Statistics is an important tectonic plate on the world of “finding out”. This world also has other plates. Another such plate, particularly concerned with finding out about people, is a plate called qualitative methods. Sometimes, as these plates grind past each other, we get minor earthquakes and even volcanoes that generate far more heat than light. Most of this results from ignorance. Statisticians and statistics students need to know more about how statistics and the other plates on “finding out” are positioned and move – about roles, strengths, weaknesses and how they can complement one another. This talk will not regale its audience with my list of the 5 biggest qualitative-methods messages for statisticians and statistics students. What it will do is consider possible candidates for such a list.

Keywords: Empirical enquiry; Qualitative methods; Quantitative methods; Statistics

Biography: Chris Wild is a Professor of Statistics at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.