> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://bcds.gitbook.io/handbook/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://bcds.gitbook.io/handbook/digital-scholarship-methods/data/what-is-data/quantitative-and-qualitative-data.md).

# Quantitative & Qualitative Data

There are two types of data, quantitative and qualitative. Generally speaking, when you measure something and give it a number value, you create quantitative data. When you classify or judge something, you create qualitative data. There are also different types of quantitative and qualitative data. (Also see,  [Qualitative vs Quantitative Data](https://learn.g2.com/qualitative-vs-quantitative-data) article.)

### Qualitative Data

Qualitative data is used to characterize objects or observations, which can be collected in a non-numerical and non-binary way, such as languages. Qualitative data can include:

* Text
* Audio and video recordings
* Experiment notes, lab reports
* Interview transcripts

Two types of qualitative data include **categorical,** meaning data that can be organized in groups, and **ordinal**, meaning qualitative data that follows a natural order. 

| **Categorical**                                 | **Ordinal**                                                                          |
| ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| States (e.g., New York, Massachusetts, Arizona) | Economic class (e..g, lower class, middle class, higher class)                       |
| People names (e.g., Matt, Emily, Maria)         | Satisfaction scale (e.g., extremely dislike, dislike, neutral, like, extremely like) |
| Brands (e.g., Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper)          | Sports medals (e.g., gold, silver, bronze)                                           |

### Quantitative Data

Quantitative data**,** as the name suggests, relates to the quantity of something, and typical examples of quantitative data are numbers. Quantitative data can include: 

* Surveys data, including longitudinal and cross-sectional studies
* Count frequency
* Calculations such as calculating monthly gross margin
* Quantification: converting descriptive data to numbers such as satisfaction rating from 1-4

Two types of quantitative data include **continuous**, meaning numbers that can be made more precise and divided, e.g, a 4.3 earthquake, and **discrete,** meaning numbers that cannot be divided, e.g., the number of people in a household cannot include a fraction such as 3.5.