| (1) | Test answers are limited to "yes" or "no" only. No narrative answers are permitted. | |
|
Bad
question -
|
"How many times did you hit your wife?" | |
|
Good
question -
|
"Did you hit your wife more than five times?" | |
| (2) | Test questions must have definitive objective answers and may not be opinions. | |
|
Bad
question -
|
"Do you love your wife?" | |
|
Good
question -
|
"Since you married Susan, have you told someone other than Susan that you loved them?” | |
| (3) | Test questions must relate to past events of a factual nature. We can not ask hypothetical questions or questions about possible future events. | |
|
Bad
question -
|
"Are you planning to rob the ABC Store next month?" | |
|
Good
question -
|
"Have you discussed plans to rob the ABC store with anyone?" | |
| (4) | Wording of questions must only have one interpretation and must be clearly understood by all parties as having the same meaning. | |
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Bad
question -
|
"Have you ever molested Amy?" | |
|
Good
question -
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"Did you ever put your finger inside Amy’s vagina?” | |
| (5) | Compound questions are usually not permitted. | |
|
Bad
question -
|
"Did you steal any money or merchandise from ABC store?" | |
|
Good
question -
|
"Did you steal
any money from ABC store?" (ask about merchandise in a separate question) |
|
| (6) | Questions can not be about emotions or feelings. | |
|
Bad
question -
|
"Do you find Mary more attractive than Susan?" | |
|
Good
question -
|
"Have you ever told Mary that she was more attractive than Susan?" | |
| (7) | General
questions about lying are to be avoided. Deal directly with the issue at hand. |
|
|
Bad
question -
|
"Have
you ever lied to your business partner about hiding money from him?" |
|
|
Good
question -
|
"Are you hiding
any company money that your business partner does not know about?” |
|
| Questions in the same exam must be related to one another. For example, we can ask about extramarital sex and extramarital dating in the same test, but we can not ask about stealing and use of drugs in the same test. If distinctly separate issue types must be covered, they must be asked in separate examinations. |