ABSTRACT
Qualitative research, often referred to as fieldwork or ethnography, is employed by social scientists to discover answers to questions through the application of systematic procedures. In general, the procedures utilized by qualitative researchers result in nominal rather than numerical data, thus making for a fundamental distinction between qualitative and quantitative forms of research. Prior to observing the particular qualitative research methods, it is necessary to consider the philosophical underpinnings of the qualitative approach in contrast to the scientific logic supporting quantitative methods.
