What type of question allows respondents to construct their own answers?

Open-ended questions are designed to allow respondents the freedom to construct their own answers without any restrictions. This format encourages detailed and elaborate responses, giving individuals the opportunity to express their thoughts, feelings, and opinions in their own words. For instance, a survey might ask, "What are your thoughts on our new product?" This open format can yield valuable insights into customer sentiment that may not be captured through predefined options.

In contrast, multiple choice questions provide a set of predefined responses from which the respondent can choose, limiting their ability to express thoughts beyond those given choices. Closed-ended questions typically ask for a simple yes/no or similar binary responses, which similarly restrict respondents. Scale questions, such as Likert scale items, request respondents to indicate levels of agreement or frequency on a defined scale, which also constrains the responses to specific metrics rather than freeform expression.