Research involving detailed, verbal descriptions of characteristics, cases, and settings. Qualitative research typically uses observation, interviewing, and document review to collect data.

research in which information collected from respondents takes the form of verbal descriptions or direct observations of events.

Research generally conducted with focus groups or by using open-ended questions on surveys. The purpose of qualitative research is to obtain subjective information about a product or an ad campaign (e.g., Does the color of this product appeal to you? Why or why not?)

A body of research techniques which seeks insights through loosely structured, mainly verbal data rather than measurements. Analysis is interpretative, subjective, impressionistic and diagnostic.

Traditional analysis of firm specific prospects for future earnings. While it is based on data collected by the analyst, there is no formal quantitative framework used to generate projections.

Research that seeks out people’s attitudes and preferences, usually conducted through unstructured interviews or focus groups.

A free-form research technique that is used to gain insight into the underlying issues surrounding a research problem by gathering non-statistical feedback and opinions rooted in people's feelings, attitudes, motivations, values, and perceptions, often from small samples; also called soft data.

Collection of nonnumerical data using interviews, observations, and open-ended questions to gather meaning from nonquantified narrative information.

Primary research that does not include statistical analysis. Qualitative research is often used to discover customer attitudes or test marketing hypotheses. For example, you may know that customers are buying a particular type of product, but you want to do qualitative research to learn why. Qualitative research engages respondents in a conversation to uncover underlying motivations and attitudes. It provides texture and context that yields an in-depth understanding about an issue (see Focus Group and In-Depth Interview).

Research that derives data from observation, interviews, or verbal interactions and focuses on the meanings and interpretations of the participants (Holloway and Wheeler, 1995)

Empirical research in which the researcher explores relationships using textual, rather than quantitative data. Case study, observation, and ethnography are considered forms of qualitative research. Results are not usually considered generalizable, but are often transferable.

research in a natural setting i.e. case studies

Is multi-method in focus, involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. That is qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings of people bring to them. Qualitative research is an attempt to 'get a better fix on the subject matter at had' (Denzin and Lincoln, 1998). It usually starts off with how or what so it is the initial foray into the topic and is trying to describe what is going on. The questions are trying to elicit greater understandings of perceptions, attitudes, and processes. Example-I want to understand how teachers interpret a reform model.

research designed to establish the attitudes of people to a particular product or service.

An exploratory study (to explore an unknown sector, identify the main dimensions of a problem, draw assumptions, understand motivations) or operational study based on in-depth analysis of interviewee responses (in a group or individually), typically in what's known as "focus groups." It most often deals with a restricted sample of individuals that does not necessarily need to be representative. It may be the preliminary phase of a quantitative study or stand alone research.

Research methods that focus on meaning and understanding, instead of causality, as a central aim. Such methods include participant observation, direct observation, field work, unstructured interviewing, case study, content analysis, and focus groups. ^ to top

Research which seeks to discover in-depth 'feelings' about topics. Usually unstructured, using topic guides rather than questionnaires; mostly small-scale samples. Mostly used in the business press for magazine editorial development.

(a) When referring to variables, "qualitative" is another term for categorical or nominal. (b) When speaking of kinds of research, "qualitative" refers to studies of subjects that are hard to quantify, such as art history. Qualitative research tends to be a residual category for almost any kind of nonquantitative research.

Research that is subjective in that it involves obtaining information about feelings and impressions from small numbers of respondents. The information gathered usually should not be described in numerical terms, and generalizations about the target populations should not be made.

Qualitative research involves the use of unstructured exploratory techniques, usually within a small group. The findings are more in-depth since they make greater use of open-ended questions and results provide more detail on behavior, attitudes and motivation.

Research techniques which seek in-depth insights through loosely structured, mainly verbal data rather than measurements. Focus groups and executive interviews are the most common qualitative research methods.

Descriptive research carried out using systematic approaches, but not simply reducible to numerical forms analysable by statistical methods (although some aspects can be quantitated).

Research that focuses on the experiences, interpretations, impressions or motivations of an individual or individuals, and that seeks to describe how people view things and why. It relates to beliefs, attitudes and changing behaviour.

a way to study people or systems by interacting with and observing the subjects regularly.

derived from the word quality, this form of research is designed to understand a human or social problem, based on building a complex, holistic picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and conducted in a natural setting. It is the collection and analysis of subjective information. See: quantitative research.

research designed primarily for exploratory purposes, such as getting oriented to the range and complexity of consumer activity, clarifying the problem, and identifying likely methodological problems. Examples include focus groups, case studies, and one-on-one interviews.

Is concerned with understanding the processes, which underlie various behavioural patterns. "Qualitative" is primarily concerned with "Why"

A set of methods in which the full breadth of respondents' opinions are sought and explored anecdotally either in on-on-one interviews or in groups.

The collection of non-numerical data. Often multi-method in focus, qualitative research involves an interpretive, meaning-driven approach to its subject matter.

Research that aims not at measurement but at understanding. Sample sizes are small and techniques tend to be very loosely structured. Techniques used include focus groups and depth interviews.

Research that is subjective and does not rely on statistical analysis, such as a focus group.

Information obtained about some members of a target population through unstructured or semi-structured procedures such as focus groups, discussions or one-on-one interviews. Results from qualitative research are not expressed numerically and are not considered to be statistically valid.

A research method that measures information based on opinions and values as opposed to statistical data.

deals with information too difficult or expensive to quantify, such as subjective opinions and value judgements, which is typically unearthed during interviews or discussion groups (166)

qualitative research tends to concentrate on producing rich descriptions of phenomena at the expense of being able to make broad generalisations. There are many theoretical and methodological variants within the general notion of qualitative research.

Information about markets and viewers that focuses on attitudes, behaviors and demographic composition.

Research that deals with information too difficult or expensive to quantify, such as subjective opinions and value judgements, typically unearthed during interviews or discussion groups. p. 169

type of research which uses words and descriptions as data

Research that explores the experience of a phenomenon. It may be descriptive, as in describing the state of something, or it may look deep into a phenomenon and look for patterns.

Research that yields an in-depth understanding about an issue. Qualitative research typically focuses on a small number of people. Since these peoples are interviewed in-depth, interviews tend to be longer and are often unstructured. An outline of discussion points, rather than questionnaire, is often used.

Research that is not subjected to quantitative analysis.

Sociological research methods that use interpretive description (words) rather than statistics (numbers) to analyze underlying meanings and patterns of social relationships.

quantitative analysis rebalancing

Qualitative research is one of the two major approaches to research methodology in social sciences. Qualitative research involves an indepth understanding of human behaviour and the reasons that govern human behaviour. Unlike quantitative research, qualitative research relies on reasons behind various aspects of behaviour.