Qualitative measures include participant observation, direct observation, unstructured interviews, and case studies. They are based on unfocused data and are difficult to quantify. Participant observation involves the researcher actively participating in the culture or group being studied, while direct observation involves the observer occupying the role of an observer. Unstructured interviews are subjective, and case studies use a combination of other qualitative measures. Qualitative measurements are used to formulate hypotheses and are often a precursor to quantitative studies.
The different types of qualitative measures can be divided into participant observation, direct observation, unstructured interviews and case studies. Many different methods can be used to take measurements, but they generally fall into these categories. Case studies, for example, are often a combination of the other methods used. Qualitative measurements are more difficult to perform than quantitative ones because they are based on large, detailed archives of unfocused data rather than specific numerical data. The key difference is that qualitative measurements are difficult to quantify and are typically used to formulate hypotheses or create a deeper look at a particular topic.
Participant observation is a group of qualitative measurements that focus on the researcher actively participating in the particular culture or group being studied. This is a very time consuming method of measurement because it normally takes some time for the researcher to gain the trust of the people he is observing. The best thing about this type of measurement is that participants often don’t realize they are being studied and are therefore more likely to behave as they normally would. A major problem with these types of qualitative measurements is that they are taken by an active participant who, because of her personal involvement, may have difficulty being objective in collecting data.
Direct observation is another possible qualitative measurement. It is very similar to participant observation, except that the observer occupies the role of an observer, rather than a participant. This can lead to situations where participants change their behavior because they are being observed. However, the method makes it easier for the observer to remain neutral in his observations. Technologies such as video cameras and one-way mirrors can be used to further detach the researcher from the participants.
Other possible qualitative measures use methods such as case studies and unstructured interviews. Unstructured interviews are more useful for generally investigating a topic than formulating good data, because they are subjective in nature. Interviews may end up discussing some aspects of an issue in more detail than others and are open to bias from both the participants and the interviewer. The case studies basically use a combination of other qualitative measures to form a big picture.
Analyzing collected data using qualitative measurements is often problematic. Normally, researchers will form generalizations based on the specific things observed. The data will almost always be recorded as a transcript of some description, which is then examined in detail to draw conclusions. Usually, qualitative measurements are only used to probe a topic and choose a topic for a quantitative study.
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