Qualitative data
Topic: Economic Data: Census, NSS, Surveys and Statistical Tools · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 1 "Introduction (Statistics for Economics)"; Class 11, Ch 8 "Use of Statistical Tools"
Meaning
Qualitative data record attributes, which are qualities that cannot be measured in numbers. Gender, religion and literacy are examples. They are recorded by whether a quality is present or absent, and sometimes in degrees. Much economic information, such as skill or health, is of this type, so statistics must be able to handle it too.
Example
A labour survey records workers as unskilled, skilled or highly skilled. A health survey records people as sick or healthy. Neither can be measured on a number scale, but both can be counted and classified.
Don't confuse with
- Quantitative data: these can be measured in numbers, such as income or output in tonnes. Qualitative data can only be grouped by quality.
Related concepts
- Statistics
- Economic data
- Economic analysis
- Economic policy
- Quantitative data
- Statistical prediction
- Statistical methods are no substitute for common sense
- Project report
- Target group