Qualitative research explores people's beliefs, experiences, attitudes, behaviour and interactions. It asks questions about how and why. For example, why people want to stop smoking, rather than asking how many people have tried to stop. It generates non-numerical data, such as a person's description of their pain rather than a measure of pain. Qualitative research techniques such as focus groups and in depth interviews may be used to find out more about the views and experiences of the target population or practitioners (NICE).

See Introduction to qualitative research by Healthknowledge.org.uk

Qualitative research uses individual in-depth interviews, focus groups or questionnaires to collect, analyse and interpret data on what people do and say. It reports on the meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols and descriptions of things. It is often exploratory and open-ended (CASP). Learn more in the CASP article, "What is qualitative research?"

See also, quantitative research