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b. Closed ended questions

Closed-ended questions, also known as structured questions,
are a type of questioning technique commonly used in surveys
or questionnaires. With closed-ended questions, respondents are
provided with a predetermined list of answer choices and are asked
to select the option that best represents their views or experiences.
These questions offer a structured format and limit respondents to
choose from the provided set of responses.
To ensure the effectiveness of closed-ended questions, the
response categories should be exhaustive, covering all possible
options, and mutually exclusive, meaning each choice should
be distinct and not overlapping with others. This allows for
accurate data collection and analysis. Closed-ended questions can ◆ Choosing one from
take various forms, such as Multiple-Choice Questions, where a set of responses
respondents choose one option from a list of possible answers,
dichotomous questions that offer two opposing choices or scaled
questions that measure intensity or agreement on a specific topic
using a rating scale.

◆ Multiple - Choice Questions (MCQs)

The researcher provides a choice of answers and respondents
are asked to select one or more of the alternatives given. In MCQs,
the respondents choose one option from a list of possible answers.
For example-
Do you intend to visit an industry within the next six months?

◆ Definitely will not go
◆ Probably will not go

◆ Undecided ◆ Selection from
◆ Probably will go predetermined
alternatives
◆ Definitely will go
◆ Other (please specify)

Advantages of Multiple-Choice Questions:

◆ Easy handling: They are straightforward to administer and
record responses.

◆ Simple to answer: Respondents only need to select an option
from the provided choices.
◆ Quick: Questions can be completed efficiently, saving time
for both respondents and researchers.

◆ Inexpensive to analyse: Data analysis is relatively
straightforward and can be done using statistical techniques.

SGOU - SLM - MCom Research Methodology 129