Open vs. Closed Questions

Also known as: Open-ended Questions, Verbatims, Closed Questions, Free Response

Fundamental question type distinction: closed questions offer predefined options; open questions allow the respondent's free response.

The distinction between Open and Closed Questions is fundamental in survey design:

Closed Questions: offer predefined response options (single selection, multiple, scale). Allow easy quantitative analysis, statistical comparisons, and are faster to respond. Disadvantage: limit the respondent to options the designer thought of, may miss 'surprise' responses.

Open Questions (verbatims or open-ends): the respondent answers in their own words, without restrictions. Capture unanticipated perspectives, the real consumer vocabulary, and qualitative richness. Disadvantage: require coding analysis (manual or with AI), slower and more costly, and generate respondent fatigue.

Best practice is to strategically combine both types: closed questions for quantitative KPIs and open questions to understand the 'why' behind closed responses.