Which type of research involves descriptive data collected, such as people's opinions?

The correct answer is qualitative research, which focuses on gathering descriptive information that reflects people's opinions, feelings, and experiences. This type of research is invaluable for understanding the motivations behind people's behaviors and preferences. It often employs methods such as interviews, focus groups, and open-ended survey questions to collect nuanced and context-rich data. Qualitative research allows researchers to explore topics in depth and capture the complexity of human experiences, making it particularly useful in fields such as marketing and social sciences.

In contrast, quantitative research emphasizes numerical data and statistical analysis, providing measurable and generalized results but may not delve deeply into the reasons behind those numbers. Mixed methods research combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches, but it is not solely focused on descriptive opinions. Survey research can encompass both qualitative and quantitative elements, depending on the structure of the questions posed, but when specifically addressing the collection of opinions and descriptive information, qualitative research is the most appropriate classification.