ABSTRACT
The qualitative researcher is not unlike the detective in the classic murder mystery. Taking the analogy of the murder mystery one step further, qualitative research is like a detective story that starts out with no suspects. The structure provided by the method of operation (M.O) or hypotheses allows for a pre-organized investigation, just as it does in survey research with pre-coded answers and set questions. The method of data gathering, as well as methods of actual handling data, reflects this. Thus in data gathering, topic and form are inextricably bound together because they develop together. The gathering material either in longhand or by tape recorder are for coding and cutting apart. Two are needed because sometimes the same statement or incident can be coded in more than one way. The coder eventually cuts the pieces of coded data apart and pastes them on 5 x 8 cards.
