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Paradigm Assumptions Positivism There is a real world of objects apart from people Researchers can know this reality and use symbols to accurately describe, represent and explain this reality Researchers can compare their claims against this objective reality. This allows for prediction, control, and empirical verification Realism There are real-world objects apart from people Researchers can only know reality from their perspective of it We cannot separate ourselves from what we know; however, objectivity is an ideal researchers strive for through careful sampling and specific techniques It is possible to evaluate the extent to which objectivity or truth is attained. This can be evaluated by a community of scholars and those who are studied Interpretivism Reality as we know it is constructed intersubjectively. Meaning and under- standing are developed socially and experientially We cannot separate ourselves from what we know. Who we are and how we understand the world are linked Researchers’ values are inherent in all phases of research. Truth is negotiated through dialogue Findings or knowledge claims are created as an investigation proceeds and emerge through dialogue and negotiations of meanings among community members (both scholars and the community at large) All interpretations are located in a particular context, setting, and moment Technique Definition Triangulation Using multiple data sources in an investigation to produce understanding Peer review/ debriefing The “process of exposing oneself to a disinterested peer in a manner paralleling an analytical session and for the purpose of exploring aspects of the inquiry that might otherwise remain only implicit within the inquirer’s mind” External audits/ auditing Auditing involves having a researcher not involved in the research process examine both the process and product of the research study. The purpose is to evaluate the accuracy and evaluate whether the findings, interpretations, and conclusions are supported by the data Member checking Data, analytic categories, interpretations, and conclusions are tested with members of those groups from whom the data were originally obtained. This can be done both formally and informally, as opportunities for member checks may arise during the normal course of observation and conversation
Additional Files
Supplemental Appendixes
Supplemental Appendix 1. Search Strategy for Criteria for Qualitative Research in Health Care; Supplemental Appendix 2. Publications Analyzed: Health Care Journals and Frequently Referenced Books and Book Chapters (1980-2005) That Posited Criteria for �Good� Qualitative Research.
Files in this Data Supplement:
- Supplemental data: Appendix 1 - PDF file, 1 page, 76 KB
- Supplemental data: Appendix 2 - PDF file, 8 pages, 170 KB
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.
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