Open and Closed Questions

Definition, Characteristics, Advantages, Disadvatages, Examples

OPEN QUESTION
Definition
Open Question

 An open-ended question is
designed to encourage a full,
meaningful answer using the
subject's own knowledge and/or
feelings. Open-ended questions
also tend to be more objective
and less leading than closed-
ended questions.
Definition
Open Question

Open-ended questions
typically begin with words such
as "Why" and "How", or phrases
such as "Tell me about...". Often
they are not technically a
question, but a statement which
implicitly asks for a response.
Characteristics
Open Question

They ask the respondents to

think and reflect
They will give you opinions and
feelings
They hand control of the
conversation to the respondent
Application
Open Question

As a follow-on from closed

questions, to develop a
conversation and open up
someone who is rather quiet.
To find out more about a
person, their wants, needs,
problems, and so on.
Application
Open Question

To get people to realize the extend

of their problems (to which, of
course, you have the solution).
To get them to feel good about you
by asking after their health or
otherwise demonstrating human
concern about them.
Advantages
Open Question

they permit an unlimited number

of possible answers.
respondents can answer in detail
and can qualify and clarify
responses
unanticipated findings can be
discovered
Advantages
Open Question

they permit adequate answers to

complex issues
they permit creativity, self-
expression, and richness of detail
they reveal a respondent's logic,
thinking process, and frame of
reference
Advantages
Open Question

participants can respond to the

questions exactly as how they
would like to answer them
the reseacher can investigate the
meaning of the responses
ideal for qualitative typeof
research
Disadvantages
Open Question

different respondents give different

degrees of detail in answers
responses may be irrelevant or
buried in useless detail
comparisons and statistical
analysis become difficult
Disadvantages
Open Question

coding responses is difficult

articulate and highly literate
respondents have an advantage
questions may be too general for
respondents who lose direction
a greater amount of respondent
time, thought, and effort is
necessary
Disadvantages
Open Question

respondents can be intimidated

by questions
answers take up a lot of space in
the questionare.
time-consuming
reponse are difficult to code and
interpret.
Examples
Open Question

What did you do on you holidays?

How do you keep focused on your
work?
What's keeping you awake these
days?
Why is that so important to you?
Examples
Open Question

I wonder what would happen if

your customers complained even
more?
Rob Jones used to go out late.
What happened to him?
How have you been after your
operation?
You're looking down. What's up?
CLOSE QUESTION
 Definition
Close Question

In this type of question, each

question type does not allow
the respondent to provide
unique or unanticipated
answers but rather they have
to choose from a list of pre-
selected options.
 Definition
Close Question

A closed question can be

answered with either a single
word or a short phrase.
Thus 'How old are you?' and
'Where do you live?' are closed
questions.
Characteristics
Close Question

They give you facts.

They are easy and quick to
answer
They keep control of the
conversation with the
questioner.
Application
Close Question

As opening questions in a

conversation, as it makes it easy for
the other person to answer, and
doesn't force them to reveal too
much about themselves.
For testing their understanding
(asking yes/no questions). This is
also a great way to break into a
long ramble.
Application
Close Question

For setting up a desired positive or

negative frame of mind in them
(asking successive questions with
obvious answers either yes or no ).
For achieving closure of a
persuasion (seeking yes to the big
question).
Advantages
Close Question

they permit an unlimited number

of possible answers.
respondents can answer in detail
and can qualify and clarify
responses
unanticipated findings can be
discovered
Advantages
Close Question

it is easier and quicker for respondents

to answer
the answers of different respondents
are easier to compare
answers are easier to code and
statistically analyse
the response choices can clarify
question meaning for respondents
Advantages
Close Question

respondents are more likely to answer

about sensitive topics
there are fewer irrelevant or confused
answers to questions
less articulate or less literate
respondents are not at a disadvantage
replication is easier
Advantages
Close Question

time-efficient
responses are easy to code and
interpret
ideal for quantitative kind of
research
Disdvantages
Close Question

 they can suggest ideas that the respondent

would not otherwise have
 respondents with no opinion or no
knowledge can answer anyway
 respondents can be frustrated because their
desired answer is not a choice
 it is confusing if many response choices are
offered
Disdvantages
Close Question

 distinctions between respondent answers

may be blurred
 clerical mistakes or marking the wrong
response is possible
 they force respondents to give simplistic
responses to complex issues
 they force people to make choices they
would not make in the real world
Disdvantages
Close Question

 respondents are required to choose a

response that does not exactly reflect
their answer
 the researcher cannot further explore
the meaning of the responses
 misinterpretation of a question can go
unnoticed
Examples
Close Question

It's great weather, isn't it?

Where do you live?
What time is it?
So, you want to move into our
apartment, with your own bedroom
and bathroom -- true?
Are you happy with your current
supplier?
Examples
Close Question

Do they give you all that you need?

Would you like to find a better
supplier?
If I can deliver this tomorrow, will
you sign for it now?
References
Open and Close Questions

• Open-Ended Questions. Retrieved January 30, 2017 from Media

College, http://
www.mediacollege.com/journalism/interviews/open-ended-qu
estions.html
• Open and Closed Questions. (2002). Retrieved, January 30, 2017,
from Changing Minds, http://
changingminds.org/techniques/questioning/open_closed
_questions.htm
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Open and Closed Questions.
Retrieved January 30, 2017 from Environment UWaterloo, http://
environment.uwaterloo.ca/research/watgreen/projects/library/1020/o
cq.html