This article is based on two original qualitative research case studies that examined the contentious issue of domestic minority student retention (one from a public and one from a private institutional perspective). It has been written exclusively for mid-level student affairs administrators who have an interest in receiving practical, yet ethical means of gathering and monitoring information. The article will describe what qualitative research is in theory and how mid-level administrators can best use it to aid them in enriching their understanding of the deep complexities of the student clientele. The article will be in the form of a conceptual module and guide to better aid the reader in initiating such a process appropriate to their own departmental needs.
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