Survey Features

Close Ended Question

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The quality of your survey results depends on the kind of questions you ask in your survey. Among the myriad of question types, closed-ended questions provide a structural and efficient means of gathering quantifiable data.

What are closed-ended questions?

Close-ended questions are the survey questions that begin with “Can,” “Did,’ ‘Will,’ or “Have.” They are mostly seen in the form of multiple-choice questions, in which respondents select from a predefined selection of responses.

To answer a close-ended question, respondents choose from a limited number of options, typically multiple-choice questions with a one-word response, ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ or a rating (e.g., from strongly agree to strongly disagree). They are more appropriate for quantitative research, where respondents’ reactions make them less prone to disengagement.

Closed-ended questions allow for a limited number of replies and are ideal for surveys since respondents can submit their answers with a single click. Having learned what closed-ended questions are, let us look at the types of closed-ended questions.

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What are the different types of closed-ended questions?

While conducting a survey, you must opt for the best type of survey questions depending on the objective of your survey.

Multiple choice questions
Rating – scale questions
Dichotomous questions
Ranking questions
Likert-scale questions

Let’s explore these types in detail.

1. Multiple choice questions

These are among the most common survey questions. They let you choose one or more alternatives from a predefined list of answers.

This question type is simple to use, offers detailed data to evaluate, and presents mutually exclusive options. Because the response selections are set, your respondents will have an easier time completing the survey.

2. Rating-scale questions

The question in rating scale questions (also known as ordinal questions) presents a scale of answer alternatives from any range (0 to 100, 1 to 10, etc.). The respondent chooses the number that best expresses their response.

3. Dichotomous questions

This closed-ended question type has just two potential responses, which are often presented to survey participants in the following manner: Yes or No, either True or False, Agree or Disagree, and Fair or Unfair.

Dichotomous questions are an excellent way to explain someone’s viewpoint or comprehension of something, with receivers delivering unequivocal-either one way or the other-replies.

4. Ranking questions

Ranking questions are a form of a survey question that asks respondents to rate a set of responses in order to provide quantitative research data.

This type of question allows respondents to indicate which things they prefer the most and least. It has a closed-ended scale that permits only certain variations to be compared.

5. Likert-scale questions

Likert scales are simple to use since the respondent can see how strongly they feel regarding a specific issue. The researcher generally assigns each choice a number.

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When should you use closed-ended questions?

The following are the ideal situations where closed-ended questions are used. Let’s have a look.

1. When you want to limit the number of responses

This may appear counterintuitive, but there may be times when you want to limit the number or types of responses you receive. It improves the reliability of your data collection and, as previously said, makes it easier to measure and interpret the information you obtain.

2. When you want to conduct large-scale surveys

Closed-ended questions are frequently used to gather information about respondents. They generally respond in a shorter time. When the sample population of responders is large, close-ended questions function well.

3. When you want to collect quantitative insights

Closed-ended questions have highly unique responses; these responses can be used by assigning a value to each answer. This allows for a simple comparison of replies from various people, allowing for statistical analysis of the data collected.

Examples of closed-ended survey question

Some of the examples of closed-ended questions are:

Are you satisfied with the product you bought from our website?

2. Where do you think we can improve our services?

Food quality
Service
Cleanliness
Waiting time
Pricing

3. How would you rate our product on a scale of 1-5?

Very poor
Poor
Neutral
Good
Very Good

What are the advantages of closed-ended questions in surveys?

The main advantage of closed-ended questions is they are quantifiable, so you can convert them into charts, graphs, and percentages.

Let us explore some more advantages of closed-ended questions below:

They are simple to comprehend, so responders do not need to spend much time reading the questions repeatedly. These are easy to answer.
Data from open-ended questions can be quickly compared and categorized. This facilitates data analysis. As a result, it can assist researchers in reaching well-informed assertions that are supported by research.
Participants are less likely to overthink their responses when they have fewer options. Closed questions are also easier to comprehend since they are frequently phrased in fewer words.
Because you can quantify closed-ended data, statistical analysis becomes considerably easier.
Closed-ended question offers a tailored approach to survey design allowing you to focus in a specific objective and cater to target audience.
When accompanied with multimedia elements closed question not only captures respondent’s attention but also provide a richer context for respondents to base their answer on.

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What are the differences between closed-ended and open-ended questions?

Open and closed-ended questions are the most prevalent forms of survey questions in analysis, which is why they are most commonly used to collect data in a survey. Despite the fact that open-ended and closed-ended questions appear to be completely different, many observers confuse the two.

Close-ended questions let the analyst collect statistical information, which may be used as quantitative data, whereas open-ended questions are used to acquire qualitative data. Open-ended inquiries provide greater insight into the thoughts of the responders.

Respondents take longer to respond to open-ended questions as such questions demand that respondents offer extensive summaries of their views.

Whereas participants can respond to closed-ended questions in less time because they are concise and to the point. Closed-ended questions already have alternative answers. So all the respondents have to select the one that best represents their viewpoint.

Learn more about closed-ended and open-ended questions.

Conclusion

In the symphony of survey design, closed-ended question emerges as a powerful tool that captures reliable and relevant insights. When employed stratgicially, it is an efficient instrument for precision, engagement, and ultimately, informed decision-making.

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