When we talk about open questions, it has nothing to do with closed questions. Closed questions when asked, usually have a short, unique and usually one-word answer, that is, the answers are usually "yes" or "no".
Open questions have a totally different answer, that is, when the answers are formulated they are of more than one word and give the interlocutor the opportunity to start a conversation or even to be able to better express the words you want to choose to answer the open question.
Advantages of open questions
Open questions have advantages over closed questions since they allow you to better express your thoughts. Now we are going to list some of the advantages of these types of questions when surveying people.
More things can be said
Open-ended questions allow respondents to include more information, including feelings, attitudes, and understanding of the topic. This allows better access to the true feelings of respondents on an issue. Closed questions, due to the simplicity and limit of the answers, may not offer respondents options that truly reflect their real feelings. Closed questions either They allow the respondent to explain that they do not understand the question or do not have an opinion on the topic.
Family having a meal together
The answer is better thought out
Open questions reduce two types of response error; Respondents are likely not to forget the answers they have to choose from if given the opportunity to freely answer, and open-ended questions simply do not allow respondents to ignore reading the questions and simply "fill in." the survey anyway answers (such as filling in the "no" box for each question).
You get more information in surveys
Because they allow additional information to be obtained from the respondent, such as demographic information (current employment, age, sex, etc.), surveys that use open-ended questions can be more easily used for secondary analysis by other researchers. that surveys that do so do not provide contextual information about the surveyed population.
Examples of open questions
Below we are going to show you some examples and open-ended questions so that you can better understand what we mean when we talk about these types of questions.
- What were the most important wars ever fought?
- What are you planning to buy at the supermarket today?
- How exactly did the fight between the two of you start?
- What is your favorite childhood memory?
- How are you going to help the company if they hire you to work with us?
- What do you plan to do immediately after graduating from college?
- What kind of decorations are you planning to have for your friend's birthday party?
- How was your experience in high school?
- How did you and your best friend meet?
- What places do you hope to see on your vacation?
- How do you go about reserving tickets for a flight?
- What were the main effects of World War II?
- What do you have to do to buy a house?
- What is it like to live in your country?
- What is the fastest way to get to the pet store in town?
- Why do you seem irritated every time I talk to you?
- How could I introduce myself better?
- How do you manage to raise your children alone?
- What happens to people of that class?
- Where will you find the time to write all those letters?
- Why can't I go with you?
- What makes the leaves change color?
- How exactly do you replace the screen to a phone?
- What do you think of me?
- Would you change something about your way of being?
Although open questions require longer answers than closed questions, open questions are not always more complicated. For example, asking "What do you plan to buy at the supermarket today?" it may simply require the respondent to read from a list.
What we cannot ignore is that open questions lead to clearer answers, more explanation of who is speaking and that the answers give much more information than the closed questions alone could provide.
Using open questions: characteristics
Open questions have the following characteristics:
- The respondent thinks and reflects before answering
- Opinions, thoughts and feelings are obtained
- The interviewer will have control of the conversation
This makes open-ended questions useful in the following situations:
- As a continuation of closed questions to develop a conversation and open up to someone who is quite closed: What did you do on your vacation? How do you focus on your work?
- To get more information about a person, their wants, needs, problems…: What keeps you worried? Why is it so important to you?
- To make people realize the extent of their problems: I wonder what would happen if your customers complained about what you do.
- So that they feel good about you asking about your health or showing a human concern for the other person: How are you feeling after your operation? I see you a little worried, what is wrong with you?
Open questions usually start with:
- What
- Why
- How
- Or a reflection that invites to describe something
Using open-ended questions can be tricky at times because it seems like you're giving the other person control. However, well-placed questions leave you in control as you direct your interest and engage them where exactly you want.
When opening conversations, a good balance is around three closed questions to one open question. Closed questions can start the conversation and summarize progress, while open questions make the other person think and keep giving you useful information about them.
A good trick is to have them ask you open-ended questions. This gives you a chance to talk about what you really want. The way to do this is to intrigue with a story or comment on something you want to convey. As you can see, open questions are always a better option whenever you want to have a good conversation or collect information of some kind in particular.