ABSTRACT
This type of research is based on data expressed mostly in the form of words – descriptions, accounts, opinions, feelings etc. – rather than on numbers. This type of data is common whenever people are the focus of the study, particularly in social groups or as individuals. Frequently the situation or process under study is not sufficiently understood initially in order to determine precisely what data should be collected. Therefore, repeated bursts of data collection and analysis allow adjustments to what is further investigated, what questions are asked and what actions are carried out based on what has already been seen, answered and done. This tends to be a demanding and difficult process prone to uncertainties and doubts, and the analyst is put to the test as much as the data!
