Which of the following describes a qualitative data analysis method?

• A. Regression
• B. Thematic or content analysis
• C. ANOVA
• D. Survival analysis

Answer: (B)

Qualitative data analysis focuses on making sense of non-numeric information, such as interview transcripts, open-ended survey responses, or field notes. The aim is to understand people's experiences, meanings they assign to events, and patterns that emerge across the data, rather than to measure variables or test numeric differences.

Thematic or content analysis fits this aim because it provides a systematic way to work with text: you read the data, assign codes to meaningful segments, and then organize those codes into broader themes or concepts that capture what people are conveying. This process helps reveal common ideas, differences, and relationships within the data, leading to a well-supported interpretation of what the data say about the research question. Content analysis can align with qualitative goals by focusing on meaning and context, though it can also be used quantitatively when codes are counted; in standard qualitative practice, the emphasis remains on interpretation rather than numbers.

The other methods are quantitative and rely on numeric data and statistical testing. Regression examines how numeric predictors relate to a numeric outcome, ANOVA compares average values across groups, and survival analysis deals with time-to-event data. They produce numerical estimates and p-values, not thematic interpretations of text, which is why they do not describe qualitative data analysis.