Question

What are the advantages of asking open-ended questions? Are there any advantages to asking close-ended questions? What about disadvantages for each question type?

Why would we use surveys to collect self-report or victimization data? What makes them the best choice for this type of data collection?

Why should we be aware of bias in questionnaire items? What can we do to reduce bias in our questions?

Answer 1

There are quite a few advantages of asking open ended questions, including the fact that it allows the person who is responding to include more information such as their feelings or thoughts, without a restriction on the quality of their answers which may reveal their true feelings. However, this is not the case in close-ended questions as it limits their options and does not give the chance to reveal what they truly feel. Also since open ended questions do not put a limit on the information that the respondent can give, the data obtained can be used for secondary analysis, or for topics different than the one under study.

As far as close ended questions are concerned, some of the biggest advantages are the fact that they are simple and easy to answer, and require very little time and effort, which is untrue in the case of open endedquestions. They are also much easier to code and analyze with less chances for irrelevant or confused answers from the respondents.