What is qualitative in qualitative research? What is qualitative in qualitative research? Most qualitative research does not follow the methodology of grounded theory (GT). In methodological literature, however, qualitative research is defined in terms of GT. This leaves much qualitative research methodologically poorly defined in the first place. Secondly in the identification with GT the meaning of ‘qualitative’ is blurred and mixed with ideology. The essay pleads to take quality literally in defining empirical qualitative research methods and in the distinction with quantitative research.