By pointing the AI back to something the participant already said, you can make follow-up questions more relevant and natural—whether that’s in the same section or across completely different parts of the interview.
1. How to Add a Reference
To reference a prior answer, simply type the exact text of the earlier question in curly brackets { } within your new question. This tells the AI which response to look at for context.
Example:
In your opinion, what are the biggest political challenges today in your country? [reference {Where do you currently live?}]
We recommend:
Use the exact text of the earlier question (to avoid confusion)
Put the reference in curly brackets inside square brackets at the end of the question
Keep it short and clear
2. How the AI Uses the Reference
When the interview runs, the AI reads the referenced answer and decides the most natural way to work it into the question. It won’t literally paste the text—it adapts the phrasing so the follow-up flows like a human conversation.
Example:
If the participant earlier said they live in Germany, the AI might ask:
“In your opinion, what are the biggest political challenges in Germany right now?”
3. Best Practices
Be relevant – Only reference answers that directly help make the new question more specific or clear.
Avoid overuse – Too many references can make the conversation feel repetitive.
Check clarity – Make sure the earlier question’s text is written clearly enough that the AI will understand what you mean.
Reference any point – You can reference answers from any earlier part of the interview, even across sections.
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using shorthand or nicknames – Stick to the exact earlier question text, not summaries like
{location}.Referencing vague answers – If the earlier question produced unclear answers, the follow-up may also feel unclear.
Over-nesting – Avoid stacking multiple references in one question unless absolutely necessary.
5. Before and After Example
Without reference:
“What are the biggest challenges in your country right now?”
With reference:
“What are the biggest challenges in your country? [reference {Where do you currently live?}]”
If the earlier answer was “Canada,” the AI might ask:
“What are the biggest challenges in Canada right now?”
Using references well can make your interviews sound more personal, thoughtful, and engaging for participants—while still keeping the flow efficient for you.
Hope this helps! If you have any further questions, please reach out to our team at [email protected] or via chat.