Originally given as a miniseminar at the 1980 annual convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the paper provides an introduction to descriptive-qualitative research methodology as applied to hearing, speech, and language problems. Considered are definition and history of qualitative research; purpose; characteristics (such as the involved participation of the researcher with the phenomena observed); need or justification (its particular applicability to human problems and encounters); approaches (including the use of sensitizing concepts, inference, and researcher involvement); techniques and procedures; and examples. (DB)