What type of data does qualitative research typically emphasize?

Qualitative research emphasizes descriptive and narrative data to provide a deeper understanding of social phenomena. This type of data focuses on individuals’ experiences, emotions, and interpretations, often gathered through methods such as interviews, focus groups, and observations. The richness and context of the data allow researchers to explore complex issues, capturing the nuances and subtleties of human behavior and interactions that numerical data alone cannot convey.

In qualitative research, the aim is to understand the meaning behind social processes and behaviors, which is why narrative forms of data are crucial. This contrasts with other types of data, such as numerical data, which quantifies information and may miss the deeper insights available through qualitative approaches. Similarly, graphical data often visualizes quantitative statistics and does not capture the complexity of human experiences. Comparative data, while useful in some contexts, typically refers to contrasting different cases or groups rather than delving into the qualitative aspects of social life.