Table 4.
Type of verbal probe | Example |
---|---|
Comprehension/interpretation | “What does the term ‘continuing medical education’ mean to you?” |
Paraphrasing | “Can you restate the question in your own words?” |
Confidence judgment | “How sure are you that you have participated in 3 formal educational programs?” |
Recall | “How do you remember that you have participated in 3 formal educational programs?” “How did you come up with your answer?” |
Specific | “Why do you say that you think it is very important that physicians participant in continuing medical education?” |
General | “How did you arrive at that answer?” “Was that easy or hard to answer?” “I noticed that you hesitated. Tell me what you were thinking.” “Tell me more about that.” |
Adapted with permission from the Journal of Graduate Medical Education: Willis & Artino 2013. What do our respondents think we’re asking? Using cognitive interviewing to improve medical education surveys. J Grad Med Educ 5:353–356.