What is a leading question?

A leading question is designed to prompt or encourage a specific answer, often by suggesting the desired response within its wording. This type of question can influence the respondent's reply, typically guiding them toward a particular viewpoint or confirmation of an assumption.

For example, a question like "What do you think about how effective our new training program has been?" implies a favorable view and pushes the respondent toward acknowledging the program's effectiveness.

In contrast, factual questions aim to elicit straightforward, verifiable answers, open-ended questions allow for more expansive responses and encourage critical thinking and elaboration, while questions requiring guesswork introduce ambiguity or uncertainty, which does not align with the intent of a leading question. Thus, the characteristic of a leading question is its role in steering the conversation towards a specific answer, making the choice highlighting its encouraging nature the correct one.