prolonged engagement in qualitative research

2023 Feb 7;22(1):35. doi: 10.1186/s12912-023-01191-2. When it comes to quantitative research, trustworthiness is measured in terms of validity and reliability. +W,2+AVY d%Jg>x|w++++++++ 0++sPA_A2E91CFOi4x= FOi4x= F7b4`\TYlpe0y]at z[D03a9}*]~ Sy Persistent observation: This refers to in-depth pursuit of those elements found to be especially salient through prolonged engagement (Lincoln & Guba, 1986, p. 77). The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Here is where youll also conduct member checks. In other words, persistent observation means continuing to observe until one is sure of what was shown. H\n@E|E/E*%N$/`h;H1 2 aNpE9]s})\wO]3Wos$e]rx2O7nCxLS??Kq.sk16VspRkn=O:L32M*UX%oYsTE%o[ xI%jr.%XdV2|J#~!udA p:A p: ,, bzy8&:|G5 D73jIkb y7j T 4VUT,R['+M,ng!:"Zb lAl*;`U-b -@3AVhnw;}j '0y`1U(H However, it is important that the research is conducted in a rigorous manner and that this is demonstrated in the final research report. Thats a lot to learn in one fell swoop! For more information on our Qualitative Research services, please email Clay Dethloff, Senior Vice President, at cdethlo@decisionanalyst.com ), or call him at 1-800-ANALYSIS (262-5974) or 1-817-640-6166. The great news is that specific methods exist for promoting credibility in qualitative research, which you should definitely work to include in your methods planning. To help an auditor, many researchers create a brief chronological index to their study. The other major problem that we help to head off at the pass comes for many students at the qualitative analysis stage, wherein the data are dissected to tease out themes that can be used to answer the research questions. Indigenous Community-Directed Needs Assessment for Rehabilitation Therapy Services. We can help you achieve trustworthiness in your data by showing you how to ensure its credibility, transferability, confirmability, and dependability, per Lincoln and Guba (1986). Transforming qualitative data: Description, analysis, and interpretation. HK.9W-U\% Fn "\`tkz>\s?\~n}o|;w?et;r|+?^k?Y\6;Sf'Qu^swrz[=^'ve`!:{L|FV$xfcayx6I9}CXI Qualitative researchers agree that most claims people make are based on their subjectiveconstructions of reality. Transferability is contextual, whereas generalizability is universal (to a population). Graneheim and Lundman (2004) expressed a view that text always involves multiple meanings and there is always some degree of interpretation when approaching a text (p. 106). Naturalistic research is concerned with phenomena as they exist in their natural settings, and qualitative research methods are perfectly suited for exploring such phenomena. 20 0 obj In total, 13 students completed an online open-ended qualitative questionnaire. One critical element of reporting findings is that of humility, and part of that humility is admitting that a limitation of the study is that another researcher, using the exact same data, could and probably would have reached different conclusions. The study used qualitative methodologies and the author was a single researcher with prolonged engagement in the research site. Despite the significance of this contribution over the past four decades, the strategies recommended to achieve trustworthiness have not been critically examined. This may mean that practices sometimes used in other research projects, such as deception, may not be appropriate in qualitative settings and indeed may reduce the legitimacy of the qualitative approach. Embedded in this is the notion that our practices and the results of our efforts should be rigorous, meaning that we strictly adhere to specific criteria of quality. Qualitative case study data analysis: an example from practice. It also can be thought of in terms of generalizability. 19 0 obj However, because member checking might require participants to read, understand, and provide feedback on data and results, researchers may need to employ some creativity and empathy in how they go about doing member checks with diverse participants. Maintaining rigorous documentation is also a key component. Credibility might be thought of as the correspondence or fit between qualitative research participants own perspectives and how these are portrayed or represented by researchers in their findings or results sections (Nowell et al., 2017). Essentially what this means is that your analysis fully captures the variety of perspectives held in the data, providing assurance that you did not disregard data that conflicted with your initial interpretations. Young children might not be able to read, second language learners may have difficulty understanding reports, and the lay public may not understand technical terms. Goodell, L. S., Stage, V. C., & Cooke, N. K. (2016). 2023 Mar 1;18(3):e0282326. A major objective in sharing our findings from inquiry thus becomes the persuasion of others that our constructions of reality are of value and should also be considered in their constructions. External audit is the primary recommendation for bolstering both dependability and confirmability. Prolonged engagement is a technique whereby researchers immerse themselves in the site or context of the study long enough to build trust with the participants and for the researcher to experience the breadth of variation and to overcome distortions due to their presence (cf., Hawthorne Effect). However, it is important that the research is conducted in a rigorous manner and that this is demonstrated in the final research report. 0 Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. In qualitative methodologies, this rigor typically means two things: (a) that we are disciplined(Cronbach & Suppes, 1969), meaning that we follow certain key standards established by other researchers, and (b) that we are trustworthy(Guba & Lincoln, 1989; Lincoln & Guba, 1985), meaning that whoever reads our work should be able to feel informed and confident in both what we did and what we concluded. We do not know, for example, what impact these strategies have on the completed research. This is an important criterion to consider. How is transferability different from generalizability? Prolonged engagement: Spending a good amount of time immersed in the settings of interest, or in contact with the phenomena and/or participants of interest in your study will give you a more thorough familiarity with the meanings and dynamics that are relevant. . Curr Pharm Teach Learn. Peer debriefing: This involves running your emerging analysis by an outsider who is not centrally involved in the study, but who is sufficiently knowledgeable to provide an informed review. Nurse Res. Thematic analysis is a flexible and accessible approach to evaluating qualitative datasuch as interview transcripts, field notes or other textsthat emphasizes identifying, analyzing and interpreting patterns, meanings and themes. This was a qualitative case study that examined the importance of instructors and experts from Africa in influencing student learning processes and outcomes in the GCC 3003/5003 - Seeking Solutions to Global Health Issues. J Adv Nurs. Or what would you need to know about how the study was conducted, who was interviewed, how the interviews were analyzed, and so forth before you would be willing to agree that "yes, indeed, games are great for teaching collaboration skills?". The site is secure. If you decide to take a qualitative research approach in your research, you need to plan carefully and essentially, have every single step mapped out before you even begin. This validates that the represented emic perspective is accurate and is one of the most important techniques for ensuring credibility. I recommend that qualitative researchers return to the terminology of social sciences, using rigor, reliability, validity, and generalizability.