Closed Questions vs Open Questions
Closed questions are like multiple choice tests - you pick from a limited set of answers that researchers have already decided on. For example, "Do you exercise?" might only give you options like "yes/no" or "I exercise ___ times a week."
These questions create quantitative data that's dead easy to analyse because everything fits into neat categories. However, they're pretty limiting since you can't explain your reasoning or add extra details that might be important.
Open questions are the complete opposite - they let you respond however you want with no restrictions. Something like "How does seeing unleashed dogs in public make you feel?" allows for completely personal, detailed responses.
While open questions give you qualitative data that's rich in detail and really insightful, they're an absolute nightmare to analyse. Every response is different, making it tricky to spot patterns or themes across hundreds of answers.
Remember: Closed questions = quick analysis but limited depth; Open questions = detailed insights but time-consuming analysis.