In Brief

Evaluative Criteria for Qualitative Research in Health Care: Controversies and Recommendations

Deborah J. Cohen , and colleagues

Background Qualitative research methods are increasingly used in clinical and health care research. This article identifies standards of good qualitative research as described in the health care literature, as well as lessons the authors learned during this process.

What This Study Found The authors identified 7 criteria for good qualitative research: (1) carrying out ethical research; (2) importance of the research; (3) clarity and coherence of the research report; (4) use of appropriate and rigorous methods; (5) importance of reflexivity or attending to researcher bias; (6) importance of establishing validity or credibility; and (7) importance of verification or reliability. Points 5 through 7 should not be applied generically, but should take into account the approach used by the author or researcher.

Implications

• Researchers need to learn about the criteria appropriate for evaluating qualitative research based on the theoretical and methodological framework from which it emerges.