Traps for First Time Players…
the use of open-ended questions
to gather data for qualitative
research
Stephanie White
Christchurch College of Education
New Zealand
The Literature

An open-ended question can catch the
authenticity, richness, depth of
response, honesty and candor.
( Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000 )

Truly open-ended questions should
minimise predetermined responses, so
that people can respond in their own
words ( Patton, 2002)
The Context

15 adult learners - 11 female / 4 male

Enrolled in a week long Certificate in Adult
Teaching Course at CCE, 2004

Backgrounds in education, health, business,
community and unemployed
( White, S. 2004 )
The Questionnaire

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Describe what learning is for you
What things have you been involved in
learning in the last 12 months?
Explain your reasons for enrolling in this
Course
How do you perceive lifelong learning will
help you personally / society as a whole in the
future?
What areas of your life might be enhanced in
the future by your current learning?
Describe what learning is for you


New ideas, excitement, stepping out of my comfort
zone, acquisition of new ideas, skills, knowledge,
information, to understand something that was
previously a mystery, is a core need, to be regularly
exposed to/ and acquire new ideas, methods and
information, as well as the stimulation of meeting new
people and discovering new places/spaces, a continual
process throughout life which enables you to grow as
well as empowers you to expand yourself, gaining new
knowledge, new ideas, soaking up knowledge like a
sponge, changing my ideas, refreshing, solving
problems, filling gaps, discovering and growing……..
Over 40 responses/phrases to this one question
He manga wai koia kia
kore e whitika

It is a big river indeed that cannot be
crossed ( make light of the difficulties
and they will disappear)
The people’s true voices

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It is like “taking a walk in someone
else’s shoes”
You get a variety of rich, honest and
diverse responses
It catches the “gems” of information
such as shown on the questionnaires
themselves
The analysis
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Reviewed the responses initially to get
a “feel’ for the data
Collated all responses to each question
by hand on paper
Gave responses a code and then
grouped similar responses together
Included examples of “true’ responses
in the paper and the number of times
they were given
Capturing the “prize”
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Include raw data of interviews and
questionnaires to capture the actual things
said by actual people
Look for patterns and integrate what is said in
one place with what is said in another place
Carry out a content analysis according to a
classification scheme
Allow for the unexpected, seek out the
answers and impose order on them
Celebrate the dimensions, themes, images, or
words people use to describe their feelings,
thoughts and experiences
References
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Cohen, L.,Manion, L. & Morrison, K.
( 2000) Research Methods in Education
Patton M. ( 2002 ) Qualitative Research and
Evaluation Methods

White S. ( 2004 ) What Motivates Them? Adult
Learners’ Perceptions of and Reasons for Engaging in
Lifelong Learning. New Zealand Journal Of Adult
Learning. 32(2)