Which method captures richer, more nuanced data in research?

Open-ended questions are designed to elicit detailed and qualitative responses from participants, allowing them to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without being constrained by predefined options. This method captures richer and more nuanced data because respondents can articulate their views in their own words, leading to deeper insights and more complex understandings of the subject matter.

In contrast, closed-ended questions, surveys with multiple choice answers, and focus groups with limited discussion restrict responses to specific options or formats. While those methods can provide useful quantitative data or basic trends, they often miss out on participants' in-depth perspectives, limiting the richness of the information gathered. Open-ended questions, therefore, are particularly valuable in qualitative research, where the emphasis is on exploring complex ideas and collecting nuanced data that reflects the intricacies of human thoughts and behaviors.