The document discusses qualitative research. It defines qualitative research as investigating relationships, activities, situations, or materials. Qualitative research follows beliefs that reality is not single, is distinct for each person and changes over time. It also discusses the characteristics of qualitative research, including that the researcher is the key instrument, data is in words/illustrations not numbers, it focuses on processes and interactions, analysis is inductive, and it deals with how people make sense of their lives. Finally, it outlines some uses of qualitative research such as understanding beliefs and motivations.