ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF OPEN AND CLOSED QUESTIONS

OPEN QUESTIONS

Tend to be slower to administer.

Can be harder to record responses.

May be difficult to code, especially if multiple answers are given.

Do not stifle response. Enable respondents to raise new issues.

Respondents tend to feel that they have been able to speak their mind.

In self-administered questionnaires, respondents might not be willing to write a long answer and decide to leave the question blank.

How do you know the meaning of a blank answer when you come to the analysis?

Can use open questions to find out all the possible responses before designing a closed-ended questionnaire.

CLOSED QUESTIONS

Tend to be quicker to administer.

Often easier and quicker for the researcher to record responses.

Tend to be easy to code.

Respondents can only answer in a predefined way.

New issues cannot be raised.

Respondents can only answer in a way which may not match their actual opinion and may, therefore, become frustrated.

Is quick and easy for respondents to tick boxes – might be more likely to answer all the questions.

Can include a section at the end of a closed-ended questionnaire for people to write in a longer response if they wish.