qualitative
relating to quality, not quantity
Describing the kind or quality of something, not how much of it there is or giving numbers.
qualitative [noun]
- The report offers a qualitative description of customer satisfaction, highlighting common themes in their feedback.
- We need both quantitative and qualitative data to understand why sales have dropped.
- There was a clear qualitative difference in the sound after the speakers were upgraded.
- The manager asked for a qualitative assessment of the new training program.
- Her thesis includes a qualitative analysis of how people feel about remote work.
- The teacher gave a qualitative report on each student’s progress.
- We did a qualitative study of how people use the app.
- There is a qualitative difference between cheap and high-end coffee.
- The company made a qualitative change in its service, and customers are happier.
- This article gives qualitative information about life in that country.
using non-numerical research data
Describing a type of research that uses words, stories, and observations instead of numbers and statistics.
qualitative [noun]
- The article is based on qualitative research using in-depth interviews with nurses.
- Our team combined quantitative surveys with qualitative focus groups to get a fuller picture.
- She specializes in qualitative methods, particularly ethnographic fieldwork.
- The thesis relies on qualitative data drawn from classroom observations.
- A qualitative study was conducted to explore students’ experiences of online learning.
- The professor teaches a course on qualitative research.
- In this project, we will collect qualitative data through interviews.
- He wrote a qualitative study about life in a small village.
- Qualitative methods help us understand how people feel.
- They used qualitative and quantitative methods in the same research.
- Base: qualitative
qualitative analysis
1analysis of characteristics, not amounts
An analysis that looks at what things are like and how they are different, not at how many there are.
- The chemist began with a qualitative analysis to identify which elements were present.
- A qualitative analysis of the interviews showed three main patterns in the responses.
qualitative change
1change in the nature of something
A change in what something is like at a basic level, not just a small change in how strong or big it is.
- There has been a qualitative change in public attitudes toward mental health.
- Digital technology brought a qualitative change to how we communicate.
qualitative data
1non-numerical descriptive information
Information in the form of words or descriptions, not numbers or measurements.
- The survey produced a large amount of qualitative data from open-ended questions.
- Researchers coded the qualitative data to identify common themes.
qualitative difference
1difference in kind, not amount
A difference in the type or nature of something, not just in how much of it there is.
- There is a qualitative difference between memorizing facts and truly understanding them.
- The new policy makes a qualitative difference to how employees experience their work.
qualitative research
1research using non-numerical data
Research that uses interviews, open questions, and observations instead of numbers and statistics.
- Qualitative research was carried out to explore how parents feel about homework.
- She prefers qualitative research because it allows deeper insight into people’s experiences.