To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others

by Daniel H. Pink

For example, Robert Burnkrant and Daniel Howard of Ohio State University tested the potency of a series of short pitches to a group of undergraduates. At issue was whether universities should require seniors to pass a comprehensive exam as a condition of graduation. When the researchers presented strong arguments for the policy as questions (e.g., “Will passing a comprehensive exam be an aid to those who seek admission to graduate and professional schools?”), the participants were much likelier to support the policy than they were when presented with the equivalent argument as a statement. However, questions weren’t always best. The researchers also found that when the underlying arguments were weak, presenting them in the interrogative form had a negative effect.