Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative data. First we will start by defining what qualitative and quantitative data are. Qualitative data is data that can be observed, but not measured. It also deals with descriptions of variables: color, appearance, taste, etc. It is not characterized by numerical values. Quantitative data is data that can be measured. It deals with numbers: length, weight, time, etc. “While the goals of some data collection may be exclusively qualitative or quantitative, in many cases both are desirable (O'Rourke & O'Rourke, 2000).” For qualitative observations, researchers look at and record whatever seems interesting to them . The people and animals observed in these research experiments are called participants and subjects. The locations of observations are called study sites. Researchers tend to rely on gatekeepers, or informants, in their observations. There are six different types of qualitative observations: participant observations, ethnographic observations, case studies, archaeological data, focus groups, and naturalistic animal studies. “Qualitative research in development faces particular challenges because it is often conducted by researchers not socialized in disciplines such as anthropology or sociology, who have clear guidelines for fieldwork and note-taking, or with such resources limited that we are unable to follow them (Camfield & Palmer-Jones, 2013).”For quantitative direct observations, they exist in numbers and conditions so that they can be counted. The number can be an actual value, a test score, or it can reflect an arbitrary value. These observations are conducted by researchers by counting the frequency of one or more variables and these observations are......middle of the paper......When this happens, it again reduces the validity of the observation. While there are many advantages and disadvantages to self-reporting, no other method would gather the same detailed and in-depth information from participants. References: Camfield, Laura & Palmer-Jones, Richard. Improving the quality of development research: What could archiving qualitative data contribute for reanalysis and revisiting research sites? Advances in development studies. October 2013, vol. 13 Issue 4, p343-338. Ellis, L., Walsh, A., & Hartley, R. D. (2010). Research methods in criminal justice and criminology: An interdisciplinary approach. Lanham, MD: Rowman & LittlefieldPublishers.O'Rourke, Thomas W. & O'Rourke, Diane P. Bridging the qualitative-quantitative data canyon.American Journal of Health Studies. 2000, Vol.16 Number 1, p52-54.