Open-Ended Questions

Questions that ask people to provide the answer, rather than select among alternatives.

a._____________________________________________________

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Open-Ended Questions

While these seem easy to write, in most cases they should be avoided. A major reason is variation in willingness and ability to respond in writing. Unless the sample is very homogeneous with respect to these two characteristics, response bias is likely. Open ended questions are quite likely to suppress responses from the less literate segments of a population or from responders who are less concerned about the topic at hand.

A reason frequently given for using open-ended questions is the capture of unsuspected information. This reason is valid for brief, informal questionnaires to small groups, say, ones with fewer than 50 responders. In this case, a simple listing of the responses to each question usually conveys their overall character. However, in the case of a larger sample, it is necessary to categorize the responses to each question in order to analyze them. This process is time-consuming and introduces error. It is far better to determine the prevalent categories in advance and ask the responders to select among those offered. In most cases, obscure categories applicable only to very small minorities of responders should not be included. A preliminary, open-ended questionnaire sent to a small sample is often a good way to establish the prevalent categories in advance.

Contrary to the preceding discussion, there are circumstances under which it may be better to ask the responders to fill in blanks. This is the case when the responses are to be hand entered into computer data sets and when the response possibilities are very clearly limited and specific. For example, questions concerning age, state of residence, or credit-hours earned may be more easily answered by filling in blanks than by selecting among categories. If the answers are numerical, this response mode may also enhance the power of inferential statistical procedures. If handwritten answers are to be assigned to categories for analysis, flexibility in category determination becomes possible. However, if the responders are likely to be estimating their answers, it is usually better to offer response categories (e.g., to inquire about body weight, grade-point average, annual income, or distance to work).

It is not easy to compare A's in B’s responses. Respondent B lists the instructor as valuable. Does this mean that the instructor is a valuable resource in general, and how does this compare with respondent A's view that the instructor’s lectures were useful? In other words, are. A. and B. giving the same answer? Respondent A says the field experience was useful. If the only field experience consisted of student teaching in the classroom, then A and B gave the same answer. However, if there were other elements of the field experience such as observation, it becomes impossible to know whether the responses are the same or different.

Respondent A. and B. each mention something the other did not: Textbook and learning atmosphere. If these are equally important, then they could be analyzed individually. But we do not know their relative importance, they could be equally important, or relatively unimportant, so we do not know whether to create separate categories or lump them into a single category labeled something like "miscellaneous"?

Although it may be relatively easy for a respondent to answer it open-ended question, analysis and interpretation are quite complicated. High inference analysis, increases error and reduces validity of the results. Therefore where possible, closed ended/forced choice formats offer a more direct way to measure respondent’s views.