Close Ended Questions (5 Types of Close Ended Questions)
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OptimistMinds
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The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
In this article, we will look at closed ended questions in detail. This article also explores the various types of closed ended questions along with examples, and their advantages and disadvantages
What are Closed-ended Questions?
Closed-ended questions are those that can only be answered with a restricted number of options, such as multiple-choice, yes/no, or a rating system (e.g. from strongly agree to strongly disagree). Closed-ended questions provide minimal information, but they are straightforward to evaluate for quantitative data.
A closed-ended question is one in which the person is given a set of predetermined choices to pick from, such as Yes or No, a rating scale from 0 to 10, opinions ranging from Agree Strongly to Disagree Strongly, or a range of options, based on the context of the question.
Essentially, the person is not able to express his viewpoint in his own words and is limited to selecting one or more options from the available options.
You can use many kinds of survey questions while creating a survey. You have the option of asking closed-ended or open-ended questions. Each has their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
People enjoy talking about themselves in general. If you give them the chance, you’ll be astonished at how much information they’ll reveal. Closed-ended questions, on the other hand, are looking for the complete opposite. These questions focus on specific details rather than listening to what they have to share.
Types of Closed Ended Questions
Dichotomous or True/False Questions
True and false questions are made up of a question and two possible answers. ‘True and False’ is frequently used as an answer choice. Other responses, such as ‘Yes’ or ‘No,’ ‘Agree’ or ‘Disagree,’ are also commonly used.
Examples of Dichotomous Questions
- The east is where the sun rises and the west is where it sets.
- The sum of regression coefficients is 0.
- You can connect printers to a computer network directly.
Multiple Choice Questions
A multiple-choice question gives responders a variety of answers to choose from. A multiple-choice question in an exam consists of a number of choices or possible responses, one of which is the best answer to the question and a number of distractors, which are reasonable but erroneous solutions to the question.
Multichoice is separated into two categories: one favored response for each question (Radio Choice) and the opportunity to select multiple options (CheckBoxes).
Types of Multiple Choice Questions
- Radiochoice
- Check boxes
Rating Scale Choice Questions
A rating scale is a type of multiple-choice question that is commonly used to collect opinions and provide comparative information on a topic. Whenever most researchers want to correlate a qualitative measure with different characteristics of a product or service, they use a rating scale.
Examples of Rating Scale Choice Questions
- How hard (1) or easy (5) was it to login using the app? (1=Very hard, 5=Very easy)
- How disinterested (1) or interested (5) would you be in purchasing from our brand? (1=Very uninterested, 5=Very interested)
Rank Order Choice Questions
Multiple-choice questions in a single column layout are known as rank order questions. In a ranking poll, these are closed-ended questions that enable respondents to evaluate numerous row items with respect to one column item or question, and then rank the row items.
Examples of Rank Order Choice Questions
Please rate these toppings on a scale of 1 to 5 on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 is your personal favorite.
- Sausage
- Peppers
- Cheese
- Broccoli
- Black olives
Please rank the items below in order of significance from 1 to 4, with 1 being the most significant and 4 being the least significant.
- Hygiene
- Packing convenience
- Staff politeness and
- Speediness of service
Please rank the following activities in order of interest (1–4).
- Cycling
- Ice skating
- Snowboarding
- Trekking
Uses of Close Ended Questions
Education
Closed-ended questions are commonly used in exams to assess a student’s knowledge of a particular subject or course. Closed-ended questions in exams can take many different forms, including multiple-choice, drop-down, checkbox, and rating questions.
Research
For research, closed-ended questions are preferable. Close ended questions are good for a researcher searching for an easier and faster approach for respondents to engage. It’s easy to compare, record, and statistically analyse responses from different respondents. The response options can also help respondents understand the significance of the question.
Interviews
Closed-ended questions are frequently used to gather quick information regarding your interviewee. They normally respond in a shorter amount of time. When there are a lot of interviews, close-ended questions work well. In this situation, closed-ended questions are those that can be replied with a simple “yes” or “no.” Although open-ended questions are preferable for interviews, they are not always the best option.
Surveys/Questionnaires
Closed-ended questions are commonly used in surveys and questionnaires to acquire quantitative data from respondents about a certain phenomena. A closed-ended question in a survey is made up of predetermined answer options from which the responder can choose.
Closed-ended Question Benefits
Here are some more closed-ended question benefits:
- Respondents can respond more easily and quickly.
- It’s easier to compare the responses of different responders.
- Answers are simpler to record and analyse statistically.
- The answer options can help respondents understand the meaning of the question.
- People are more inclined to respond to questions on sensitive issues.
- There are lesser queries with unnecessary or perplexing answers.
- Respondents who are less articulate or educated are not at a disadvantage.
- Reproduction is much more simple.
Disadvantages of Closed-ended Questions
There are also some disadvantages that come with closed-ended questions:
- Respondents who have no viewpoint or expertise can reply in any way they like.
- Respondents may become irritated if the solution they want isn’t available.
- When there are numerous response options, it can be perplexing.
- A misunderstanding regarding the question can be overlooked.
- It’s possible that the distinctions between respondent responses will be muddled.
- It’s possible to make a simple mistake or select the wrong answer.
- They compel responders to answer in a basic manner to complex subjects.
- They compel people to make decisions that they would not take in actual situations.
- They have the potential to suggest thoughts that the responder would not have thought of otherwise.
Conclusion
In this article, we looked at closed ended questions in detail. This article also explored the various types of closed ended questions along with examples, and their advantages and disadvantages
Frequently Asked Questions: Close Ended Questions
What are multiple choice questions?
A multiple-choice question gives responders a variety of answers to choose from. A multiple-choice question in an exam consists of a number of choices or possible responses, one of which is the best answer to the question and a number of distractors, which are reasonable but erroneous solutions to the question.
Why use closed ended questions?
Closed-ended questions are perhaps the most effective way to make sure that the data gathered is easily compared across respondents, statistically meaningful, and representative of the greater population that a researcher is aiming to assess in surveys.
What is the best use for closed ended questions?
For research, closed-ended questions are preferable. Close ended questions are good for a researcher searching for a faster and more efficient approach for respondents to participate. It’s easy to compare, record, and statistically analyse responses from different respondents.
How many types of close ended questions are there?
Closed-ended questions can take many different forms, such as multiple choice, drop down, checkboxes, and rating questions. Each question type requires the responder to pick from a list of pre-selected choices rather than providing unique or unexpected responses.
Why use open ended questions in therapy?
The client is asked open-ended questions so that he or she may freely address concerns without being influenced by the helper. The client will share their thoughts and feelings with the helper so that they may receive knowledge, tools, and guidance on the proper track.
How do you turn a closed-ended question into an open-ended question?
You could always just open it up toward the end if you catch yourself posing a closed-ended question. If you begin by questioning, “Did you find usefulness in this procedure?” you might then follow this up with, “If you did, please inform me in what aspects?”
Why are open ended questions important in Counselling?
During the counselling session, asking questions might serve to bring up new topics for conversation.Open questions are ones that can’t be answered in a few words; they motivate the client to open up and provide the therapist a chance to learn more about them and their issues.
What are the advantages of closed ended questions?
Advantages of Closed-Ended Questions
Here are some more closed-ended question benefits:
Respondents can respond more easily and quickly.
It’s easier to compare the responses of different responders.
Answers are simpler to record and analyse statistically.
The answer options can help respondents understand the meaning of the question.
People are more inclined to respond to questions on sensitive issues.
There are lesser queries with unnecessary or perplexing answers.
Respondents who are less articulate or educated are not at a disadvantage.
Reproduction is much more simple.
Why are closed questions bad?
Closed questions are typically shorter and more concentrated, making them easier to respond because the response options are limited, usually ‘yes’ or ‘no’. However, by imposing a binary decision, closed questions risk hiding the genuine picture.
What are examples of closed-ended questions?
Here are a few examples of closed-ended questions:
Do you want some vanilla ice cream?
What college did you attend?
What do you consider to be your best quality?
Do you like driving your car?
Is your sibling interested in the same things as you are?
Do you enjoy being around animals?
Do you celebrate your birthday?
References
Close Ended Questions: Definition, Types + Examples
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