Qualitative variables are descriptive attributes that are not expressed numerically but through categories and descriptions. They can be nominal, ordinal, or dichotomous. Nominal variables represent categories that cannot be ordered and only distinguished by name, like gender or hair color. Ordinal variables involve data arranged in order but with unknown differences between categories, like rankings. Dichotomous variables have only two distinct categories, like yes/no responses. Examples provided include gender, marital status, rankings, and Likert scale responses.

1. QUALITATIVE
VARIABLES
Alminah Omar Ampaso

2. WHAT IS
QUALITATIVE
VARIABLES?
Also referred to as
Categorical Variables are
not expressed in numbers
but are descriptions or

3. IT CAN BE
FURTHER DIVIDED
INTO NOMINAL,
ORDINAL OR
DICHOTOMOUS
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4. NOMINAL
VARIABLE
Nominal variables represents categories
that cannot be ordered in any particular
way.
It is only a matter of distinguishing by
name.

5. 5
EXAMPLES:
What is your gender?
oFemale
oMale
oPrefer not to say
What is your hair
color?
o1. Brown
o2. Black
o3. Blonde
o4. Gray

6. Please indicate your
marital status.
Married
Single
Separated
Divorced
Windowed
Other examples:
• Religion
• Strand
• Eye color
• Business type
• Brand of Covid- 19
vaccines
• Favorite TV station

7. ORDINAL
VARIABLE
This involves data arranged in some
order, but differences between data. It
has two or more categories which can
be ranked.

8. EXAMPLES:
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Ranking Contest
Champion
First Runner Up
Second Runner Up
Third Runner Up

9. LIKERT SCALE:
1.Training program
was delivered on
schedule
o Strongly Agree
o Agree
o Disagree
o Strongly Disagree
2. Venue was clean
o Strongly Agree
o Agree
o Disagree
o Strongly Disagree

10. DICHOTOMOUS
VARIABLE
Consist of only two distinct categories
or values, for example, a response to a
question either be a yes or no.
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