This article provides a historical overview of qualitative research in the social sciences, highlighting its evolution and significance. Qualitative research, which has been primarily associated with anthropology and sociology, has gradually gained recognition in other fields such as psychology, education, and business administration. The article traces the development of qualitative methods from the mid-19th century, noting key figures and works that laid the foundation for this approach. Notable contributions include Frédéric Le Play's study of European workers' families, Henry Mayhew's detailed accounts of London's poor, and the Webbs' *Methods of Social Investigation*. The article also discusses the emergence of symbolic interactionism, ethnography, and the importance of fieldwork and naturalistic observation. It emphasizes that qualitative research is characterized by its focus on the natural environment, descriptive data collection, and the researcher's role as a primary instrument for data collection and interpretation. The article concludes by highlighting the versatility and appropriateness of qualitative methods in various social science contexts, particularly in exploratory and descriptive studies, and in understanding complex social and cultural phenomena.This article provides a historical overview of qualitative research in the social sciences, highlighting its evolution and significance. Qualitative research, which has been primarily associated with anthropology and sociology, has gradually gained recognition in other fields such as psychology, education, and business administration. The article traces the development of qualitative methods from the mid-19th century, noting key figures and works that laid the foundation for this approach. Notable contributions include Frédéric Le Play's study of European workers' families, Henry Mayhew's detailed accounts of London's poor, and the Webbs' *Methods of Social Investigation*. The article also discusses the emergence of symbolic interactionism, ethnography, and the importance of fieldwork and naturalistic observation. It emphasizes that qualitative research is characterized by its focus on the natural environment, descriptive data collection, and the researcher's role as a primary instrument for data collection and interpretation. The article concludes by highlighting the versatility and appropriateness of qualitative methods in various social science contexts, particularly in exploratory and descriptive studies, and in understanding complex social and cultural phenomena.