Open versus Closed Ended Questions

In the Reference Environment

Prepared by Dr. John V. Richardson Jr.
UCLA Professor of Information Studies

My vision is that information studies graduate students will learn the

best practices related to interviewing techniques in the reference
environment. The goal of the reference interview is to understand
the users query. The two-fold objective is to get the inquirer to
express their information need or problem and to have a satisfied
user at the end of the transaction. Hence, the task at hand is to use
the proper balance of open and closed-ended questions and to use
these questions in the right sequence.
1. Open-ended questions are those questions that will solicit additional
information from the inquirer. Sometimes called infinite response or
unsaturated type questions. By definition, they are broad and require more
than one or two word responses. Note that neutral questions are merely a
subset of open questions, according to Dervin and Dewdney.
Examples:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.
p.
q.
r.

How may/can I help you?

Where have you looked already?
What aspect are you looking for?
What kind of information are you looking for?
What would you like to know about [topic]?
When you say [topic], what do you mean?
What do you mean by [topic]?
What further clues can you give me?
What examples can you give me?
What is it you want to know about?
How will you use this information?
How will this information help you?
What will it help you do?
Where did you read or hear about [topic]?
Tell me how this problem arose?
What happened that got you stopped?
What are you trying to understand?
Where else have you searched?

Pros: Open-ended questions develop trust, are perceived as less threatening,

allow an unrestrained or free response, and may be more useful with
articulate users. Cons: Can be time-consuming, may result in unnecessary
information, and may require more effort on the part of the user.

2. Closed ended questions are those questions, which can be

answered finitely by either yes or no. Also known as
dichotomous or saturated type questions. Closed-ended questions
can include presuming, probing, or leading questions. By definition,
these questions are restrictive and can be answered in a few words.
Examples:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.
p.
q.
r.
s.
t.
u.
v.

Can I help you?

May I help you?
Can you give me more information?
Have you searched elsewhere?
Can you describe the kind of information you want?
Can you give me an example?
Could you be more specific?
Are you looking for [topic]?
Would you tell me more about [topic]?
Would you explain [topic]?
Is there something specific about [topic], you are looking
for?
Do you have a citation?
Is there any other information that you need?
Is there any thing else that I can help you find?
Does that help you out or does this help or will this search
help you?
Do you need more clarification?
Is that correct/right/ok?
How is this?
Shall we continue?
Any other/further questions?
Is that what you are looking for?
Does this answer your question?

Pros: Quick and require little time investment, just the

answer. Cons: Incomplete responses, requires more time with inarticulate
users, can be leading and hence irritating or even threatening to user, can

result in misleading assumptions/conclusions about the users information

need; discourages disclosure.
SOURCE: Examples above are derived from a first-hand analysis of LSSIs
database of reference transcripts (through 2 May 2002) as well as a
reclassification of examples from Jennerich and Jennerich (1987), p. 14;Ohio
Reference Excellence (2000), p. 8; and Dervin and Dewdney (1986), p. 509.

How to ask Open ended questions

Steps
An open-ended question is one that compels a person to volunteer more
information. A closed-ended question, on the other hand, is one that can be
answered with a simple yes or no response. Knowing the difference between
the two will help you tremendously.

1
Ask questions that encourage people to talk. Let's say you went to a party
on Saturday night but had to leave early. If you want to know what happened
after you went home, these open-ended questions might help:

"What happened after I left?"

"What happened with Jim and Susan?"

"How did everyone like the champagne?"

1
Avoid asking questions that require one-word replies. Not only will
closed-ended questions bring a conversation to a screeching halt, they usually
provide inadequate answers as well. Here are some examples of closedended questions relevant to the situation described above:

"Did you speak to Bob?"

"Did Susan leave with Jim?"

"Did everyone finish all the champagne?"

Method 3 of 4: Ask Follow-up Questions

1
Go narrow first then broad and open. If you're struggling to get the person
to open up with broad open-ended questions, try narrowing the questions first
and then make them broader after getting them into the conversation.
Example of this would be when talking to your kids. You might ask a question
like, "What happened at school today?" "Nothing" is the response. Follow-up
with something like, "What writing assignments are you working on?" More
than likely, this spark a conversation.

2
Follow-up with "Why?" or "How?" Another technique that can help you get
specific information and a lengthier answer is to ask a closed-ended question
followed up with "Why?" or "How?" For example, if I want to know whether I
might find a class useful, I can ask someone who took it. Me: "Did you like that
Sociology class?" Him: "Nope." Me: "Why not?" Him: "Oh, well, it was a lot of
reading and theory without much practical application, for one thing."

1
Make sure to Listen. Asking the right questions is pointless if you don't listen.
Sometimes we are guilty of formulating the next question without paying
attention to the answer to the first. You miss great opportunities for follow-up
questions if you do this. Make an effort to listen to the answer you asked for.