Which of the following is a valid follow-up question?

• A. What did you see?
• B. What is your favorite color?
• C. How long did the event last?
• D. Where are you from?

Answer: (A)

In interviews, follow-up questions should invite detailed, open-ended descriptions of what the witness observed and experienced, building on what they’ve already reported. The best follow-up is a question that directly asks for a description of what was seen, encouraging the person to recount colors, objects, actions, and the sequence of events in their own words. This helps gather rich, factual detail without guiding or limiting the witness’s account.

Asking about personal details like favorite color or where someone is from pulls the conversation away from the observed event and introduces irrelevant information. Asking how long the event lasted can be useful for specific factual details, but it doesn’t prompt a comprehensive description of what was seen, which is the core purpose of a good follow-up in this context.