Collecting information
Information can either be qualitative Qualitative research seeks to answer questions about why and how people behave in the way they do. It provides in depth information about human behaviour. or quantitativeQuantitative research is explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data. This data is then analysed using mathematically based methods.. Whether information is qualitative or quantitative will affect the methods selected to collect information.
Qualitative research
Qualitative research deals with answering questions about why and how people behave in the way they do. It provides in-depth information about human behaviour.
It also relates to qualities. Quality doesn’t just mean good or bad, it means anything that can be felt or described.
Qualitative research will:
- be based on a small sample of participantSomeone who takes part in something.
- explore or investigate an issue or develop an initial understanding for further decision making
- use methods such as interviews, which can be structured interviewAll questions are prepared beforehand and are put forward to the interviewee in the same order., semi-structured interview Questions are prepared beforehand, the interviewer does not need to stick to them. or unstructured interviewThe interview does not have any set format but the interviewer may have some key questions formulated in advance.