This document summarizes and provides examples of five qualitative research approaches: narrative study, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and case study. For each approach, a sample study is described that illustrates the key features and analytical process. The narrative study examines the experiences of a Chinese immigrant student. The phenomenology explores the lived experiences of individuals with AIDS. The grounded theory builds a theoretical model to explain physical activity among African American women. The ethnography analyzes how British Pakistani and Bangladeshi young men make sense of social and cultural exclusions. Finally, the case study provides an in-depth understanding of practices used by a teacher with students experiencing school failure.