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Are close-ended questions qualitative or quantitative?

Published in Quantitative Research 2 mins read

Close-ended questions typically collect quantitative data.

Understanding Close-Ended Questions and Data Types

Close-ended questions are designed to elicit specific, limited responses. These responses are easily categorized and quantified, making them suitable for statistical analysis. This contrasts with open-ended questions, which allow for free-form, descriptive answers, leading to qualitative data.

Why Close-Ended Questions Yield Quantitative Data

  • Limited Options: Close-ended questions provide a pre-defined set of answers. Examples include multiple-choice, yes/no, rating scales (e.g., Likert scales), and ranking options.

  • Quantifiable Responses: The restricted answer choices allow you to assign numerical values to each response. For instance:

    • Yes = 1, No = 0
    • Rating Scale: 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree)
  • Easy Analysis: The numerical format enables easy statistical analysis, such as calculating frequencies, averages, and correlations. This facilitates identifying trends and patterns in the data.

Examples of Close-Ended Questions and the Data They Generate

Question Type Example Data Type Analysis
Multiple Choice "What is your age group?" (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, etc.) Quantitative Frequency distribution of age groups
Yes/No "Do you own a car?" Quantitative Percentage of car owners
Likert Scale "I am satisfied with this product." (1-5 Scale) Quantitative Average satisfaction score
Ranking "Rank these features in order of importance." Quantitative Average ranking of each feature

Exception: Qualitative Insights from Close-Ended Questions (Rare)

While predominantly quantitative, there might be rare instances where close-ended questions, when analyzed in aggregate, can provide subtle qualitative insights. For instance, a pattern in the "other" category of a multiple-choice question could indicate a theme that wasn't anticipated, prompting further qualitative investigation. However, the primary purpose and nature of close-ended questions still centers around collecting quantitative data.

In summary, close-ended questions are primarily used to gather quantitative data because they offer limited response options that can be easily quantified and analyzed statistically.