定性研究领域是一个多种流派竞争的场域，包括本土方法论Garfinkel，Harold.1967. Studies in Ethnomethodology.Englewood Cliffs，N.J.：Prentice-Hall.、扎根理论Glaser，Barney S.& Anselm L.Strauss.1967. The Discovery of Grounded Theory：Strategies for Qualitative Research.Chicago：Aldine Publishing Company；Strauss，Anselm L.& Juliet M.Corbin.1998. Basics of Qualitative Research：Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory，2nd.Thousand Oaks：Sage Publications.、会话分析Psathas，George.1995. Conversation Analysis：The Study of Talk-in-Interaction.Thousand Oaks，Calif.：Sage Publications.、行动研究Greenwood，Davydd J.& Morten Levin.1998. Introduction to Action Research：Social Research for Social Change.Thousand Oaks：Sage Publications.等。但无论何种流派，我们都需要面对纷繁复杂的定性资料，只有通过对它们的加工和整理，我们才能获得对研究对象的深描格尔兹：《文化的解释》，纳日碧力戈等译，上海人民出版社，1999。，或形成概念和理论Garfinkel，Harold.1967. Studies in Ethnomethodology.Englewood Cliffs，N.J.：Prentice-Hall.。