qualitative
About traits, not totals
Qualitative concerns qualities—characteristics that can be observed or described but not easily measured with numbers.
A qualitative assessment evaluates nature or kind rather than amount: The study used qualitative methods like interviews and focus groups.
It contrasts with quantitative, which deals in measurable quantities.
A qualitative difference is one of type or essence, not merely degree.
Formal procedural framework
- interviewFormal questioning session
- focus groupModerated consumer research session
- ethnographySystematic study of peoples
- codingWriting software instructions
field notes · phenomenology · case study · triangulation · saturation · reflexivity · inductive · hermeneutic
Account of characteristics
- narrativeAccount of events
- accountRecord of dealings
- portrayalDepiction of someone
- depictionRepresentation in art
characterization · observation · detail · richness · thick description · ethnographic · phenomenological · case study
Distinguishing quality or trait
- propertySomething owned or inherent
- traitDistinguishing personal quality
- featureDistinguishing quality or element
- aspectFeature or dimension
attribute · nature · essence · dimension · factor · element · particularity · uniqueness
Fine distinction, easily missed
- gradationIncremental transition between stages
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
- shadeDarkness from blocked light
- complexityState of being complicated
depth · texture · refinement · intricacy · connotation · overtone · undertone · finesse
Assigned meaning
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- opinionSubjective personal belief
- impressionEffect on the mind
perception · personal · individual · intuitive · experiential · variable · contextual · relativistic
Flavor perception ability
- smellOlfactory perception
- sightVisual perception faculty
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- touchPerceiving through physical contact
texture · aroma · color · sound · warmth · bitterness · sweetness · sourness
Concerning measurable amounts
- numericalRelating to figures
- measurableAble to be gauged
- statisticalRelating to data analysis
- objectivePurpose or goal
empirical · metric · data-driven · countable · categorical · ordinal · nominal · binary
methodology
Formal procedural framework
- interviewFormal questioning session
- focus groupModerated consumer research session
- ethnographySystematic study of peoples
coding · field notes · phenomenology · case study · triangulation · saturation · reflexivity · inductive · hermeneutic · sampling
description
Account of characteristics
depiction · characterization · observation · detail · richness · thick description · ethnographic · phenomenological · case study · anecdotal
characteristic
Distinguishing quality or trait
- propertySomething owned or inherent
- traitDistinguishing personal quality
- featureDistinguishing quality or element
aspect · attribute · nature · essence · dimension · factor · element · particularity · uniqueness · specificity
subtlety
Fine distinction, easily missed
- gradationIncremental transition between stages
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
- shadeDarkness from blocked light
complexity · depth · texture · refinement · intricacy · connotation · overtone · undertone · finesse · delicacy
interpretation
Assigned meaning
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- opinionSubjective personal belief
impression · perception · personal · individual · intuitive · experiential · variable · contextual · relativistic · constructivist
taste
Flavor perception ability
touch · texture · aroma · color · sound · warmth · bitterness · sweetness · sourness · saltiness
quantitative
Concerning measurable amounts
- numericalRelating to figures
- measurableAble to be gauged
- statisticalRelating to data analysis
objective · empirical · metric · data-driven · countable · categorical · ordinal · nominal · binary · continuous
- researchstudy, research papers, researching, archive, peer review
- experimentsexperiment, experiments, test, tests, trials
- evaluationreview, assessing, feedback, comparing, judgment
- lab qualitiessterile, calibrated, controlled, precise, accurate
- modifiersadjectives, modifier, modifiers, adjective, adverb
- scientific adjectivesalkaline, ionic, aquatic, inorganic, metallic
qualitativequantitative
Concerning measurable amounts
numerical · numeric · statistical · quantifiable · measurable
qualitativequantitative
Concerning measurable amounts
objective · measurable · calculable · countable · enumerable
- qualitative dataNon-numeric descriptive information
- qualitative leapFundamental change in nature