CAFS Research Methods Practice Test

Open-ended questions are designed to elicit detailed, descriptive responses from participants, making narrative data the most suitable type of qualitative data associated with this format. When researchers use open-ended questions, they encourage individuals to express their thoughts, experiences, and opinions in their own words, which leads to rich, narrative responses. This type of data captures complexity and nuance, allowing for a depth of understanding that aligns with the goals of qualitative research.

By contrast, statistical and numeric data are typically associated with closed-ended questions that yield specific, quantifiable responses. Descriptive data can also encompass a variety of formats but does not inherently imply the qualitative depth that narrative data provides. Therefore, the use of open-ended questions primarily serves to generate narrative data, enhancing the richness of the qualitative analysis.