Quantitative research primarily relies on which type of data?

Quantitative research primarily relies on which type of data?

• A. Numerical data.
• B. Narrative data from interviews.
• C. Observational field notes.
• D. Qualitative themes from focus groups.

Answer: (A)

Quantitative research relies on data that are numbers you can count or measure precisely. This numeric data lets researchers quantify variables, compare groups, and test hypotheses using statistical methods. For example, test scores, ages, incomes, or counts of events provide evidence that can be averaged, correlated, or used in regression analyses. Narrative data from interviews, observational field notes, and qualitative themes from focus groups are typically non-numeric and analyzed for meaning, patterns, and context rather than statistical relationships. They belong to qualitative (or mixed-methods) approaches, not the primary data type used in quantitative analysis.

Quantitative research relies on data that are numbers you can count or measure precisely. This numeric data lets researchers quantify variables, compare groups, and test hypotheses using statistical methods. For example, test scores, ages, incomes, or counts of events provide evidence that can be averaged, correlated, or used in regression analyses.

Narrative data from interviews, observational field notes, and qualitative themes from focus groups are typically non-numeric and analyzed for meaning, patterns, and context rather than statistical relationships. They belong to qualitative (or mixed-methods) approaches, not the primary data type used in quantitative analysis.