Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Qualitative Data?The 3 Types of Qualitative DataMethods of Collecting Qualitative DataAnalysis Techniques for Qualitative DataQualitative vs. Quantitative Data
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Qualitative Data?
The 3 Types of Qualitative Data
Methods of Collecting Qualitative Data
Analysis Techniques for Qualitative Data
Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data
Close
How do researchers analyze answers to open-ended questions? What about the information collected from interviews, video recordings andobservations? This type of data is called qualitative data. Qualitative data means not using numbers to represent information, which would bequantitative data.
Numbers can tell a good story, but certainly not the whole story. That’s where qualitative data comes in.
A well-researched article can generate a powerful impact when numbers represent an important fact. For instance, you would feel shocked to find out exactly how much more likely you are to develop mental health issues if you scroll on your phone for more than 3 hours a day. The numbers don’t lie, right?
However, it can be hard to contextualize quantitative facts. That’s where qualitative data can come in, to provide a more human context to help readers make sense of those digits. In psychology studies, qualitative data is used to understand the experiences, perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of study participants. It aims to understand and explain the why and how of a research question, as opposed to the how much or how many.
Real-Life Examples of Qualitative Data
Collecting qualitative data can involve a psychology researcher interviewing subjects with a mental health diagnosis to understand the subjective experience of their symptoms.
Having a focus group discussion withconsumersfor market research is another example of how qualitative data is used. A facilitator would ask a focus group open-ended questions about their attitudes, perceptions, and opinions about a company’s product or service.
A human resources department conducting personal interviews with employees to understand job satisfaction and workplace culture is also an example of qualitative data.
There are 3 types of qualitative data:
There are several important steps to consider before collecting qualitative data.Dr. Stephanie J. Wong, Ph.D., a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and author ofCancel the Filter: Realities of a Psychologist, Podcaster, and Working Mother of Colorshared thatresearch proposalsneed to be submitted to an Institutional Review Board (IRB).
An external organization must evaluate the proposal for potential risks and benefits to participants, and ways you will collect, protect, analyze, and share the data. This applies to both quantitative and qualitative studies. Once your study is approved, there are several ways qualitative data can be collected.
Dr. Wong explained that qualitative data can be analyzed in various ways, including identifying trends, creating categories of themes, and informing quantitative analysis or studies. Here are some analysis techniques for qualitative data:
It’s easy to remember the difference between qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data qualifies and quantitative data quantifies what is being investigated.
Qualitative data is descriptive and does not use numbers. Quantitative data is measurable and uses numbers.
“There may be a perception that quantitative research is more scientifically accurate than qualitative research, although both provide value,” explains Dr. Wong.
The Advantages and Potential Drawbacks of Qualitative Data
There are advantages and disadvantages to using qualitative data for your study. Dr. Wong shares that qualitative research is particularly helpful in exploring a topic with a limited amount of research, such as outcomes among specific populations.
However, a drawback is that qualitative research is typically conducted with small sample sizes, which limits the ability to generalize the data to larger groups of people.
Lastly, collecting qualitative data typically requires in-depth interviews which can be time-consuming.
Quantitative research is more efficient as it can typically accommodate larger sample sizes and software can be utilized to track and analyze the data.
Therefore, qualitative data is used to understand the nuances of a situation and explore the meaning behind experiences and findings. When deciding on a method of data collection for your study, it’s important to choose one that aligns with your research question and to take into consideration your time, budget, expertise, and available resources. If possible, using both qualitative and quantitative methods can give you a more comprehensive understanding of what you’re researching.
5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tenny S, Brannan JM, Brannan GD.Qualitative study. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Bailey J.First steps in qualitative data analysis: transcribing.Family Practice. 2008;25(2):127–131.Mishra P, Pandey C, Singh U, GuptaA. Scales of measurement and presentation of statistical data.Ann Card Anaesth. 2018;21(4):419–422.QUAGOL:A guide for qualitative data analysis.International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2012;49(3):360–371.Winter G.A comparative discussion of the notion of “validity” in qualitative and quantitative research.The Qualitative Report.2000;4(3):1–14.
5 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tenny S, Brannan JM, Brannan GD.Qualitative study. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Bailey J.First steps in qualitative data analysis: transcribing.Family Practice. 2008;25(2):127–131.Mishra P, Pandey C, Singh U, GuptaA. Scales of measurement and presentation of statistical data.Ann Card Anaesth. 2018;21(4):419–422.QUAGOL:A guide for qualitative data analysis.International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2012;49(3):360–371.Winter G.A comparative discussion of the notion of “validity” in qualitative and quantitative research.The Qualitative Report.2000;4(3):1–14.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Tenny S, Brannan JM, Brannan GD.Qualitative study. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Bailey J.First steps in qualitative data analysis: transcribing.Family Practice. 2008;25(2):127–131.Mishra P, Pandey C, Singh U, GuptaA. Scales of measurement and presentation of statistical data.Ann Card Anaesth. 2018;21(4):419–422.QUAGOL:A guide for qualitative data analysis.International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2012;49(3):360–371.Winter G.A comparative discussion of the notion of “validity” in qualitative and quantitative research.The Qualitative Report.2000;4(3):1–14.
Tenny S, Brannan JM, Brannan GD.Qualitative study. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.
Bailey J.First steps in qualitative data analysis: transcribing.Family Practice. 2008;25(2):127–131.
Mishra P, Pandey C, Singh U, GuptaA. Scales of measurement and presentation of statistical data.Ann Card Anaesth. 2018;21(4):419–422.
QUAGOL:A guide for qualitative data analysis.International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2012;49(3):360–371.
Winter G.A comparative discussion of the notion of “validity” in qualitative and quantitative research.The Qualitative Report.2000;4(3):1–14.
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