What is a common outcome of qualitative data analysis?

Qualitative data analysis primarily focuses on understanding and interpreting subjective experiences and social phenomena through non-numerical data. A common outcome of this analysis is the identification of thematic patterns that explain participant experiences. This involves organizing and interpreting the data to reveal underlying themes, insights, and meanings that participants attribute to their experiences.

These thematic patterns allow researchers to gain a deeper understanding of the context and complexities of participants' narratives, thoughts, and emotions, which are essential in qualitative research. Unlike approaches that yield numerical comparisons or statistical significance testing, qualitative analysis emphasizes depth and richness in understanding human behavior and perspectives. Additionally, standardized assessments are typically associated with quantitative research rather than qualitative.

Thus, identifying thematic patterns is a fundamental aspect of qualitative data analysis, distinguishing it from more quantitative approaches.