- Definition
Qualitative data describes things using words, like the color of a car or the type of pet someone has, rather than numbers.
A survey asking students their favourite school subject collects qualitative data, with answers like 'math,' 'art,' or 'science'.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Qualitative data is like sorting laundry into piles of shirts, pants, and socks — you are grouping things by type, not by a number you can measure.
Ask your child: If we asked everyone here their favourite movie, what kind of answers would we get?
Common mix-up: Kids often think 'data' has to be numbers you can count or measure. Qualitative data describes qualities or categories using words, like 'blue,' 'dog,' or 'sunny'.
Examples
- Listing the types of pets owned by classmates (dog, cat, fish).
- Noting the hair colour of people in a photo (brown, blonde, black).
qualitative data is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
