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120 CHAPTER 5 Surveys

In that revision, the respondents could simply say, “none” but the question also in-
vites the respondents to think carefully about the problems that they might have faced.

5.6.2 CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS

There are two types of closed-ended questions. One type has ordered response cate-
gories, and the other type does not. An ordered response is when a number of choices
can be given, which have some logical order (Dillman, 2000). For instance, using a
scale such as “excellent to poor” or “strongly agree to strongly disagree” would be
an ordered response. Likert scale questions, which often take the form of a scale of
1 to 5, 7, or 9, ask users to note where they fall on a scale of, for example, “strongly
agree” to “strongly disagree.” Typically, closed-ended questions with an ordered re-
sponse request respondents to choose only one item (see Figure 5.1).
Closed-ended questions with an unordered response allow for choices that do
not have a logical order. For instance, asking about types of software applications,
hardware items, user tasks, or even simple demographic information such as gender
or type of Internet connection are unordered, but closed-ended questions. Figure 5.2
is an example of a closed-ended, unordered question.

What is your impression of using the website for www.veggieworld.com?
Please circle one number
Frustrating Satisfying

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
FIGURE 5.1
A closed-ended question with an ordered response.
Source: QUIS, see http://www.lap.umd.edu/quis/.

Which application do you use most often for text editing? (please select
only one)

___MS-Word
___WordPerfect
___Google Docs
___OpenOffice Writer
___WordPad
___QuickOffice
___Other (please specify)
FIGURE 5.2
A closed-ended question with an unordered response (single selection).