Introduction to Closed Question Design
Closed questions, also known as fixed-response questions, offer respondents a pre-determined set of answers to choose from. They are widely used in surveys and questionnaires due to their ease of administration, efficient data collection, and straightforward analysis. Designing effective closed questions, however, requires careful consideration of several factors. The goal is to create questions that are clear, unambiguous, and provide meaningful data that can be easily interpreted. This lesson focuses specifically on the art and science of crafting high-quality closed questions that elicit relevant and insightful information from respondents.
Defining the Scope and Purpose
Before even thinking about specific question wording, it's crucial to define the scope and purpose of your closed questions. What specific information are you trying to gather? What are the research objectives you hope to achieve? Clearly articulating these goals will guide the design process and ensure that the questions asked directly address the research aims. For example, if the goal is to assess customer satisfaction with a particular product, the closed questions should focus on specific aspects of the product and the customer's experience using it. A well-defined scope ensures that you only ask questions that are truly relevant and avoid wasting respondents' time with unnecessary inquiries.
Structuring Response Options
The response options provided for closed questions are just as important as the question itself. These options need to be exhaustive, mutually exclusive, and logically ordered. Exhaustive means that the response options cover all possible answers a respondent might have. Mutually exclusive means that each response option is distinct and does not overlap with any other option. Logically ordered applies primarily to questions using scales (e.g., Likert scales), where the options should progress in a logical sequence, such as from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree." Careful consideration of these principles ensures that respondents can easily select the most appropriate answer and that the data collected is accurate and reliable. For example, if asking about age ranges, make sure the ranges don't overlap (e.g., instead of 20-30, 30-40, use 20-29, 30-39). Also consider an "Other" option when you suspect the provided choices might not be exhaustive.
Pilot Testing and Refinement
Once you have drafted your closed questions and response options, it is essential to pilot test them with a small sample of your target audience. Pilot testing allows you to identify any potential problems with the questions, such as ambiguity, confusion, or difficulty in understanding the response options. Observe how respondents interpret the questions and ask for their feedback on clarity and relevance. Based on the feedback received, revise and refine the questions to improve their overall quality. This iterative process is crucial for ensuring that the final set of closed questions are well-designed and capable of generating reliable and valid data. Don't be afraid to completely rewrite questions or restructure response options based on pilot testing feedback; it's better to catch and fix problems early than to collect flawed data.
Now let's see if you've learned something...
⇦ 3 Statistical Analysis of Closed Questions