Why might open-ended questions in self-report surveys be considered a drawback?

Open-ended questions in self-report surveys can be viewed as a drawback primarily because they may require extensive time to analyze. This is due to the nature of open-ended responses, which tend to produce qualitative data that is rich in detail and nuance. Analyzing this data often involves identifying themes, coding responses, and interpreting qualitative information, which can be a lengthy and complex process.

In contrast, closed-ended questions typically provide quantifiable data that can be quickly tabulated and statistically analyzed, making the overall process more efficient. The richness of open-ended responses, while valuable for gaining deeper insights, can complicate data collection and interpretation, thus requiring significantly more time to derive meaningful conclusions from the survey results.