabling product owners and user researchers to gather reliable data for informed decision-making.

In conclusion, understanding leading questions is pivotal for product owners and user researchers. 

Recognizing their impact on data integrity and user feedback is crucial. 

By comprehending what constitutes a leading question and why they should be avoided, professionals can enhance the reliability of their research. 

The types of leading questions, exemplified through clear examples, offer practical insights. 

Steering clear of leading questions ensures unbiased and authentic user responses, leading to more informed decision-making in product development. 

Embracing a question-centric approach fosters a user-centric environment, facilitating the creation of products that genuinely meet user needs.

FAQs related to leading questions

1) what are considered leading questions.

Leading questions are queries that subtly guide or prompt the respondent towards a specific answer or viewpoint. They often contain presuppositions or assumptions that may influence the person's response. These questions tend to be suggestive in nature, potentially biasing the answers given.

2) What is an example of a leading question in an interview?

An example of a leading question in an interview could be: "Don't you agree that our product is the best on the market?" This question presupposes a positive response and guides the interviewee towards affirming the superiority of the product.

3) What is an example of a leading question in a sentence?

An example of a leading question in a sentence could be: "Wasn't the user interface incredibly user-friendly?" This question implies that the user interface was indeed user-friendly, leading the respondent to agree with the statement.

4) Which of the following is an example of a leading question?

"How satisfied are you with our product?"

"Wouldn't you say our product is superior to others?"

"What improvements would you suggest for our service?"

"Can you describe your experience with our website?"

The correct answer is option 2: "Wouldn't you say our product is superior to others?" This question subtly guides the respondent towards acknowledging the superiority of the product, making it a leading question.

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5 Types of Leading Questions with Examples + How They Differ From Loaded Questions

Have you ever created a survey with questions designed to subtly nudge a recipient in one direction or another? Or, have you ever taken a survey and felt boxed in by one of the questions? Chances are, you were crafting, or responding to, a leading question. In this blog, we’ll look at five types of leading questions with examples, why you should avoid them on surveys, and how they’re different from loaded questions.

Create your survey, poll, or questionnaire now!

What is a Leading Question?

A leading question does just what it says: It “leads” respondents toward the answer the survey-taker wants them to choose. For example, if a company wants a prospective client to sign a contract, a question may ask, “When would you like to get started?” This question doesn’t ask them if they want to get started, but prompts them to state when they will get started. It presupposes that they want to come on board. While this can be beneficial for the company, it puts the client in an unfair position. 

5 Types of Leading Questions with Examples

Assumption-based leading questions.

These types of questions operate on preconceived notions that the survey creator holds. Feedback surveys commonly use them when a researcher wants to evaluate respondents’ feedback regarding a product, service, or process. Of course, they can apply to other types of surveys as well. For example, a question may ask, “How much did you enjoy our services?” This question assumes that the respondent enjoyed the services provided, and only asks to what level of enjoyment they received. It does not allow them to state that they did not enjoy the services.

Other examples of questions that are based on assumptions: 

• How satisfied are you with our product? 
• Which of our product features did you find most useful?
• How bad do you think the President’s new policies are?

Leading Questions with Interconnected Statements

This type of question combines two closely related statements. Often, it will begin with a statement designed to put bias into a respondents’ head, and then follow up with a question hoping that they will agree with the aforementioned statement. Leading questions with interconnected statements are often used in employee feedback surveys designed to create new policies, and the survey creator wants to sway the decision in one way or another. For example, say a company wants to get rid of its work from home policy. A leading question with interconnected statements may be, “Many employees like coming to the office versus working from home. What do you think about this?” As you can see, the statement aims to persuade the employee to agree with it by highlighting how others feel first before posing the question.

Other examples of questions with interconnected statements: 

• Many employees dislike wearing masks to work. How do you feel about this? 
• Most students think virtual learning isn’t working. Do you agree?
• A lot of Americans support stricter gun laws. Do you feel the same way?

Direct Implication Leading Questions

This type of leading question is designed to get respondents to consider results that would eventually happen if something else happens. In other words, they ask respondents to consider the results of their possible reaction to something. These types of questions are often used for experienced-based surveys. For example, a restaurant may ask, “If you liked your meal, would you come back again soon?” As you can see, it asks them a question based on an implication (that they will like their meal). 

Other examples of direct implication questions:

• If you found this conference beneficial, would you return next year?
• Do you think if you feel our services are top-notch, you contact us again?
• If you enjoyed this movie, would you recommend it to friends?

Scale-based Leading Questions

This type of question is leading because it uses an unfairly marked scale to tip it in the researcher’s favor. So, the scale is weighted with the positive responses outnumbering the negatives. By providing more options on the satisfied side, the question is biased and leads participants in that direction. Scale-based leading questions can appear on just about any type of survey.

An example of a scale-based question with more positives than negatives would be:

• Extremely satisfied
• Somewhat satisfied
• Somewhat dissatisfied
• Dissatisfied

Coercive Leading Questions

This type of question forces respondents to provide a specific answer, usually in the affirmative. Unlike other types of leading questions that are subtle, coercive leading questions are aggressive. This type of leading question can often be found in customer satisfaction surveys and website evaluation surveys and is a huge source of survey bias. These questions, also referred to as leading questions with tags due to their structure, pose a statement and then a question (often with a negative element, such as “won’t you?”).

Examples of coercive questions:

• Our product satisfactorily met your needs, didn’t it? 
• You’ll get vaccinated when the time comes, won’t you?
• You’ll highlight your positive experience on social media, right?

Why You Should Avoid Leading Questions on Surveys

Some researchers and survey creators unintentionally use leading questions; hopefully, this helps you to better understand their characteristics so you can avoid them on your surveys. Of course, some people use these questions intentionally, arguing that they are beneficial because they are:

• Focused. They help to suit the immediate objectives of their survey. 
• Efficient. They help achieve predetermined responses, simplifying data analysis.
• Specific. They help avoid vague and ambiguous questioning.

While this may be true, leading questions are a big source of survey bias . By trying to achieve predetermined results, framing questions in a way that evades neutrality and cajoles the respondent into an answer that may not be entirely true, the survey results become skewed. This means the survey, while it may say what you want it to say, is not valid. In addition, leading questions often lead to false feedback. What is the purpose of soliciting feedback, if you can’t learn and improve from it? Gathering untrue impressions will, in the long run, hurt the organization, not help it.

Leading vs Loaded Questions

There is a distinct difference between leading questions and loaded questions. While a leading question prompts someone toward an answer, a loaded question is a trick question. No matter how a respondent answers, they’re saying something that they may not agree with. You can see in these examples how loaded questions are different from leading questions:

Examples of loaded questions:

• Even if the respondent replied “no,” they’re still stating that the company is amazing.
• Again, even if the respondent replies “no,” they’re still stating the person is a criminal.
• If the respondent says “no,” they’re stating they still abuse their dog; if they say “yes,” they’re stating that they used to. So, if the respondent never has abused their dog, it’s a lose-lose scenario.
• This loaded question is framed in a way that if the respondent disagrees with one of the two included clauses, it inadvertently suggests that they agree with the other one. It’s loaded because it assumes that these are the only two reasons why a person might believe the mainstream media (they’re naive or they don’t care about the truth).

For more examples of loaded questions, we suggest checking out Effectiviology .

Leading questions are intentionally or unintentionally framed queries that prompt a respondent to answer in a particular way. So, while these types of questions may result in respondents answering in the way the survey creator had hoped, it results in survey bias which impacts the validity of the survey. Therefore, you should avoid them in order to conduct a clean and accurate survey. Armed with this information, are you ready to create your next survey, free from leading (and loaded) questions? Start now with SurveyLegend! Our surveys beautifully render, are highly secure, and completely responsive. And, it’s free to start, sign up today!

Have you used leading questions on surveys in the past? Did they skew your data? Do you have any other great examples of leading questions? Let us know in the comments!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a leading question?

A leading question may be intentional or unintentional on the part of the survey creator. Ultimately, it results in prompting the respondent to answer in one way or another, often to the benefit of the person performing the survey.

What is a loaded question? 

Unlike a leading question that persuades someone to answer one way or another, a loaded question is a “trick question” in which no matter the way someone responds, they’re siding with the person asking the question or incriminating themselves.

What are the five types of leading questions?

Assumption-based, interconnected statement, direct implication, scale-based, or coercive.

Are leading questions considered bad?

Yes. Leading questions introduce bias into surveys, often resulting in inaccurate responses which skew data and lead to an invalid survey.

Jasko Mahmutovic

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Leading questions: Definition, examples, and why you should avoid them

As a survey creator, you need to know what your customers or employees are thinking – and you want insights that you can take action on. But, what would happen if you asked certain questions that lead survey respondents to answer in a favorable way – also known as leading questions – without even knowing it? 

The answer? Asking leading questions can do far more harm than good for your survey program. 

In fact, asking them in your feedback surveys might not only return unhelpful responses, but could also produce misleading or untrue results. Results that, should you take action on, could lead to some detrimental business outcomes.

As such, we’ve taken a closer look at what leading questions are, a few examples of different types, the difference between leading and loaded questions, and share why you should avoid leading questions altogether to achieve improved versions of your surveys. 

What are leading questions?

Leading questions are survey questions that encourage or guide the respondent towards a desired answer. They are often framed in a particular way to elicit responses that confirm preconceived notions, and are favorable to the surveyor – even though this may ultimately sway or tamper with the survey data.

Sometimes, leading questions are used intentionally to persuade the respondent to answer in a certain way, e.g., choosing between two products or services, instead of having the option to not choose something at all. 

Other times, leading questions are included in surveys by accident. But, by making small tweaks to the framework of your questions, you can ask effective survey questions without compromising the trust of your intended audience (or the integrity of your data). 

Types of leading questions with examples

Now that we’ve covered what leading questions are, let’s look at some types – and examples – so they’re easier to identify (and avoid) when you’re crafting future surveys. 

1. Assumption-based leading questions

Assumption-based leading questions assume something about the respondents. These types of questions are often seen in surveys meant to evaluate perceptions of a product, service, or experience – whether through customer feedback surveys, website evaluation surveys, employee experience surveys, or other survey types. 

Assumptions, however, should be avoided in surveys as they lead respondents to answer in preconceived ways only, and leave no room for them to express their true thoughts or opinions. 

Here are a couple of examples: 

• How excellent is your new purchase? (Here, it’s assumed the respondent enjoys their purchase.)
• How exciting was our online event for you? (Here, it’s assumed the respondent considered the event exciting.)

TIP: To avoid biased questions , make sure to include a range of appropriate options – including neutral or “other” options – for respondents to select from.

2. Coercive leading questions 

Meanwhile, a coercive question forces respondents to answer in only one way, typically in the affirmative. 

Here are a couple of examples:

• You’re planning to remain working for this company, correct? 
• Our customer service team responded adequately to your needs, didn’t they?

3. Direct-implication leading questions 

A direct-implication leading question sets the respondent up for future behavior (even if they weren’t yet thinking that way). 

• If you enjoy working at this company, will you recommend it to your family or friends? 
• Your purchase means a lot to us. Will you recommend it to others? 

4. Leading question with interconnected statements 

This final type of leading question confuses the respondent by making a statement and then asking a follow-up question. 

• Most of your colleagues want to return to the office. Do you? 
• Our customers rave about this product. Can’t you see why? 

Much like a double-barreled question – another type of question to avoid in your surveys – interconnected statements reduce the clarity of your question, and in turn, muddy the responses you’ll get. 

What’s the difference between leading and loaded questions?

You’ll oftentimes hear the term “loaded questions” alongside “leading questions” when discovering questions to avoid, so it’s important to understand the difference. 

While leading questions guide respondents to a specific answer, loaded questions can be considered trick questions because they assume something about the respondent within the question itself. Oftentimes, in a feedback survey, the response (whether the respondent agrees or disagrees) will be favorable to the company. 

Here are a couple of examples of loaded questions: 

• Where do you enjoy shopping? (Here, it’s assumed the respondent enjoys shopping, even if they do not.)
• How does this company make you feel like you belong? (Here, it’s assumed the respondent feels a sense of belonging, whereas they may not.) 

Why you should avoid leading questions in your surveys 

If you want to maintain the integrity of your survey responses, leading questions – and loaded questions, for that matter – should be avoided at all costs. Here are a few reasons why:

1. You might not learn anything new

If you’re surveying your customers, you want to know what they’re thinking about your website, product, service, or something else related to your business. These insights can help you determine whether you’re reaching the right audience, attract and retain customers, and improve the way you do business. 

But if you’re asking leading questions in your customer satisfaction surveys , you might not learn anything new about your business. Why? Because you’re guiding customers to answer questions in a predetermined way, providing you with the same responses you might have written yourself! 

And even if you had the best intentions, and were unaware the questions you were asking were leading, you’ll, unfortunately, have wasted your – and your customers’ – time with a survey that returns no new or actionable insights. 

2. You might gather false information

What might be worse than not learning anything new from customer feedback is gleaning false feedback. This false information could lead you to misunderstand your customer or employee experience , as well as how you’re product or service is perceived in the market, and lead to business decisions that hurt your organization instead of improving it. 

REMINDER: This is why including neutral response options in your surveys is crucial!

3. You might not be able to use the data

By nature, leading questions lead survey respondents to intended – and often favorable – results, evade neutrality, and may result in prompting respondents to provide answers that are unreliable. They also introduce unwanted survey bias in your data, and could render your research unusable. 

Creating surveys that return insightful, actionable data should be an easy lift, but sometimes, unwanted bias caused by the way questions are asked can happen. By thoughtfully avoiding leading questions, and asking questions to evade biases in general, you’ll gather more useful data that will help you drive better experiences for your customers and employees – and better outcomes for your business. 

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Leading questions: how interviewers influence eyewitness testimonies, how leading and loaded questions influence the answers people give..

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A leading question is one which leads or persuades a person towards giving a particular response. The way in which a question is ‘framed’ - the use of particular wording and limiting the range of acceptable answers - can direct a person to giving an answer that lacks the accuracy of one provided in response to an open-ended question.

For example, the following question may be considered to be leading:

Did you see the man in the black-and-white overalls?

The use of the definite article in the question (“the man” instead of “a man”) implies that there was a man in black and white overalls. The respondent may be inclined to positively confirm their sighting of such a man, as they may assume that the man was definitely present, but they may have missed him by their own lack of observance. In reality, however, the man may not have been on the scene or existed at all.

The use of leading questions has wide-ranging implications in numerous aspects of life, and raises doubts as to the reliability of some court convictions where an eyewitness testimony may have been influenced by biased interviewing techniques.

The framing of questions can also be crucial to referendum results , in which voters may be inclined to vote for a particular outcome depending on the wording of the question printed on their ballot paper.

Research in the early 1970s, led by cognitive psychologist Elizabeth Loftus, brought attention to the reliability of eyewitness testimonies , demonstrating that an interviewer could influence interviewees’ responses by manipulating the phrasing of a question. In an oft-cited 1974 experiment, she found that witnesses to a car crash could be persuaded to testify to false memories , such as seeing a car travel at different speeds, depending on the wording used to describe the resulting crash. Assumptions regarding the severity of the crash, suggested in question wording, act as a kind of retrospective interference on witnesses’ memories of an event ( Loftus and Palmer, 1974 ).

Types of Leading Question

Leading questions can solicit a particular response using a number of methods. Phrasing may be adjusted to suggest a particular answer, or the interviewer may limit the range of permissible responses, sometimes excluding the natural answer of the respondent.  Examples include:

Did you steal Jack’s cake?

Were you at the club?

Leading vs Loaded Questions

Whilst a leading question leads a person to give a particular answer, a loaded question (also known as a complex question ) contains the assumption that one or more additional assertions are true. For instance, the assumption that a defendant was at a crime scene may be made by reference to it in a loaded question:

Why did you steal the cake from the shop? Here, the act of cake theft is assumed not questioned - but the motive for it is.

At what time last night did you drive away in the getaway car? The interviewer refers to the person driving away in the getaway car in their request for a time.

What were the two of you arguing about that ended in you hitting him? The interviewee is implied to have hit a victim without him/her having confessed to it.

In their answer, the respondent is expected to share the assumed fact with the interviewer without questioning it.

A tag question may be used to suggest a fact or opinion, and then ask that the respondent confirms it:

You were at the club on Friday, weren’t you ?

The fireworks are great, aren’t they ?

Closed-Ended Questions

Whilst open-ended questions (e.g. “Where were you last night”) invite any response, closed-ended questions lead the respondent to a limited choice of answers .

A dichotomous question offers one of two responses, e.g. “yes or no”, “true or false”, “good or bad”, omitting more nuanced answers.

Multiple choice questions provide a wider range of answers for a respondent to choose from, but can still lead them to a particular set of responses:

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream: strawberry, vanilla, neapolitan or chocolate?

The question above would prevent lovers of toffee ice cream from reporting their preference accurately. Authors of questionnaires which use multiple choice questions, such as those involved in market research, must take care not to influence or lead participants in such a way that their responses could be skewed.

Referendum Question Framing

The framing of questions can be a significant issue for those assessing referenda. Prior to the 2015 Scottish independence referendum, the Scottish government (in favor of independence) proposed that the following question be presented to voters:

“Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country? Yes/No” ( Electoral Commission, 2013 )

The Electoral Commission objected to the phrasing of the question, suggesting that “the words ‘Do you agree’ potentially encouraged people to vote ‘yes’ and should be replaced by more neutral wording”. Ultimately, the leading question was replaced with:

“Should Scotland be an independent country? Yes/No” ( Electoral Commission, 2013 )

Leading upto the 2016 referendum on European Union membership, the Electoral Commission again took the view that the proposed question could lead respondents to give a particular answer.

A yes/no question was proposed: “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union?” However, this was again contested as favoring a confirmatory ‘remain’ vote, and the government accepted that the question should be replaced with, “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?”. Voters were given two options - to “Remain a member of the European Union” or to “Leave the European Union” ( Electoral Commission, 2015 ).

Cognitive Interviews

In the 1980s, amidst fears that police questioning techniques were producing inaccurate or unreliable eyewitness testimonies, an alternative set of methods were proposed for use during interviews, with the intention that the undue influence of leading questions on witnesses’ recollection of events could be reduced.

In a 1985 paper, R. Edward Geiselman suggested that witnesses be encouraged to relive a previous event , recalling unrelated facts regarding a crime scene, such as the weather and any passers-by, so that they may more accurately experience and recall memories specific to a particular crime.

Along with further suggestions, this was termed the ‘cognitive interview’, and was found to produce more accurate recollections of events than standard interview methods. The suggestions made in the cognitive interview have had a lasting impact on modern police techniques used during eyewitness interviews ( Geiselman, Fisher et al, 1985 ).

Questioning Techniques

Intentionally or accidentally, leading questions can impact on the testimonies provided by eyewitnesses in trials, influence referendum outcomes and affect the accuracy of survey results. Beyond the phrasing of questions, a number of other factors can also affect the answers given to questions.

The environment in which questions are asked can weigh on respondents’ behavior. In a series of group conformity experiments , psychologist Solomon Asch asked a group people to respond individually to an obvious question. When confederates in the group provided an incorrect answer, genuine participants tended to follow them, for fear of deviating from the social norm and being disproven ( Asch, 1955 ). Asch demonstrated that we often take into account the responses of our peers when considering our own answers to questions, even when we feel that fellow respondents are mistaken.

By building a rapport with a respondent, interviewers can also solicit a desired response to a specific question.

Using a method known as the foot-in-the-door technique , if an interview can persuade a person to respond positively to a series of questions, they are more likely to be able to solicit a ‘yes’ answer to a further question. The technique was tested in an experiment by Jonathan Freedman and Scott Fraser of Stanford University in 1966, and may explain why so-called ‘cold-callers’ who make unsolicited sales calls tend to ask friendly questions that a person would be inclined to agree with, prior to inviting them to sign up for a service or order a product ( Freedman and Fraser, 1966 ).

• Loftus, E.F. and Palmer, J.C. (1974). Reconstruction of automobile destruction: An example of the interaction between language and memory. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior . 13 (5). 585-589.
• Electoral Commission (2013). Electoral Commission publishes its assessment of Scottish independence referendum question and its advice on campaign spending limits . Retrieved from http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/journalist/electoral-commission-media-centre/news-releases-referendums/electoral-commission-publishes-its-assessment-of-scottish-independence-referendum-question-and-its-advice-on-campaign-spending-limits .
• Electoral Commission (2015). Referendum on membership of the European Union: Assessment of the Electoral Commission on the proposed referendum question . Retrieved from http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/elections-and-referendums/upcoming-elections-and-referendums/eu-referendum/eu-referendum-question-assessment .
• Geiselman, R.E., Fisher, R.P., MacKinnon, D.P. and Holland, H.L. (1985). Eyewitness Memory Enhancement in the Police Interview: Cognitive Retrieval Mnemonics Versus Hypnosis. Journal of Applied Psychology . 70 (2). 401-412.
• Asch, S.E. (1955). Opinions and Social Pressure. Scientific American . 193 (5). 31-35.
• Freedman, J.L. and Fraser, S.C. (1966). Compliance Without Pressure: The Foot-in-the-Door Technique. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . 4 (2). 195-202.

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Leading Questions as a Form of Persuasion

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

A leading question is a type of question that implies or contains its own answer. By contrast, a neutral question is expressed in a way that doesn't suggest its own answer. Leading questions can serve as a form of  persuasion . They are rhetorical in the sense that the implied answers can be an attempt to shape or determine a response.

Phillip Howard says:

"While we are on about questions of rhetoric, let us put on the record for those being interviewed on television that a leading question is not a hostile one that goes to the nub and puts one on the spot" ("A Word in Your Ear," 1983).

In addition to TV journalism, leading questions can be used in sales and marketing, in job interviews, and in court. In polls and surveys, a problematic question can skew the results:

" Subtle leads  are questions that may not be immediately recognized as leading questions. Harris (1973) reports studies which demonstrate that the way a question is worded can influence the response. For example, asking somebody how tall a basketball player is produced greater estimates than when respondents were asked how short the player was. The average guess of those who were asked 'how tall?' was 79 inches, as opposed to 69 inches for those who were asked 'how small?' Hargie describes a study by Loftus (1975) which reported similar findings when forty people were asked about headaches. Those who were asked 'Do you get headaches frequently and, if so, how often?' reported an average of 2.2 headaches per week, whereas those who were asked 'Do you get headaches occasionally and, if so, how often?' reported only 0.7 per week. Some interviewers may deliberately use subtle leads to obtain the answers they desire, but often neither the interviewer nor respondent is aware of the extent to which the wording of the question can influence the response." (John Hayes,  Interpersonal Skills at Work . Routledge, 2002)

In a courtroom, a leading question is one that tries to put words in the witness' mouth or looks for the person to echo back what the questioner asked. They don't leave room for the witness to tell the story in his or her own words. Authors Adrian Keane and Paul McKeown illustrate:

"Leading questions are usually those so framed as to suggest the answer sought. Thus it would be a leading question if counsel for the prosecution, seeking to establish an assault, were to ask the victim, 'Did X hit you in the face with his fist?' The proper course would be to ask 'Did X do anything to you' and, if the witness then gives evidence of having been hit, to ask the questions 'Where did X hit you' and 'How did X hit you?'" ("The Modern Law of Evidence," 10th ed. Oxford University Press, 2014)

Leading questions are not allowed on direct examination but are allowed on cross-examination and select other instances, such as when the witness is labeled as a hostile one. 

Author Michael Lovaglia explains how salespeople use leading questions to gauge customers, illustrating with a furniture store salesperson: 

"Buying a roomful of furniture is a major purchase, a big decision....The salesperson, waiting impatiently, wants to hurry the process along. What can she do? She probably wants to say, 'So buy it already. It's just a sofa.' But that would not help. Instead, she asks a leading question: 'How soon would you need your furniture delivered?' The customer might answer 'Right away' or "Not for a few months, until we move into our new house.' Either answer serves the salesperson's purpose. The question assumes that the customer will need the store's delivery service, though that is true only after the customer buys the furniture. By answering the question, the customer implies that she will go ahead with the purchase. The question helps push her into a decision that she had been uncertain about until she answered it." ("Knowing People: The Personal Use of Social Psychology." Rowman & Littlefield, 2007)

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Leading Questions: What They Are & Why They Matter [+ Examples]

Updated: October 23, 2023

Published: September 07, 2023

You just attended an event, and you didn't have a great time. A few days later, you receive a survey asking "How much did you enjoy our fantastic event?" This is a leading question.

Leading questions push respondents to answer in a certain way, often influenced by biases and personal opinions. Like the question above — it implies that everyone who attended the event agrees that it was fantastic.

In this article, we'll discuss what leading questions are and why it's important to keep an eye out for them in your next survey .

• Leading Question Definition

Types of Leading Questions

• Leading vs. Loaded Questions

What are leading questions?

A leading question prompts someone to provide a predetermined answer. In other words, the desired answer is implied based on the context and phrasing of the question.

Typically found in surveys, leading questions usually contain information that a researcher wants to either confirm or deny. However, rather than allowing the respondent to answer the question honestly, these types of questions nudge them in a particular direction.

Because leading questions draw from assumptions and biases, they tend to lead to unreliable survey results — and that can be bad for business.

Here's why. Let's say you're trying to gauge how satisfied your customers are with your product. You run a survey and include questions that basically reference your product as the best thing since sliced bread .

Like: "How satisfied are you with how easy and simple it is to use our product?"

It's going to be pretty hard to get candid feedback from anyone who may have been struggling to use your product. And this type of feedback is extremely valuable because there may be others who feel the same (and who are churning because of it).

That's why you need to make sure your survey questions are well-crafted in order to receive optimal results.

OK, let's review the different types of leading questions to look out for.

Questions Based on Assumptions

Questions based on interrelated statements, questions based on direct implications, questions based on coercion.

Many leading questions are either based on assumptions, interrelated statements, direct implications, or coercion. For example, 'You're a satisfied customer, aren't you?' is a leading question that uses coercive language to support customer satisfaction.

The image below highlights the most common types of leading questions.

We'll review each in more detail below.

Assumption-based questions presume that a respondent thinks or feels a certain way about a product, service, or business process. And that thought or feeling is implied within the framing of the question.

These types of questions tend to lean positive and use phrases like:

• How much do you like x?
• How delighted are you with y?

Even if the underlying goal is to test an assumption, this may push respondents to answer in the direction of that assumption.

Questions that use interrelated statements include a statement of fact or opinion, followed by a question that prompts a related answer from the respondent.

These types of questions tend to use phrases like:

• [Insert statement]. What are your thoughts?
• [Insert statement]. How do you feel about this?

Questions in this format can be useful to measure how much a respondent agrees or disagrees with a particular statement. But, if framed incorrectly, it may also encourage the customer to answer based on the information provided in the original statement.

Direct implication questions require the respondent to determine the future implications of a present attitude or behavior — whether it applies to them or not.

• If you liked x, should we do it again?
• If you subscribed to x, will you be subscribing to y?

But what happens if the respondent didn't "like" or "subscribe" to x? It makes it difficult for them to answer the question accurately.

Questions that include coercive language usually force the respondent to affirm or agree with something.

• You enjoyed x, didn't you?
• Our product is great, right?

Coercive questions are among the biggest contributors to survey bias because they sway respondents to provide a predetermined answer. There's little room for people to answer differently (and comfortably).

Leading Questions vs. Loaded Questions

Loaded questions are often mentioned along with leading questions when talking about things to avoid. Loaded questions are trick questions that contain assumptions about the respondent within the questions and often have exaggerations or emotionally charged language.

Example of a loaded question:

"Do you find it difficult to hide your imposter syndrome?"

This question implies that the respondent has imposter syndrome. The assumptions made asking loaded questions can put respondents off.

Now, let's get into a few examples of leading questions.

Leading Questions Examples

Here are some examples of the different types of leading questions that may unintentionally end up in your surveys (also highlighted in the image above).

Example 1: Assumptions

Question: "How excited are you about our new product?"

What makes it leading?

This question assumes that the respondent feels excited about the product.

Example 2: Interrelated Statements

Question: "Most people are excited about our new product. Are you?"

This question may prompt a particular answer (in this case, yes) based on the closely connected statement that most people are excited about the new product.

Example 3: Direct Implications

Question: "If you're excited about our new product, should we offer another version?"

This question forces respondents to consider the future implications of whether or not they feel excited about the new product.

Example 4: Coercion

Question: "You're excited about our new product, right?"

This question compels the respondent to agree that they're excited about the product.

But leading questions aren't all bad. In fact, they're commonly leveraged in marketing, sales, and legal contexts.

Example 5: Marketing

Marketers may use leading questions to help promote a product or service.

Question: "Customers love our new e-book. Are you ready to download a copy?"

Why It's Used: This statement establishes that other customers love their book to help persuade new customers to purchase.

Example 6: Sales

Salespeople may use leading questions to persuade a prospective customer to buy a product or service.

Question: "When would you like to start your subscription with us?"

Why It's Used:

This question corners recipients into starting a subscription by assuming they're already on board to sign up.

Example 7: Legal

Lawyers may use leading questions to nudge the case in a specific direction (i.e., in their favor).

Question: "How late did the defendant get home that night?"

This leading question assumes the defendant got home late, which plays into whatever strategy the legal team has.

Still, you'll want to avoid using leading questions in your surveys. Let's discuss how to do that next.

How to Avoid Leading Questions

The best way to avoid leading questions is usually by reframing the question through a more objective lens.

For example, as shown in the image above, the assumption-based question: "How excited are you about our new product?" would be better framed as "How would you rate our new product?"

Why? By removing the assumption that the customer is excited about the new product, you give the customer the freedom to rate the product honestly — even if that means they're not that jazzed about it.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to avoid writing leading questions:

• Are my own personal assumptions or biases present?
• Am I forcing a respondent to answer in a specific way?
• Are the respondent's thoughts or feelings implied?
• Am I asking the respondent to consider something they may not agree with?
• Do I feel strongly in one direction about this subject, and does it show?

Don't Lead Your Customers On

Businesses thrive off of customer feedback. And it's important to give your customers the opportunity to communicate with you openly and honestly.

The bottom line: Leading questions may work for marketing, sales, and legal, but try to leave them out of your customer surveys.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in September 2022 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Leading Questions in Surveys: Definition, Types, Examples, and How to Avoid Them

As a survey creator or business owner it's important to not just collect data, but also make sure that it's accurate and unbiased. And therefore, it's crucial to avoid leading questions in your surveys.  In everyday conversation, we often ask questions to gather information, express interest, or engage with others. However, not all questions are created equal. Some questions can unintentionally lead people to answer in a certain way or influence their responses. These are known as leading questions, and they can have a significant impact on the accuracy and validity of the information we receive. Asking such questions in your survey lead to misleading data and bad business decisions from your survey programs. 

Leading questions can distort responses, undermine credibility, and ultimately lead to poor decision-making. In this blog, we'll discuss what leading questions are, why they're problematic, and provide practical tips for avoiding them while creating your surveys .

Table of Contents

What are leading questions.

• Different Types of Leading Questions

Examples of Leading Questions

Why are leading questions problematic, how to avoid leading questions.

A Leading Question is a survey question that suggests a particular answer or influences the respondent to answer in a certain way. Leading questions can be subtle or overt, but their intent is to shape the response of the person being asked. For example, "Don't you think the new policy is a bad idea?" is a leading question because it assumes that the respondent thinks the new policy is a bad idea.

Sometimes leading questions are intentional and stem from the survey creators bias, looking to persuade the respondents to answer in a certain way to gain certain specific responses. For instance, Do you think our product is the best choice for your needs? How satisfied are you with the high quality service provided here? 

In contrast, some leading questions may be included in your survey by accident and with small tweaks can easily be fixed to ensure the integrity of the survey and data. 

Different Types of Leading Questions & Examples

There are many different types of leading questions, and it's important to know about them to avoid them intentionally or unintentionally in the surveys and ensure the authenticity of the data being captured. Let's take a look at the different types of Leading Questions and a few examples. 

1. Biased Leading Questions

Biased Questions are questions that contain language that favors one answer over another. They are loaded with assumption and are often found in customer experience surveys usually measuring customer perceptions about products, experiences or service.

Here are a couple of examples of Biased Questions. Do you agree that our company's products are the best on the market? (This question is a biased question because it assumes that the company's products are the best.)  How much do you love the food here? (This question assumes that you love the food here.) 

2. Presumptive Leading Questions

Presumptive Questions are questions that contain a presumption or assumption that may not be true.

Here are some examples of Presumptive Leading Questions.  Do you plan to attend the conference, or are you not interested? (This is a presumptive question because it assumes that the respondent is either interested or not interested in attending.)  Our team was really helpful with the onboarding, weren't they? (This question assumes 

3. Direct Implication Leading Questions

Direct Implication Questions make the respondents consider the results that would happen based on a particular incident or event that may occur in the future. They are centered around the possibility of occurrence of some mentioned event, and coerce the respondents to base their answers on the perception. 

Here are some example of a Direct Implication Leading Question: If the event gets you more leads, you would like to participate again? If you enjoy working here, would you recommend this to your friends and family?  If you enjoy dining here, would you share a review online? 

4. Tag Leading Questions or Interconnected Statements

These are questions that are added onto the end of a statement and may lead the respondent to agree or disagree. It often confuses the respondent by making a statement as a fact and then asking a question based on the statement.

For example, The new policy is a good idea, isn't it? (The statement in this question assumes that the policy is a good idea.)  Most of your colleagues want to come back to office and work from here. Do you? 

5. Double-Barreled Questions

Double-Barreled questions are the ones that ask about more than one topic or issue at once. For example, "Do you think our product is of high quality and reasonably priced?" is a double-barreled question because it asks about both quality and price. Interconnected, double-barreled questions like these reduce the clarity of the question itself and lead to inaccurate responses. In this case, for example, the respondent may feel that the product is high quality but not necessarily reasonably priced.

Loaded Questions

These are questions that contain emotionally charged language or suggest a particular answer. While these are not typically leading questions, they can be considered so as they do lead to bias in the mind of the respondent and lead them to answer based on the bias.

Here are a few examples of Loaded Questions: Don't you think it's unethical to cut funding for public schools? (This is is a loaded question that assumes the respondent thinks it's unethical.) Isn't hybrid model of working better as it allows you to meet your colleagues often? 

By being aware of these different types of leading questions, you can avoid unintentionally including them in your surveys and gather more accurate and unbiased data. Instead, focus on asking open-ended and neutral questions that allow respondents to provide their own answers without being influenced by the wording of the question.

Let's check out some examples of Leading Questions in different industries and use cases. 

Leading Questions in Sales 

Business Development Teams and Sales persons send leading questions very often in their emails and conversations to persuade perspective clients and customers to buy or subscribe to their products. 

• When would you like to get started with your subscription? (assumes that the respondent is interested in the subscription) 
• When can I schedule a meeting with you? (assumes that the respondent is interested in the meeting) 

Leading Questions in Hospitality & Restaurants

• If you liked your meal, would you come back again soon?
• If you liked your stay, would you recommend this hotel to others? 
• If you liked your stay here, would you give us a review online? 

Leading Questions in Legal 

Lawyers ask leading questions to nudge the case in certain direction. 

• How angry were you with the victim that day? (assumes that the defendant was angry with the victim)
• How late were you able to reach home that night? (assumes that the person came late that night)
• How much desperately you wanted to take revenge from the victim? (leads the case in the direction that the defendant wanted to take revenge)

Let's explore why Leading Questions are problematic rather than being useful to derive meaning information.

Leading questions can be problematic for several reasons. Let's read them below.

1. Leading Questions lead to Inaccurate Information

If someone is influenced to answer in a certain way, the response may not reflect their true opinion or experience. This is problematic in all kinds of surveys and feedback forms like customer experience, feedback, research, where accurate and unbiased opinion and data is crucial. 

This inaccurate or false information can lead you to base your business decisions on facts that are biased and may lead to harm to the business. And honestly, inaccurate data is of no use to your business. 

2. Leading Questions can be unethical

If someone is intentionally led to answer in a particular way, it can be seen as a form of coercion or manipulation. This is particularly true in legal settings, where leading questions can be used to elicit false testimony. 

3. Leading Questions can damage Trust and Credibility

As a customer or respondent, it is important to not feel manipulated or pressured to answer in a certain way. When feeling manipulated, the customer is likely to start trusting the person lesser. For example, after a doctor's appointment, if a patient receives a feedback form with questions like 'The doctor did a great job at diagnosing your problem, didn't he?', you are likely to feel that the healthcare center is coercing a positive answer from you and you may not trust going back there again. 

4. Leading Questions don't give any new information

When measuring customer feedback, seeking customer service experience or product feedback, asking leading questions may amp up your CX metrics but would give you no valuable information or new information to actually help the business. The insights would be misleading and non-actionable as you have led the customers to give the answers you wanted to hear with leading questions. 

Since Leading Questions do more harm then good, it is very important to avoid them while creating your survey. Let's learn more about it.

To avoid leading questions, it's important to be aware of the language you use when asking questions. Here are some tips:

1. Ask Open-Ended Questions

Instead of asking questions that suggest a particular answer, ask open-ended questions that allow the respondent to provide their own answer. For example, "What are your thoughts on the new policy?" is an open-ended question that allows the respondent to provide their own perspective.

2. Avoid Loaded Language

Loaded language is language that is emotionally charged or has a particular connotation. Avoid using language that suggests a particular answer or elicits a particular emotional response. For example, "Don't you agree that the new policy is terrible?" is a leading question that uses loaded language.

3. Be Neutral

When asking questions, try to be as neutral as possible. Avoid expressing your own opinion or using language that suggests a particular answer. For example, "What do you think about the new policy?" is a neutral question that doesn't suggest a particular answer.

4. Consider the Context

The context in which a question is asked can also influence the response. Consider the setting, the relationship between the person asking the question and the respondent, and any other relevant factors.

In conclusion, it's important that while creating surveys, leading questions are avoided as they can have significant impact on the accuracy and validity of the surveys and feedback forms. All options should be stated clearly, respondents should be given all options and choices and also an option to not answer the question or choose another option. To avoid leading questions, it's important to be aware of the language used when asking questions and to strive for neutrality and openness. By doing so, survey creators can ensure that they receive accurate and unbiased information, and maintain trust and credibility with the customers and respondents who they interact with.

Published on May 02, 2023. Updated on Feb 13, 2024.

Written by Sonika

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Leading Questions

Leading questions are questions that are worded to suggest a particular answer. For example, if you say ‘did you see the broken glass?’ it implies that there was broken glass and therefore the witness is more likely to say ‘yes’.

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What are Leading Questions in Surveys?

Have you ever wondered, “What are leading questions in surveys?” These types of questions can subtly influence the responses you get, shaping the feedback in a particular direction before a respondent even answers.

What are Leading Questions?

A leading question is crafted in a way that suggests a specific answer is preferred, often guiding respondents towards a particular response or assumption, potentially skewing survey results.

When to Use Leading Questions?

Enhancing customer feedback surveys.

Leading questions can be strategically employed in customer satisfaction surveys to nudge respondents towards providing feedback on specific areas. For instance, incorporating a prebuilt video conferencing solution to facilitate these surveys might subtly direct attention to recent changes in customer service quality, aiming to gather insights on that particular aspect while ensuring the feedback is constructive and focused.

Steering Evaluation Surveys for Desired Outcomes

In evaluation surveys, such as those assessing a new product or service, leading questions can help highlight areas of interest or concern to the survey creators. By framing questions in a way that presupposes a positive experience, businesses can encourage respondents to reflect on specific benefits or improvements, guiding the development of future iterations.

Identifying Specific Areas in Customer Experience Surveys

Leading questions in customer experience surveys can serve to pinpoint particular elements of the service or product that the business aims to improve. For example, a question that assumes a high level of satisfaction with the checkout process on a website can elicit feedback that confirms this assumption or brings to light unexpected issues.

Mitigating Bias and Enhancing Objectivity

While leading questions can introduce bias, they can also be used judiciously to counteract existing preconceptions or to balance overly negative or positive feedback trends. By carefully crafting leading question prompts that challenge respondents to consider their experiences from a different angle, survey creators can obtain a more balanced view of customer opinions and experiences.

When NOT to Use Leading Questions?

Sometimes, it’s better to avoid leading questions in a particular way.

Avoiding Bias in Data Collection

Using leading questions that suggest a particular answer can severely compromise the integrity of survey responses, especially when unbiased data collection is crucial. For example, in customer surveys aimed at genuinely understanding client satisfaction, introducing bias through leading questions can result in inaccurate responses that misrepresent customer sentiment. Neutral questions are vital in these scenarios to ensure that collected data accurately reflects the true opinions and experiences of survey respondents, without pushing them in one direction based on the phrasing of the question.

Ensuring Legal and Ethical Compliance

In situations requiring legal precision or ethical considerations, such as surveys conducted by legal lawyers or research institutions, avoiding leading questions is paramount. Direct implication questions or assumption-based leading questions can lead to false information or predetermined responses, skewing the results and potentially leading to poor decision-making or legal challenges. It’s crucial to frame questions in a neutral manner that allows respondents to answer freely, without any influence that could lead to biased or coerced answers.

Gathering Genuine Customer Feedback

When the goal is to collect honest and actionable insights from customer feedback surveys, leading questions can be detrimental. They can force respondents into providing feedback that aligns with what the survey creator desires to hear, rather than their true feelings. For instance, a coercive leading question in a website evaluation survey might push and empower customers to overlook issues they faced, resulting in false feedback that hinders meaningful improvements to the customer service team or business process.

Making Informed Business Decisions

For business decisions that depend on accurate and representative feedback, reliance on leading questions can be a critical error. These questions can create survey bias, where the data collected is skewed towards a desired answer, leading to decisions based on flawed assumptions about customer preferences or market needs. Neutral questions that encourage honest and diverse opinions are essential for gathering the insights needed to make informed decisions that will truly benefit the company and its customers in the long run.

Good Practices for Direct Implication leading questions

Recognizing the impact of direct implication leading questions.

Direct implication leading questions are powerful tools that, when used responsibly, can subtly guide survey respondents towards deeper reflection. For instance, in website evaluation surveys, asking, “How innovative did you find our website features?” prompts users to consider the site’s uniqueness. This type of question forces respondents to focus on specific attributes, making it useful for gathering targeted feedback without overtly suggesting a desired response.

Balancing Direct Implication with Neutral Framing

To effectively use direct implication questions without biasing responses, balance them with neutral questions within your survey. This approach allows you to explore specific themes or incidents while still capturing unbiased feedback. For example, after a direct question about a website’s ease of use, a follow-up neutral question could ask for open-ended feedback on any site improvements. This ensures that respondents have the opportunity to express their personal opinions freely.

Avoiding Coercive Leading Questions

Coercive leading questions, which push respondents towards a particular answer, should be used cautiously. Instead, frame questions to invite honest feedback without implying that there’s a right or wrong answer. For instance, rather than asking, “Don’t you think our customer service is outstanding?” consider phrasing like, “How would you rate our customer service?” This approach encourages genuine responses, enhancing the value of the data collected.

Crafting Questions with Future Implications in Mind

When creating surveys, consider the future implications of the questions you ask. Direct implication leading questions should be designed not just to gather immediate feedback but to inform future business decisions and improvements. Questions that explore respondents’ future needs or expectations can provide insights into long-term strategies and innovation opportunities.

Utilizing Examples of Leading Questions Wisely

Incorporating examples of leading questions can be instructive for framing your own questions effectively. Analyze these examples to understand how subtly changing the language can impact the neutrality of a question. This can help you avoid unintentionally coercive or loaded questions in your surveys.

Integrating Personal Opinions Through Open-Ended Questions

Even when using direct implication leading questions, it’s crucial to give respondents the space to share their personal opinions. Including open-ended questions alongside direct ones allows for a broader range of responses, offering deeper insights into the respondent’s thoughts and feelings beyond the scope of structured answers.

Ensuring User-Friendly Survey Design

A user-friendly survey design enhances respondents’ willingness to engage honestly with direct implication leading questions. Ensure that the survey layout is intuitive and that questions are presented in a logical order that flows naturally from general to more specific topics. Additionally, incorporating QR codes for easy access to the survey on mobile devices can facilitate a smoother response process, reducing frustration and potential bias.

Reflecting on Preconceived Notions

Survey creators must reflect on their own preconceived notions when crafting direct implication leading questions. By remaining aware of any biases, you can design questions that truly aim to explore rather than confirm your existing beliefs. This self-awareness is crucial for creating surveys that yield actionable and reliable insights.

Emphasizing Clarity and Avoiding Emotionally Charged Language

To ensure that direct implication leading questions are effective and not misleading, emphasize clarity and avoid using emotionally charged language. Questions should be straightforward, avoiding complex or interconnected statements that might confuse respondents or lead them towards a specific answer. This clarity helps maintain the integrity of the survey and the accuracy of the responses collected.

Examples of Leading Question and Direct Implication Questions

Below, you will find a few types of leading questions that you can leverage. These few closely connected statements as leading questions examples can help you with your strategy. Get familiar with a few examples below.

“Don’t you agree our new product greatly improves efficiency?”

This leading question assumes agreement with a positive statement about a product, steering respondents towards a particular answer. It’s a direct implication leading question because it suggests that the product’s efficiency is a given, potentially skewing feedback towards the desired outcome. Survey creators should strive for neutrality to gather honest assessments rather than confirmation of preconceived notions.

“Were you satisfied with the exceptional service today?”

By using the word “exceptional,” this question leads respondents to answer in a certain way, implying that the service should be viewed as outstanding. It’s an example of how leading questions can introduce bias, influencing respondents to reflect on their experience more positively than they might have otherwise. Neutral phrasing would more accurately gauge genuine customer satisfaction.

“How would you rate our fast and reliable customer support?”

This direct implication leading question embeds the assumption that the customer support is both fast and reliable, which could coerce the respondent into agreeing with this characterization. Such questions limit the scope for personal opinions, potentially resulting in inaccurate responses that reflect the survey’s suggestions rather than the respondent’s true experiences.

“Isn’t it better to use our software than to struggle with manual processes?”

This leading question contrasts the ease of using the software with the difficulty of manual processes, pushing respondents towards acknowledging the software’s superiority without considering its actual performance. It’s a coercive type of question that can lead to false feedback, important for survey creators to avoid if seeking actionable insights for business decisions.

“Do you think our team responded poorly to your request?”

Even though this question might seem to invite criticism, its phrasing—”responded poorly”—leads respondents to focus on negatives, potentially overlooking any positive aspects of the interaction. It’s an example of a loaded question that directs respondents to think in a certain way, emphasizing the importance of using neutral questions for a balanced evaluation.

“How satisfied are you with the easy navigation of our website?”

This direct implication question assumes that the website navigation is easy, which might not be every user’s experience. It’s a subtle way of leading respondents to overlook navigation issues, demonstrating how assumption-based leading questions can skew survey responses and hinder the collection of genuine feedback.

“Would you recommend our efficient and affordable services to others?”

Embedding the qualities “efficient and affordable” within the question pushes respondents towards a positive evaluation before they’ve even considered their answer. This type of leading question can generate biased responses that are more about agreeing with the survey’s assumptions than offering an honest opinion.

“Do you appreciate the quick resolution of your issue, unlike with other services?”

Comparing the resolution time to “other services” within the question frames the company in a positive light by default, leading respondents to view the service more favorably due to the direct implications made. Such comparative leading questions can subtly influence perceptions, underscoring the need to avoid loaded or coercive questions for unbiased feedback collection.

Crafting survey questions that avoid leading the respondent towards a particular incident or answer is crucial for gathering unbiased, actionable insights. Answer-based questioning, which may imply what should eventually happen, can skew the data to a certain degree, limiting the authenticity of the feedback received. It’s essential for survey questions to allow respondents to answer freely, ensuring their responses reflect genuine opinions rather than what the respondent agrees or thinks the surveyor wants to hear. Achieving this balance ensures that the conclusions drawn from surveys are accurate and truly beneficial for making informed decisions.

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What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S.

More Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than in any other year on record, according to the latest available statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That included record numbers of both gun murders and gun suicides. Despite the increase in such fatalities, the rate of gun deaths – a statistic that accounts for the nation’s growing population – remained below the levels of earlier decades.

Here’s a closer look at gun deaths in the United States, based on a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the CDC, the FBI and other sources. You can also read key public opinion findings about U.S. gun violence and gun policy .

This Pew Research Center analysis examines the changing number and rate of gun deaths in the United States. It is based primarily on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The CDC’s statistics are based on information contained in official death certificates, while the FBI’s figures are based on information voluntarily submitted by thousands of police departments around the country.

For the number and rate of gun deaths over time, we relied on mortality statistics in the CDC’s WONDER database covering four distinct time periods:  1968 to 1978 ,  1979 to 1998 ,  1999 to 2020 , and 2021 . While these statistics are mostly comparable for the full 1968-2021 period, gun murders and suicides between 1968 and 1978 are classified by the CDC as involving firearms  and  explosives; those between 1979 and 2021 are classified as involving firearms only. Similarly, gun deaths involving law enforcement between 1968 and 1978 exclude those caused by “operations of war”; those between 1979 and 2021 include that category, which refers to gun deaths among military personnel or civilians  due to war or civil insurrection in the U.S . All CDC gun death estimates in this analysis are adjusted to account for age differences over time and across states.

The FBI’s statistics about the types of firearms used in gun murders in 2020 come from the bureau’s  Crime Data Explorer website . Specifically, they are drawn from the expanded homicide tables of the agency’s  2020 Crime in the United States report . The FBI’s statistics include murders and non-negligent manslaughters involving firearms.

How many people die from gun-related injuries in the U.S. each year?

In 2021, the most recent year for which complete data is available, 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC. That figure includes gun murders and gun suicides, along with three less common types of gun-related deaths tracked by the CDC: those that were accidental, those that involved law enforcement and those whose circumstances could not be determined. The total excludes deaths in which gunshot injuries played a contributing, but not principal, role. (CDC fatality statistics are based on information contained in official death certificates, which identify a single cause of death.)

What share of U.S. gun deaths are murders and what share are suicides?

Though they tend to get less public attention than gun-related murders, suicides have long accounted for the majority of U.S. gun deaths . In 2021, 54% of all gun-related deaths in the U.S. were suicides (26,328), while 43% were murders (20,958), according to the CDC. The remaining gun deaths that year were accidental (549), involved law enforcement (537) or had undetermined circumstances (458).

What share of all murders and suicides in the U.S. involve a gun?

About eight-in-ten U.S. murders in 2021 – 20,958 out of 26,031, or 81% – involved a firearm. That marked the highest percentage since at least 1968, the earliest year for which the CDC has online records. More than half of all suicides in 2021 – 26,328 out of 48,183, or 55% – also involved a gun, the highest percentage since 2001.

How has the number of U.S. gun deaths changed over time?

The record 48,830 total gun deaths in 2021 reflect a 23% increase since 2019, before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic .

Gun murders, in particular, have climbed sharply during the pandemic, increasing 45% between 2019 and 2021, while the number of gun suicides rose 10% during that span.

The overall increase in U.S. gun deaths since the beginning of the pandemic includes an especially stark rise in such fatalities among children and teens under the age of 18. Gun deaths among children and teens rose 50% in just two years , from 1,732 in 2019 to 2,590 in 2021.

How has the rate of U.S. gun deaths changed over time?

While 2021 saw the highest total number of gun deaths in the U.S., this statistic does not take into account the nation’s growing population. On a per capita basis, there were 14.6 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2021 – the highest rate since the early 1990s, but still well below the peak of 16.3 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 1974.

The gun murder rate in the U.S. remains below its peak level despite rising sharply during the pandemic. There were 6.7 gun murders per 100,000 people in 2021, below the 7.2 recorded in 1974.

The gun suicide rate, on the other hand, is now on par with its historical peak. There were 7.5 gun suicides per 100,000 people in 2021, statistically similar to the 7.7 measured in 1977. (One caveat when considering the 1970s figures: In the CDC’s database, gun murders and gun suicides between 1968 and 1978 are classified as those caused by firearms and explosives. In subsequent years, they are classified as deaths involving firearms only.)

Which states have the highest and lowest gun death rates in the U.S.?

The rate of gun fatalities varies widely from state to state. In 2021, the states with the highest total rates of gun-related deaths – counting murders, suicides and all other categories tracked by the CDC – included Mississippi (33.9 per 100,000 people), Louisiana (29.1), New Mexico (27.8), Alabama (26.4) and Wyoming (26.1). The states with the lowest total rates included Massachusetts (3.4), Hawaii (4.8), New Jersey (5.2), New York (5.4) and Rhode Island (5.6).

The results are somewhat different when looking at gun murder and gun suicide rates separately. The places with the highest gun murder rates in 2021 included the District of Columbia (22.3 per 100,000 people), Mississippi (21.2), Louisiana (18.4), Alabama (13.9) and New Mexico (11.7). Those with the lowest gun murder rates included Massachusetts (1.5), Idaho (1.5), Hawaii (1.6), Utah (2.1) and Iowa (2.2). Rate estimates are not available for Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont or Wyoming.

The states with the highest gun suicide rates in 2021 included Wyoming (22.8 per 100,000 people), Montana (21.1), Alaska (19.9), New Mexico (13.9) and Oklahoma (13.7). The states with the lowest gun suicide rates were Massachusetts (1.7), New Jersey (1.9), New York (2.0), Hawaii (2.8) and Connecticut (2.9). Rate estimates are not available for the District of Columbia.

How does the gun death rate in the U.S. compare with other countries?

The gun death rate in the U.S. is much higher than in most other nations, particularly developed nations. But it is still far below the rates in several Latin American countries, according to a 2018 study of 195 countries and territories by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

The U.S. gun death rate was 10.6 per 100,000 people in 2016, the most recent year in the study, which used a somewhat different methodology from the CDC. That was far higher than in countries such as Canada (2.1 per 100,000) and Australia (1.0), as well as European nations such as France (2.7), Germany (0.9) and Spain (0.6). But the rate in the U.S. was much lower than in El Salvador (39.2 per 100,000 people), Venezuela (38.7), Guatemala (32.3), Colombia (25.9) and Honduras (22.5), the study found. Overall, the U.S. ranked 20th in its gun fatality rate that year .

How many people are killed in mass shootings in the U.S. every year?

This is a difficult question to answer because there is no single, agreed-upon definition of the term “mass shooting.” Definitions can vary depending on factors including the number of victims and the circumstances of the shooting.

The FBI collects data on “active shooter incidents,” which it defines as “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” Using the FBI’s definition, 103 people – excluding the shooters – died in such incidents in 2021 .

The Gun Violence Archive, an online database of gun violence incidents in the U.S., defines mass shootings as incidents in which four or more people are shot, even if no one was killed (again excluding the shooters). Using this definition, 706 people died in these incidents in 2021 .

Regardless of the definition being used, fatalities in mass shooting incidents in the U.S. account for a small fraction of all gun murders that occur nationwide each year.

How has the number of mass shootings in the U.S. changed over time?

The same definitional issue that makes it challenging to calculate mass shooting fatalities comes into play when trying to determine the frequency of U.S. mass shootings over time. The unpredictability of these incidents also complicates matters: As Rand Corp. noted in a research brief , “Chance variability in the annual number of mass shooting incidents makes it challenging to discern a clear trend, and trend estimates will be sensitive to outliers and to the time frame chosen for analysis.”

The FBI found an increase in active shooter incidents between 2000 and 2021. There were three such incidents in 2000. By 2021, that figure had increased to 61.

Which types of firearms are most commonly used in gun murders in the U.S.?

In 2020, the most recent year for which the FBI has published data, handguns were involved in 59% of the 13,620 U.S. gun murders and non-negligent manslaughters for which data is available. Rifles – the category that includes guns sometimes referred to as “assault weapons” – were involved in 3% of firearm murders. Shotguns were involved in 1%. The remainder of gun homicides and non-negligent manslaughters (36%) involved other kinds of firearms or those classified as “type not stated.”

It’s important to note that the FBI’s statistics do not capture the details on all gun murders in the U.S. each year. The FBI’s data is based on information voluntarily submitted by police departments around the country, and not all agencies participate or provide complete information each year.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published on Aug. 16, 2019.

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John Gramlich is an associate director at Pew Research Center

About 1 in 4 U.S. teachers say their school went into a gun-related lockdown in the last school year

Striking findings from 2023, key facts about americans and guns, for most u.s. gun owners, protection is the main reason they own a gun, gun violence widely viewed as a major – and growing – national problem, most popular.

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Poll: Election interest hits new low in tight Biden-Trump race

The share of voters who say they have high interest in the 2024 election has hit a nearly 20-year low at this point in a presidential race, according to the latest national NBC News poll , with majorities holding negative views of both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

The poll also shows Biden trimming Trump’s previous lead to just 2 points in a head-to-head contest, an improvement within the margin of error compared to the previous survey, as Biden bests Trump on the issues of abortion and uniting the country, while Trump is ahead on competency and dealing with inflation.

And it finds inflation and immigration topping the list of most important issues facing the country, as just one-third of voters give Biden credit for an improving economy.

But what also stands out in the survey is how the low voter interest and the independent candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could scramble what has been a stable presidential contest with more than six months until Election Day. While Trump holds a 2-point edge over Biden head to head, Biden leads Trump by 2 points in a five-way ballot test including Kennedy and other third-party candidates.

“I don’t think Biden has done much as a president. And if Trump gets elected, I just feel like it’s going to be the same thing as it was before Biden got elected,” said poll respondent Devin Fletcher, 37, of Wayne, Michigan, a Democrat who said he’s still voting for Biden.

“I just don’t feel like I have a candidate that I’m excited to vote for,” Fletcher added.

Another poll respondent from New Jersey, who declined to provide her name and voted for Biden in 2020, said she wouldn’t be voting in November.

“Our candidates are horrible. I have no interest in voting for Biden. He did nothing. And I absolutely will not vote for Trump,” she said.

Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies, said, “Americans don’t agree on much these days, but nothing unites the country more than voters’ desire to tune this election out.”

The poll was conducted April 12-16, during yet another turbulent time in American politics, including the  beginning of Trump’s criminal trial  in New York and new attacks and heightened tensions  in the Middle East.

According to the poll, 64% of registered voters say they have high levels of interest in November’s election — registering either a “9” or a 10” on a 10-point scale of interest.

That’s lower than what the NBC News poll showed at this time in the 2008 (74%), 2012 (67%), 2016 (69%) and 2020 (77%) presidential contests.

The question dates to the 2008 election cycle. The lowest level of high election interest in the poll during a presidential cycle was in March 2012 — at 59%. But it quickly ticked up in the next survey.

This election cycle, high interest has been both low and relatively flat for months, according to the poll.

McInturff, the Republican pollster, says the high level of interest in the poll has “always been a signal for the level of turnout” for a presidential contest.

“It makes it very hard for us to predict turnout this far in advance of November, but every signal is turnout will be a lower percentage of eligible voters than in 2020,” he said.

By party, the current poll shows 70% of self-identified Republicans saying they have high interest in the coming election, compared with 65% of Democrats who say so.

Independents are at 48%, while only 36% of voters ages 18 to 34 rate themselves as highly interested in the election.

“They just aren’t low interest,” McInturff said of young voters. “They are off-the-charts low.”

NBC News poll: Frequently asked questions

Professional pollsters at a Democratic polling firm (Hart Research Associates) and a Republican firm (Public Opinion Strategies) have worked together to conduct and operate this poll since 1989. (Coldwater Corporation served as the Republican firm from 1989-2004.)

The polling firms employ a call center, where live interviewers speak by cell phone and telephone with a cross section of (usually) 1,000 respondents. The respondents are randomly selected from national lists of households and cell numbers. Respondents are asked for by name, starting with the youngest male adult or female adult in the household.

One of the common questions that critics ask of polls is, "I wasn't interviewed, so why should this poll matter?” By interviewing 1,000 respondents and applying minimal weights based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, education and the 2020 presidential vote, the poll achieves a representative sample of the nation at large – with a margin of error at a 95% confidence level.

NBC News editors and reporters — along with the pollsters at Hart Research and Public Opinion Strategies — all work to formulate the questions to try to capture the news and current events NBC is trying to gauge. Both Hart Research and Public Opinion Strategies work to ensure the language and placement of the questions are as neutral as possible.

Biden trims Trump’s lead

The poll also finds Trump narrowly ahead of Biden by 2 points among registered voters in a head-to-head matchup, 46% to 44% — down from Trump’s 5-point advantage in January, 47% to 42%.

The movement, which is within the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, is consistent with what other national polls have found in the Trump-Biden race.

Trump’s biggest advantages are among men (53% to 37%), white voters (54% to 37%) and white voters without college degrees (65% to 25%).

Biden’s top advantages are among Black voters (71% to 13%), women (50% to 39%) and Latinos (49% to 39%).

The poll shows the two candidates are essentially tied among independents (Biden 36%, Trump 34%) and voters ages 18-34 (Biden 44%, Trump 43%). One of the big polling mysteries this cycle is whether young voters have defected from Biden (as the NBC News poll has found over multiple surveys) or whether Democrats have maintained their advantage among that demographic.

When the ballot is expanded to five named candidates, Biden takes a 2-point lead over Trump: Biden 39%, Trump 37%, Kennedy 13%, Jill Stein 3% and Cornel West 2%.

Again, the result between Biden and Trump is within the poll’s margin of error.

Notably, the poll finds a greater share of Trump voters from the head-to-head matchup supporting Kennedy in the expanded ballot compared with Biden voters, different from the results of some other surveys.

(Read more here about how Kennedy's candidacy affe cts the 2024 race, according to the poll.)

The president’s approval rating ticks up to 42%

In addition, the poll found 42% of registered voters approving of Biden’s overall job performance — up 5 points since January’s NBC News poll, which found Biden at the lowest point of his presidency.

Fifty-six percent of voters say they disapprove of the job he has done, which is down 4 points from January.

Biden’s gains over the past few months have come from key parts of his 2020   base, especially among Democrats and Black voters. But he continues to hold low ratings among Latinos (40% approval), young voters (37%) and independents (36%).

“The data across this poll show that Joe Biden has begun to gain some ground in rebuilding his coalition from 2020,” said Horwitt, the Democratic pollster. “The question is whether he can build upon this momentum and make inroads with the groups of voters that still are holding back support.”

But McInturff, the GOP pollster, points out that the only recent presidents   who lost re-election had approval ratings higher than Biden’s at this point in the election cycle: George H.W. Bush (43%) and Trump (46%).

“President Biden has a precarious hold on the presidency and is in a difficult position as it relates to his re-election,” McInturff said.

On the issues, 39% of voters say they approve of Biden’s handling of the economy (up from 36% in January), 28% approve of his handling of border security and immigration, and just 27% approve of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war (down from 29% in January).

Voters gave Biden his highest issue rating on   addressing student loan debt, with 44% approving of his handling of the issue, compared with 51% who say they disapprove.

Biden leads on abortion and unity; Trump leads on inflation and competency

The NBC News poll asked voters to determine which candidate they thought is better on several different issues and attributes.

Biden holds a 15-point advantage over Trump on dealing with the issue of abortion, and he is ahead by 9 points on having the ability to bring the country together — though that is down from his 24-point advantage on that issue in the September 2020 NBC News poll.

Trump, meanwhile, leads in having the ability to handle a crisis (by 4 points), in having a strong record of accomplishments (by 7 points), in being competent and effective (by 11 points), in having the necessary mental and physical health to be president (by 19 points) and in dealing with inflation and the cost of living (by 22 points).

Inflation, immigration are the top 2024 issues

Inflation and the cost of living top the list of issues in the poll, with 23% of voters saying they’re the most important issue facing the country.

The other top voters is   immigration and the situation at the border (22%) — followed by   threats to democracy (16%), jobs and the economy (11%), abortion (6%) and health care (6%).

In addition, 63% of voters say their families’ incomes are falling behind the cost of living — essentially unchanged from what the poll found in 2022 and 2023.

And 53% of voters say the country’s economy hasn’t improved, compared with 33% who say that it has improved and that Biden deserves some credit for it and another 8% who agree the economy has improved but don’t give him credit for it.

“If I look back to when I had all three of my children in the house — we only have one child left in the house now, and we’re spending more now than what we did when we had a family of five,” said poll respondent Art Fales, 45, of Florida, who says he’s most likely voting for Trump.

But on a separate question — is there an issue so important that you’ll vote for or against a candidate solely on that basis? — the top responses are protecting democracy and constitutional rights (28%), immigration and border security (20%) and abortion (19%).

Indeed, 30% of Democrats, 29% of young voters and 27% of women say they are single-issue voters on abortion.

“I have a right to what I do with my body,” said poll respondent Amanda Willis, 28, of Louisiana, who said she’s voting for Biden. “And I don’t believe that other people should have the ability to determine that.”

Other poll findings

• With Trump’s first criminal trial underway, 50% of voters say he is being held to the same standard as anyone else when it comes to his multiple legal challenges. That compares with 43% who believe he’s being unfairly targeted in the trials. 
• 52% of voters have unfavorable views of Biden, while 53% share the same views of Trump.
• And Democrats and Republicans are essentially tied in congressional preference, with 47% of voters preferring Republicans to control Congress and 46% wanting Democrats in charge. Republicans held a 4-point lead on this question in January.

The NBC News poll of 1,000 registered voters nationwide — 891 contacted via cellphone — was conducted April 12-16, and it has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Mark Murray is a senior political editor at NBC News.

Sarah Dean is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.