Qualitative_research
Session 2
Good qualitative research …
• Generates substantive and formal theory; this is a change here
• Is empirically arathi has made another change here and scientifically credible;
• Produces findings that can be generalized or transferred to other settings;
• Is internally reflexive (i.e. it takes account of the effects of the researcher and the research strategy on the findings that have been produced);
• __Is always mindful of bias and its possible effects on the research results;__
… is trustworthy, according to four tests:
• Credibility. Who agrees with the "truth" of the findings? Should those being observed or interviewed be able to veto findings they disagree with? Who else’s views of the “truth” should be sought?
• Transferability. Can findings be transferred to other settings where the contexts are similar? Can the researcher identify key aspects of the context from which the findings emerge and the extent to which they may be applicable to other contexts?
• Dependability. Would the research produce similar or consistent findings if carried out a second time or elsewhere, as described, including taking into account any factors that may have affected the research results?
• Confirmability. Is there other evidence that corroborates the findings? Such evidence should come directly from subjects and research context, rather than the researcher's biases, motivations, or perspectives.
… meets six additional criteria in its published form
(1) Describes how the primary research question was stated
Is the research question clear? Are the investigator's perceptions and assumptions set out at the beginning of the study, as well as throughout the research process?
(2) Describes the context in which the research occurred
In qualitative research there are often many more "variables" in the context than “cases”; so part of the research process is identifying those aspects of the context that are most important for understanding what is being studied. A detailed description of the research context is needed to assess the credibility of the research results and to determine whether and to what extent they are transferable (or generalizable) to other settings.
Four aspects of the research context are important.
a) the physical setting, a detailed account describing where the research was conducted.
b) the investigator's role in the setting. These two lead to
c) how the setting and the investigator's role in it may influence the nature and types of data collected and, hence, the results: in particular, whether the researcher was able to gain sufficient access and spend enough time to develop an intimate understanding of the setting and the phenomenon of interest; and
d) the "history of the inquiry," including any events over time that may have changed the nature of the study or may have affected the results.
(3) Describes how the research was designed
Key features of a qualitative research study design include the sampling framework employed, data collection methods, data types and sources used (given the context), and data analysis methods. Perhaps more frequently than in quantitative research, qualitative research designs evolve during data collection and analysis.' Therefore, research reports must state how and why the study design changed, whether and to what extent the change influenced researchers' ability to answer the original study question, or whether a new study question emerged during the research process and how the researcher proceeded.
(4) Reports the strategies and techniques used for enhancing rigour
Some people talk about ‘triangulation’: using more than one method, or more than one source, to corroborate arguments. Another strategy is to look for evidence that would prove you wrong (‘disconfirming evidence’). Research results or findings can be checked with the research participants to see if they would agree with the understandings being offered. Finally, the process is more credible if research diaries have been kept.
(5) Presents and assesses manuscripts and results in a transparent fashion
Is there internal and external coherence (i.e., does the report effectively interpret the context, the "fit" between purpose and style of investigation, and their relationship to the bigger picture?). Has sufficient original evidence (e.g., direct quotations) been presented systematically to satisfy the sceptical reader of the relation between interpretation and evidence?
(6) States the values and objectives that guided the research
If goals and values are inextricably linked with how the research was carried out, then they should be clearly stated.
Singal, N., and Jeffery, R. (2008). Qualitative Research Skills Workshop: A Facilitator's Reference Manual, http://oer.educ.cam.ac.uk/wiki/RECOUP, Cambridge: RECOUP (Research Consortium on Educational Outcomes and Poverty, http://recoup.educ.cam.ac.uk/). CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. (original page)
