An expansionist/reductionist model is proposed, in which the naturalistic inquirer uses qualitative methods for evaluating social studies and proposing suggestions for improvement. Qualitative research is seen as a means of presenting a sensitive picture of the world view of the population studied that cannot be obtained by other research strategies. Thus, research in social studies education that focuses on identification of the world view of classroom teachers, students, and administrators can provide a possible framework for planned research and decisions about social studies curriculum, teaching strategies, curriculum development and inservice approaches, teacher and student needs in the classroom, and perceptions of what the goals of social studies should be. While this"emic" approach in qualitative research is seen as the best method for studying both the process of change in education and the changing needs of various participants, and also for identifying pressing problems, it can present problems because it attempts to consider as many variables as possible to explain the phenomenon being studied. Because reduction and analysis of such data are viewed as the most important steps in qualitative research, suggestions for data reduction, event analysis, and communication with the audience are given. Examples of ethnographic research in education and some recent controversies in such research are also given. (LH)