Which option best describes data that is subjective and descriptive rather than numeric?

• A. Quantitative data
• B. Primary data
• C. Qualitative data
• D. Secondary data

Answer: (C)

The data described as subjective and descriptive rather than numeric is qualitative data. Qualitative data captures qualities, opinions, meanings, and descriptions that aren’t reduced to numbers. It focuses on understanding how things are experienced or perceived, often gathered through interviews, observations, or text and imagery, and analyzed for patterns or themes rather than measurements or counts. In contrast, quantitative data is numeric and deals with quantities that can be measured and analyzed statistically. Primary versus secondary data refers to how the data was collected (directly by the researcher or from existing sources) and doesn’t by itself determine whether the data is descriptive or numeric. Data can be either qualitative or quantitative in either primary or secondary form, which is why qualitative data best fits the description of being subjective and descriptive.