ABSTRACT
Qualitative research fits into the category of descriptive research design in that the focus is on finding out what is happening in a given situation rather than trying to explain relationships or cause and effect. However, this can sometimes cause confusion to newcomers to research because descriptive designs may also be used in a quantitative way such as in the use of surveys in which data can be analysed numerically. When using a descriptive research design to collect quantifiable data the researcher is looking for trends in larger numbers of respondents. This contrasts with the search for ‘depth of understanding’ or meaning found in descriptive designs used to collect non-numeric or ‘qualitative’ data. It has been noted throughout this text that the approach to research depends on the question you are asking. If your question was orientated towards the individual perspective in asking questions such as ‘what does this mean?’ or ‘how does it feel?’ you would be more likely to develop a research design that collects qualitative data.
