Which term refers to information that cannot be presented in numerical form?

Which term refers to information that cannot be presented in numerical form?

• A. Secondary data
• B. Quantitative data
• C. Qualitative data
• D. Primary data

Answer: (C)

The information that cannot be presented in numerical form is qualitative data. This type covers descriptions, meanings, and qualities that are expressed in words rather than numbers—things like interview transcripts, open-ended survey responses, observations described in detail, or social meanings and opinions. While researchers can sometimes code qualitative information for analysis, the fundamental data themselves are non-numeric. Quantitative data, by contrast, are numerical—counts, measurements, ratings on a numeric scale. The terms primary data and secondary data relate to who collected the data (originally vs. gathered from elsewhere) and can be either qualitative or quantitative, so they don’t specify the non-numeric nature of the information.

The information that cannot be presented in numerical form is qualitative data. This type covers descriptions, meanings, and qualities that are expressed in words rather than numbers—things like interview transcripts, open-ended survey responses, observations described in detail, or social meanings and opinions. While researchers can sometimes code qualitative information for analysis, the fundamental data themselves are non-numeric.

Quantitative data, by contrast, are numerical—counts, measurements, ratings on a numeric scale. The terms primary data and secondary data relate to who collected the data (originally vs. gathered from elsewhere) and can be either qualitative or quantitative, so they don’t specify the non-numeric nature of the information.