Which option presents the exact sequence of the six steps in the standard question technique?

Which option presents the exact sequence of the six steps in the standard question technique?

• A. Ask, Pause, Nominate, Listen, Evaluate, Respond
• B. Ask, Nominate, Pause, Listen, Evaluate, Respond
• C. Nominate, Ask, Pause, Listen, Evaluate, Respond
• D. Ask, Pause, Nominate, Listen, Evaluate, Respond

Answer: (D)

Understanding how to order the six steps in the standard question technique is crucial for clear, controlled discussion. The correct flow starts by asking a question to invite a response, then pausing to give time for reflection and to discourage rushing or guessing. Next, nominate someone to answer, so participation is structured and fair. Then listen to the actual response fully, without interrupting, so you can judge it accurately. After that, evaluate the response against the goal or criteria to determine its quality. Finally, respond with feedback or next steps based on that evaluation. If you move nominating before pausing, you cut off the deliberate thinking time and rush the responder selection. If you nominate before asking, you pre-select someone without a prompt to respond to. Listening before nominating leaves you awaiting a response you haven’t prompted yet. Evaluating before listening relies on potentially incomplete information, and responding before evaluating would give feedback without grounding it in the actual answer.

Understanding how to order the six steps in the standard question technique is crucial for clear, controlled discussion. The correct flow starts by asking a question to invite a response, then pausing to give time for reflection and to discourage rushing or guessing. Next, nominate someone to answer, so participation is structured and fair. Then listen to the actual response fully, without interrupting, so you can judge it accurately. After that, evaluate the response against the goal or criteria to determine its quality. Finally, respond with feedback or next steps based on that evaluation.

If you move nominating before pausing, you cut off the deliberate thinking time and rush the responder selection. If you nominate before asking, you pre-select someone without a prompt to respond to. Listening before nominating leaves you awaiting a response you haven’t prompted yet. Evaluating before listening relies on potentially incomplete information, and responding before evaluating would give feedback without grounding it in the actual answer.