qualitieve

Qualitieve, often written kwalitatief in Dutch, refers to a set of research approaches and data types that focus on qualities rather than quantities. It is used to describe methods that aim to understand meaning, experience, and context rather than to measure variables numerically.

In qualitative research, data are typically non-numerical and drawn from real-world contexts. This can include interview transcripts, field notes, observations, documents, audio or video material, and visual content. The goal is to explore how people interpret their situations, how social processes unfold, and what certain phenomena mean within specific settings, rather than to quantify how often they occur.

Common methods include interviews (often semi-structured or unstructured), focus groups, ethnography and participant observation, case studies, and content or document analysis. Data analysis usually involves iterative coding, thematic or narrative analysis, and approaches such as grounded theory or discourse analysis. The process is often reflexive, with researchers revising questions and interpretations as new insights emerge.

Quality in qualitative research is assessed through criteria such as credibility (trustworthiness), transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Techniques to support quality include triangulation, thick description, member checking, audit trails, and reflexivity. Ethical considerations emphasize informed consent, confidentiality, and sensitivity to participants’ contexts.

Qualitative methods are widely used across the social sciences and humanities, including sociology, anthropology, education, psychology, health sciences, and market research, for exploring complex phenomena where context and meaning are essential.