I have been to a lot of seminars over the years. One of my favorite parts of seminars is the question session at the end. It is fun to interact with the person about their work and see how their interpretation fits in with your perspective of the results. It is also a lot of fun as a speaker, IMO. Almost always someone will ask a question which you, the speaker, won't know the answer to. It may be that there is no answer, or it could be that YOU just don't know what it is. Either is OK. There are graceful ways out of this situation. I think the best option is to start with "I don't know" and then expand on either what you know is NOT the answer - based on experiments you've done or other published work - and/or discuss ways that you could address the issue. These are also good strategies for grad students giving a qualifying exam, by the way. A skilled (non)answer makes it clear that you are well-read and knowledgeable, because you are able to understand the question, but recognize the limits of what you know.
BUT this assumes that you have been asked a question that is interesting. This is not always the case. I ask a LOT of questions at seminars. It is possible to ask misguided, out-of-context, or just plain ridiculous questions. I know, I have done it (NOT ON PURPOSE!). And this is why I find it SO irritating when speakers start every answer (or just answers to the questions that they don't know the answer to) with "that is an interesting question!" or something similar. Because it is NOT always an interesting or even good question.
It is OK to not answer a question that is not interesting, and it is possible to do it while being pleasant and diplomatic. If you are really good, you may even be able to twist the ridiculous into something interesting. YAY!
But please, don't pander to me.
The "that is an interesting question" may be a stall while the speaker is (a) trying to wrap their brain around the question and (b) scrambling for an answer. At least it is when I do it 😀
fair point. but it drives me insane!
My "stall" is to paraphrase the question, which simultaneously helps wrap my brain around the question.
this is super, IMO
I fear it's too late for me--"that's a great question" is an innate reflex at this point. I even do it in my undergrad class, which I hate. That I do it, that is. I don't hate the class. Fucking grammar!
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
I think this is a pet peeve for me too, so I try not to do it. Though I have the stalling response of "I don't think I've thought about that before... let me see...." which is probably a worse tactic than rephrasing the question.
So let's see... you ask a bad question, somebody engages you a little too politely in order not to embarrass you. Later, you figure out that your question was bad and now you are insulted by the speaker not telling you in public?
I think you are being a little bit to hard on said speaker, especially in the heat of the moment/under the pressure of a seminar, job talk, etc.
It bothers me most when a speaker says "that's an interesting question" to EVERY question.
So for those out there still presenting in Comic Sans AND prefacing answers to questions with 'That's an interesting question'...I believe that you've just been given a disclaimer for that inevitable shoe that will be thrown at your head.
Look alive, peeps!