This talk is a brief overview of qualitative research in chemical and science education which, since the 1980's, has often been used to characterize how students understand and apply scientific concepts, how attitudes in a given discipline develop, or how to improve teachers' classroom performance. Broadly defined, qualitative research is the use of documents, observations, and interviews to lend insight into a particular human phenomenon. I will summarize some of the theoretical underpinnings, the types of questions that qualitative research in chemical and science education seeks to answer, distinctions from quantitative methods (e.g. surveys and test scores), and examples from my own work as well as from more established colleagues. Although this talk is designed for a lay audience, experienced qualitative researchers are encouraged to attend to add their perspectives about this growing field.