From: david@edenroad.demon.co.uk   
      
   On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 14:34:34 -0500, Dick Silk - The Computer Tutor wrote:   
      
   > "David Mitchell"  wrote in message   
   > news:pan.2005.10.19.08.42.59.601500@edenroad.demon.co.uk...   
      
   >> Every reference I can find to "Qualitative Data Mining" refers to,   
   >> essentially, one or more forms of rule induction - they're using   
   >> quantitative data to generate "qualitative" rules.   
   >   
   > Right now, I'm just sitting back in my chair LMAO at you :-)   
   > Qualitative data mining (simple example) is when you go to an event such as   
   > at a sports arena and ask, oh, say, 500 people for their opinions on   
   > anonymous surveys (or do an online survey that can rake in thousands of   
   > responses.)   
   >   
   > Typically the majority of the survey is based on the 5-point Likert scale,   
   > but of course, forms differ.  However, for each respondent there is at least   
   > one and sometimes as many as five "tell us what you think about..." type   
   > questions, where people write and type some of the craziest things you've   
   > ever (well, "you" probably never) read.   
   >   
   > From this, the "rules" you refer to involve different *methods* of   
   > distilling down all that "noise" (qualitative data) into meaningful results:   
   > what ARE the major ideas on the minds of the respondents?   
      
   So that would be "using quantitative data to generate "qualitative"   
   rules.", as I said.   
      
   Nothing to do with what we were talking about: the use of qualitative data   
   from anecdotal evidence.   
      
   (The irony that it's anecdotal evidence which has led you so far astray   
   has not been lost on me)   
      
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