
Instead, qualitative data is measured with questionnaires, observations, or interviews. Since qualitative research focuses on individuals, groups, and cultures, its data can’t be measured with tools like thermometers and scales. Qualitative research is more about exploring an idea or a topic instead of finding specific, concrete, objective answers. Order Transcripts Why use transcription for qualitative data? Medical scientists may look at qualitative data to understand how or why patients make certain health decisions. Qualitative data analysis describes qualities or characteristics, and may be expressed through opinions or preferences.įor example, companies may use qualitative data to understand the decisions or preferences of different consumers or consumer groups. This type of data is expressed in words, rather than numbers. Qualitative data is subjective, open-ended, and less precise in how it is measured or analyzed. But that’s not the only type of data that scientists and other professionals use in research.Ī second type of data is known as qualitative data. Quantitative data is the type of data that can be expressed in numbers and precisely measured, like temperature or population size. You might think of computers or even robots collecting and calculating information and spitting out answers based on cold, unchanging facts.Īctually, that is just one of a few different types of data. What do you think of when you hear the word “data”? Most people might immediately think of measurements, statistics, and rows of numbers.
