What is a common characteristic of qualitative data?

Qualitative data is characterized by its focus on capturing non-numeric information, often involving subjective experiences, opinions, and descriptions. This type of data allows researchers to explore characteristics, attributes, or experiences that cannot easily be quantified. For instance, when gathering qualitative data, one might collect information through interviews, open-ended survey responses, or observations, which often reveal deeper insights into participants' thoughts and feelings.

In contrast, qualitative data does not lend itself to numerical expression or precise measurement, making it distinctly different from quantitative data, which deals with numbers and can be easily analyzed statistically. This intrinsic nature of qualitative data is what often allows researchers to gather more nuanced information that might not be apparent through purely numerical data approaches.