Overview
Quality Criteria
Qualitative studies' quality can be determined through two criteria: transferability and credibility. In qualitative studies, Smith (1984) contends that results must be transferable to a population with similar experiences. The quality should be determined by assessing if the study findings are rich and if they can be extrapolated to similar situations or contexts. To determine quality, assessing credibility, which is attained through persistent triangulation and observation, and extended involvement, is vital. Credibility enhances the study's trustworthiness.
Philosophical Assumptions
Epistemologically, credibility aligns with the view that knowledge is constructed through participants' lived experiences, which requires a trustworthy representation of their realities. Ontologically, it assumes multiple subjective realities. On the other hand, transferability reflects that psychological findings, while context-bound, can inform similar settings, acknowledging situational differences (Burkholder et al., 2020). In psychology, there is value in comprehending people's lived experience rather than generalizability. Accordingly, transferability and credibility ensure the research has trustworthy findings that can be applied based on the comparability of contexts.
Ethical Issue
In qualitative studies, data confidentiality can affect research design. Evidence argues that qualitative researchers face unique challenges in ensuring participants' confidentiality while presenting detailed and rich accounts of their social lives (Walden University, Office of Research and Doctoral Services, 2018). For instance, a study about mental health that aims to use a case study as a design can be influenced by confidentiality, especially if the participants are worried about maintaining anonymity and privacy. Individuals with mental health disorders fear being marginalized, stigmatized, or discriminated against. In such incidences, the researcher should design the study to ensure anonymity during data retrieval, analysis, and presentation.
Research Topic
Burkholder et al. (2020) argue that a qualitative study means any investigation that leads to results that are not determined by quantification or statistical procedures. In a qualitative study, an amenable research topic studies respondents' experiences or behaviors with the aim of understanding rather than statistically quantifying the why and the how. Therefore, the aspects influencing the phenomenon can be measured through themes, patterns, and subjective insights.
References
Burkholder, G. J., Cox, K. A., Crawford, L. M., & Hitchcock, J. H. (Eds.). (2020). Research design and methods: An applied guide for the scholar-practitioner. Sage Publications.
Smith, J. K. (1984). The problem of criteria for judging interpretive inquiry. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 6(4), 379–391. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737006004379Links to an external site.
Walden University, Office of Research and Doctoral Services. (2018). Research ethics & compliance: Documents and FAQs. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/orec/documentsLinks to an external site.