Qualitative research uses data from

• A. Observation, interviews or verbal interactions and focus on the meanings and interpretations of the participants
• B. Numerical data from surveys
• C. Laboratory experiments
• D. Administrative records only

Answer: (A)

Qualitative research aims to understand how people experience and interpret their world, so it uses non-numeric data collected in real-life settings. The data come from watching people in action, listening to what they say in interviews and everyday verbal interactions, and exploring meanings that emerge in conversations (often through focus groups). This approach seeks depth, context, and meaning rather than numbers, focusing on themes, narratives, and interpretations rather than counts or statistics. In contrast, numerical data from surveys yield quantitative results about quantities and relationships; laboratory experiments produce numerical measurements under controlled conditions to test hypotheses; administrative records, while helpful in many studies, do not inherently provide the open-ended, interpretive data qualitative research emphasizes. Therefore, data from observation, interviews or verbal interactions, and a focus on the meanings and interpretations of the participants best capture the qualitative approach.