'Qualitative research' ???

Hi, hopefully this is a very easy question (!);

What the hell is 'qualitative research' and how will I know when I find it???

I have to trawl the electronic journals at uni and bring with me a piece that's 'qualitative research'. Problem is, this is for day 1 of week 1 of year 1, so I have no idea what is and what isn't 'qualitative research'!

Many thanks - Bono

Reply 1

thecaterpillar

Qualitative research is research that includes in-depth answers, as opposed to quantitative research which is just numbers.

So for example, a survey in which you ask people how they feel about a certain issue and get back statements from them would be qualitative. A survey where you just count, say, how many people have brown eyes, is quantitative.

Reply 2

timetokill

Questions already been answered, but this link is quite good for giving some more information and will give you a better idea of the kind of research you should be looking for :smile:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualitative_research

Reply 3

sugar_and_spice

Quantitive research produces numerical figures and statistics, whereas qualitive is anything else...not very well explained, but why don't you just google it?

Reply 4

ma2k5

Hey OP, have you never heard of google? Why do you have internet :rofl:

Reply 5

username345307

Qualitative is like the composition of something, isn't it? And quantitative is like how much, etc. Google is your friend (Y)

Reply 6

Bonowww

Many thanks. The 'google' answers didn't really answer the question for me, well, not enough for me to then know what it was when I saw it. Hence asking real people who I assume already know?

Thanks Bono.

Reply 7

Bonowww

Well, I’ve researched Google within an inch of its life (or mine at least!). Not sure as I understand yet, but I have found an example that definitely fits the definition of ‘qualitative research’, as it says it is! It’s also in the right subject for my course on Wednesday, so fingers crossed.

I think I understand what you’re all telling me, especially applying this to the example I have found, but I’m not sure I could have identified this piece appropriately, without its header.

Oh well, I guess we all have to start somewhere. :yep: