Qualitative Data is best described as which of the following?

• A. Quantitative Data
• B. Qualitative Data
• C. Mixed Methods Data
• D. Numeric Data

Answer: (B)

Qualitative data are data described by qualities, attributes, and meanings rather than by numbers. It’s the descriptive, non-numeric type of information you get from interview transcripts, field notes, open-ended survey responses, or visual materials analyzed for themes. The point is to capture experiences, opinions, and contexts in words or images, so the analysis focuses on patterns, relationships, and interpretations rather than measurements or counts. That’s why this item best fits: the data are qualitative in nature—described by descriptions and meanings rather than by numbers. Describing data as numeric or quantitative, or as a mixed-methods approach, points to different concepts that involve measurement or combining data types rather than the descriptive, non-numeric focus of qualitative data.