In qualitative analysis, which type of measurements are typically used?

• A. Numerical measurements
• B. Subjective measurements
• C. Objective metrics
• D. Standardized scores

Answer: (B)

Qualitative analysis relies on capturing meaning, experience, and context through descriptions rather than numbers. The measurements are typically subjective, coming from the researcher’s interpretation of rich data such as interview transcripts, field notes, and textual documents. This interpretive approach aims to understand how people experience and make sense of phenomena, not to quantify them. To maintain rigor, researchers document coding processes, practice reflexivity, and use triangulation, but the core measurement remains interpretive. Numerically oriented options—like numerical measurements, objective metrics, or standardized scores—belong to quantitative methods, which seek to quantify and compare data rather than describe its qualitative nature.