Open-ended questions
These are questions which allow respondents to answer in their own words rather than choose answers from a pre-determined list.
e.g. 
Q: What do you do in your free time?
A: ……………………………………………………………………

The informant can give any answer and the researcher records the exact words of the informant.  For an informant, this type of question is more satisfying than a closed question.  However, these types of responses are extremely difficult to analyse, and reading coding and analysing over 200 different responses can represent an enormous amount of work.

Open question with pre-coded classification
e.g. 
Q: What do you do in your free time?
1.  Football
2.  Walks
3.  Fishing
4.  DIY
5.  Other………

Open question connected to classifications
e.g. 
Q: What is your income?
0----------100000
1.  100000----200000
2.  200000----300000
3.  300000----400000
4.  400000----500000
5.  500000----600000
6.  600000----700000
7.  700000----800000
8.  800000----900000
9.  900000---1000000

With this type of question it is very easy after the research to reduce the number of categories.

e.g.
1.  0------------100000,    Poor
2.  100000-----500000,   Average
3.  More than 500000,     Rich

Open question, quantitative response required
Q: How old are you?
A: ………..

Closed questions
Questions that have a pre-determined list of possible responses.  The respondent must choose a response from the list.
e.g. 
I heard you were having fun, do you:

1. agree
2. slightly agree
3. have no opinion
4. slightly disagree
5. disagree

with this opinion?

Selective questions
e.g.
Q: Are you Muslim?

1. Yes
2. No

Q: If yes, how many times a day do you pray?

1. Once
2. Twice,
3. Other…

Supplementary questions
These questions are used when the researcher wants a more in-depth response.