Which of the following phrases would be found in a report of a qualitative study?
A. “The hypothesis of this study is?”
B. “Perceived pain was measured using the Abbott pain scale?”
C. “The control group received no instruction?”
D. “Subjects were asked to relate their perceptions of pain?”
Correct Answer: D. “Subjects were asked to relate their perceptions of pain?”
Data collected were perceptions of pain, not numeric data. Other options are found in a report of a quantitative study. Qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data (e.g., text, video, or audio) to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences. It can be used to gather in-depth insights into a problem or generate new ideas for research.
Option A: Quantitative research is the process of collecting and analyzing numerical data. It can be used to find patterns and averages, make predictions, test causal relationships, and generalize results to wider populations.
Option B: Qualitative research is the opposite of quantitative research, which involves collecting and analyzing numerical data for statistical analysis. Quantitative research is widely used in the natural and social sciences: biology, chemistry, psychology, economics, sociology, marketing, etc.
Option C: To collect quantitative data, the researcher will often need to use operational definitions that translate abstract concepts (e.g., mood) into observable and quantifiable measures (e.g., self-ratings of feelings and energy levels).