This paper describes data gathering and analytic procedures, and then presents examples regarding how each fits into the naturalistic research model. From the interactionist perspective, called symbolic interactionism, meaning is of central importance. Naturalistic inquiry is a way of doing social science research which provides the methodological structure for studying meaning as it is generated in human interaction. Data collection techniques in naturalistic inquiry include participant observation, interviewing, and unobtrusive methods (e.g., school related reports and publications, teacher and student produced artifacts). During the analysis processes the intent is to search the data for the social patterns through which the individuals of the studies make sense of interactions with peers. The following levels of analyses are described: (1) domain analysis; (2) taxonomic analysis; (3) componential analysis; and (4) searching for cultural themes. Tied to the processes of analyses are those of interpretation. The interpretation of observed social phenomena is a defining characteristic of naturalistic inquiry. It is concluded that naturalistic science and the positivistic science of the experimental/quasi-experimental models used in education are fundamentally different and that naturalistic inquiry is an approach to educational research that offers enriched understanding of schools and the people who inhabit them. (PN)