Which type of research would typically involve in-depth interviews and focus groups?

• A. Quantitative research
• B. Qualitative research
• C. Desk research
• D. Primary research

Answer: (B)

Qualitative research focuses on understanding meanings, perspectives, and experiences, so it typically uses in-depth interviews and focus groups to gather rich, detailed data. These methods let researchers explore why people think or feel a certain way and capture nuances that wouldn’t emerge from numerical data alone. While primary research simply means collecting data firsthand and can be qualitative or quantitative, the specific tools described—deep, open-ended discussions—are hallmarks of qualitative research, unlike quantitative approaches that rely on structured surveys and numerical analysis. Desk research uses existing sources, not new interviews, so it doesn’t fit the described methods.