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Qualitative Analysis of Data There is an important distinction between quantitative research and qualitative research. In quantitative research, the information obtained from the participants is expressed in numerical form. Studies in which we record the number of items recalled, reaction times, or the number of aggressive acts are all examples of quantitative research. In qualitative research, on the other hand, the information obtained from participants is not expressed in numerical form. The emphasis is on the stated experiences of the participants and on the stated meanings they attach to themselves, to other people, and to their environment. Those carrying out qualitative. | From what has been said so far, we have seen that the mean is the most generally useful measure of central tendency, whereas the mode is the least useful. However, we need to take account of the level of measurement when deciding which measure of central tendency to use (the various levels are discussed further on p. 15 of this chapter). At the interval and ratio levels of measurement, each added unit represents an equal increase. For example, someone who hits a target four times out of ten has done twice as well as someone who hits it twice out of ten. Below this is the ordinal level of measurement, in which we can only order, or rank, the scores from highest to lowest. At the lowest level, there is the nominal level, in which the scores consist of the numbers of participants falling into various categories. The mean should only be used when the scores are at the interval level of measurement. The median can be used when the data are at the interval or ordinal level. The mode can be used when the data are at any of the three levels. It is the only one of the three measures of central tendency that can be used with nominal data.