Which type of question is most efficient for obtaining a quick yes/no answer?

Which type of question is most efficient for obtaining a quick yes/no answer?

• A. Open-ended questions
• B. Closed-ended questions
• C. Leading questions
• D. Hypothetical questions

Answer: (B)

Getting a quick yes or no depends on using questions that constrain the response to a brief, definite option. Closed-ended questions do exactly that: they limit answers to a fixed set, often yes or no. This makes responses fast to give, easy to record, and straightforward to analyze because there’s no room for lengthy explanation. Open-ended questions invite longer, more nuanced replies, which takes more time and effort to process. Leading questions steer the respondent toward a specific outcome, which can bias results and isn’t about obtaining a simple, honest yes or no. Hypothetical questions require imagining a scenario, so they’re even less likely to yield an immediate yes/no. So for speed and clarity, sticking with closed-ended questions is the best choice.

Getting a quick yes or no depends on using questions that constrain the response to a brief, definite option. Closed-ended questions do exactly that: they limit answers to a fixed set, often yes or no. This makes responses fast to give, easy to record, and straightforward to analyze because there’s no room for lengthy explanation. Open-ended questions invite longer, more nuanced replies, which takes more time and effort to process. Leading questions steer the respondent toward a specific outcome, which can bias results and isn’t about obtaining a simple, honest yes or no. Hypothetical questions require imagining a scenario, so they’re even less likely to yield an immediate yes/no. So for speed and clarity, sticking with closed-ended questions is the best choice.