DESIGNING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

DESIGNING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

As you recall from earlier weeks, various philosophical orientations hold unique epistemological and ontological assumptions. These assumptions return to the forefront of attention when considering how to evaluate the rigor or quality of various qualitative research designs.

Typically, when speaking of validity, qualitative researchers are referring to research that is credible and trustworthy, i.e., the extent to which one can have confidence in the study’s findings (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Generalizability, a marker of reliability, is typically not a main purpose of qualitative research because the researcher rarely selects a random sample with a goal to generalize to a population or to other settings and groups. Rather, a qualitative researcher’s goal is often to understand a unique event or a purposively selected group of individuals. Therefore, when speaking of reliability, qualitative researchers are typically referring to research that is consistent or dependable (Lincoln & Guba, 1985), i.e., the extent to which the findings of the study are consistent with the data that was collected.

Reference:

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

For this Discussion, you will explain criteria for evaluating the quality of qualitative research and consider the connection of such criteria to philosophical orientations. You will also consider the ethical implications of designing qualitative research.

Post an explanation of two criteria for evaluating the quality of qualitative research designs. Next, explain how these criteria are tied to epistemological and ontological assumptions underlying philosophical orientations and the standards of your discipline. Then, identify a potential ethical issue in qualitative research and explain how it might influence design decisions. Finally, explain what it means for a research topic to be amenable to scientific study using a qualitative approach.

RESOURCES/REFERENCES

 

• Golafshani, N. (2003). Understanding reliability and validity in qualitative researchLinks to an external site.. The Qualitative Report, 8(4), 597–606. Retrieved from http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol8/iss4/6
• Burkholder, G. J., Cox, K. A., Crawford, L. M., & Hitchcock, J. H.  (Eds.). (2020). Research designs and methods: An applied guide for the scholar-practitioner. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Chapter 12, “Quality Considerations”
  • Chapter 13, “Ethical Considerations”
• Smith, J. K. (1984). The problem of criteria for judging interpretive inquiry Download The problem of criteria for judging interpretive inquiry. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 6(4), 379–391.
  ​The problem of criteria for judging interpretive inquiry by Smith, J. K. in Educational evaluation and policy analysis, 6(4), 379-391. Copyright 1984 by Sage Publications-Journals. Used with permission of Sage Publications-Journals via the Copyright Clearance Center.
• Document: Trustworthiness (PDF)Download Trustworthiness (PDF)
• Walden University Office of Research and Doctoral Services (2018). Research ethics & complianceLinks to an external site.: Documents and FAQs. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/orec/documents

  Download the “Research Ethics Planning Worksheet”. Read this document to understand the ethical standards that researchers must address during the research planning process.

• Walden University Office of Research and Doctoral Services. (2015c). Research resources: Research planning & writingLinks to an external site.. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/resources/planning

  Download the “Litmus Test” document.

• Walden University. (n.d.). Essential elements for writing annotated bibliographiesLinks to an external site.. Walden University Quick Answers. https://academicanswers.waldenu.edu/faq/358634
• Walden University. (2015a). How do I find an article that reports on research that uses a specific methodologyLinks to an external site.? Retrieved from http://academicanswers.waldenu.edu/faq/72633
• Walden University: Writing Center. (2015). Common Course Assignments: Annotated BibliographiesLinks to an external site.. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/assignments/annotatedbibliographies
• Document: Annotated Bibliography Template with Example (Word document) 

Be sure to support your Main Issue Post and Response Post with reference to the week’s Learning Resources and other scholarly evidence in APA Style.