Good conversations rarely happen by themselves. Especially in Civinc’s anonymous one-on-one chats, where participants are paired based on opposing opinions, everything depends on the quality of the statements.
Each Civinc session requires 6-8 thematic statement. Participants respond to statements on a 5-point scale, ranging from disagree to agree. A good statement is not a quiz question or a test with a ‘correct’ answer — it’s an invitation to explore different perspectives. In this blog, we explain how to craft statements that genuinely lead to interesting discussions — allowing space for nuance, recognition, and difference.
1️⃣ Start with the audience, not the statement
A common mistake is to first create a clever or sharp statement, and only afterward consider who will answer it. Reverse this process!
Ask yourself:
- 🤔 What engages this audience?
- 📌 Which themes relate to their daily life, work, or course content?
- ⚖️ Where do people in this group have differing opinions?
A statement only works if participants can relate to it. A perfectly worded statement on a trivial topic will still lead to shallow conversations.
Tip: think in terms of tension fields within your audience:
- Freedom 🆚 Safety
- Efficiency 🆚 Humanity
- Tradition 🆚 Innovation
- Individual choice 🆚 Collective responsibility
Example statement
- Weak: “All students find technology interesting.”
- Why weak: too general; most people will answer it with some nuance, leaving little room for contrasting opinions.
- Improved: “Technology is more important for success in school than social skills.” ✅
- Why good: relevant, recognizable dilemma, invites multiple perspectives.
2️⃣ Create contrast and let nuance emerge in conversation
The goal of a statement is to highlight differences by inviting different perspectives.
A good statement works best if:
- a significant portion can agree with it
- a comparable portion can disagree
- there is room for doubt and explanation
Try not to include nuance in the statement itself. Words like “often,” “usually,” or “to some extent” reduce the tension. Nuance belongs in the discussion that follows, not in the phrasing.
Example statement
- Weak: “Organizations should sometimes involve employees in decision-making.”
- Why weak: too vague, “sometimes” reduces the contrast.
- Improved: “Managers should make decisions more often without consulting employees.” ✅
- Why good: sharp, invites discussion, presents a clear contrast.
3️⃣ Keep statements clear, concise, and unambiguous
Because statements are answered on a 5-point scale from disagree to agree, it is crucial that everyone interprets the statement in the same way.
Pay attention to:
- ✏️ One clear thought per statement
- 🗣️ Simple, everyday language
- ❌ No abstract “container” terms without context
Example statement
- Weak: “Education should pay attention to personal and social development alongside cognitive achievement.”
- Why weak: “pay attention to” and “alongside cognitive achievement” makes it vague and complicated.
- Improved: “Personal development is more important than measurable academic performance.” ✅
- Why good: short, concrete, clear contrast, easy to place on a scale.
4️⃣ Avoid negations such as ‘not’ and ‘never’
Words like not, no, and never often create double negatives when answering (“I don’t disagree”), which is confusing and can lead to misinterpretation.
Solutions:
1. Use alternative words without negation
Phrase the statement positively or actively, so participants can intuitively indicate where they stand.
Example:
- Weak: “Teachers should not have too much autonomy.”
- Improved: “It is better that teachers have limited autonomy.” ✅
2. Turn the statement around without losing the core meaning
Approach the statement from the opposite side to maintain contrast while making it clearer.
Example:
- Weak: “Students should never skip homework.”
- Improved: “Students should always complete their homework.” ✅
- Or: “It is acceptable for students to skip homework.” ✅
5️⃣ Ensure balance across all statements
💡 Final tip: When designing statements, consider the entire set, not just individual quality. Ensure a mix of for example positively and negatively framed statements, sharp vs. subtle, people-focused vs. results-focused.
If all statements point in the same direction, it creates the impression that participants are being nudged toward a certain side. A balanced set of statements encourages richer discussion and diverse perspectives.
