Key terms63

Quantitative data
shed light on the magnitude, the scale and the effects of a humanitarian crisis by providing a statistical description of its impact on affected communities. Quantitative data address questions that generate countable answers, such as ‘how many’, ‘how much’, or ‘how often’.
Qualitative data
shed light on the magnitude, the scale and the effects of a humanitarian crisis by an experiential description of its impact on affected communities. Qualitative data address questions that involve opinions, values, beliefs and conjectures. Why have coping strategies adapted or failed to adapt to changed circumstances? How does a displaced person with disabilities feel about her situation? What does she believe would improve her situation?
Primary data
are collected directly from an affected population by an assessment team through field work. Primary data may be quantitative or qualitative.
Secondary data
are gathered from previous statistical and analytical research (census data, data from previous surveys, studies). Secondary data may be quantitative or qualitative.