You are on page 1of 24

VALIDITY &

RELIABILITY

Qualitative researchers study things


in their natural settings, attempting
to make sense of phenomenon or
interpret phenomenon

According to qualitative
research:
Researchers can only come to
understand the social world through
participants interpretations
interpretative approach.
Reality is diverse and multifaceted.
The goal is to get a picture of this
reality. To measure means to reduce it
and therefore lose meaning.

CRITICS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH


Lack of reliability and validity of its
findings

BASES OF VALIDITY IN

BASES OF VALIDITY IN

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Controllability

Natural

Isolation, control, manipulation of


variables

Thick description

Replicability

Uniqueness
Emergence, unpredictability

Predictability
Generalizability

Uniqueness

Context-freedom

Context-boundedness

Fragmentation and atomization

Holism

Randomization of samples

Purposive sample/no sampling

BASES OF RELIABILITY IN

BASES OF RELIABILITY IN

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Reliability

Dependability

Demonstrability

Trustworthiness

Stability and replicability

Stability and replicability

Parallel forms

Parallel forms

Context-freedom

Context-specificity

Objectivity

Authenticity and confirmability

Coverage of domain

Comprehensiveness of situation

Verification of data and analysis

Honesty and candour

Answering research questions

Depth of response

VALIDITY
Validity in qualitative research often
concerns: honesty, richness, authenticity,
depth, scope, subjectivity, strength of
feeling, catching uniqueness, idiographic
statements.

VALIDITY IN QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
Much less direct than in quantitative
research
Realist prospective
Inductive research
Not to eliminate the validity threat
Want to CLARIFY

RELIABILITY IN QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH

Credibility
Neutrality
Confirmability
Dependability
Consistency
Applicability
Trustworthiness
Transferability

VALIDITY IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH


Validity in qualitative research
cumulative, communicative,
argumentative, ecological.
High because:
Data obtained from the field
Flexible in data collection
Communication is important

Type of validity

DESCRIPTIVE VALIDITY
INTERPRETIVE VALIDITY
THEORETICAL VALIDITY
GENERALIZABIILTY
EVALUATION

Descriptive validity
The factual accuracy of the account
as reported by the researcher
reportage
refer to a specific event or
situation
they could be attained with
intersubjective agreement
No account can include everything
with accuracy

Interpretive Validity
The degree to which the participants
viewpoints, thoughts, intentions and
experiences are accurately understood and
reported by the qualitative researcher
emic account is a description behavior or
belief in terms meaningful to the actor that is,
an emic account in culture specific
etic account is a description of a behavior or
belief by an observer, in terms that can be
applied to other cultures; that is, an etic
account is culturally neutral

Theoretical Validity
The degree to which a theory or
theoretical explanation developed
from a research study fits the data
and is, therefore, credible and
defensible

Generalizability external validity


External validity is important when
the researcher wants to generate
from a set of research findings to
other people settings, and times.
Typically generalizability is not
the major purpose of qualitative
research
Provides a more persuasive
argument

Evaluative Validity
The degree to which a researcher is
justified in concluding that an
observed relationship is causal. More
often, qualitative researchers are
concerned with studying and
understanding a process rather than
identifying cause and effect
relationship

A study is
trustworthy if,
and only if, the
reader of the
reseach report
judge it to be so
(Rolfe, 2006)

Triangulation = a cross-checking of
information and conclusions in research,
brought about by the use of multiple
procedures or sources. If there is agreement
between these, there is support of the
interpretation of data.
Using triangulation does not mean you get a
certain truth, but you get closer to it
reflexivity is still necessary.

Example of triangulation
techniques:
Method triangulation. Comparing data that come
from the use of different methods. These could be
both quantitative and qualitative. Eg. first using a
questionaire to ask about eating habits in a school,
and then conduct focus group interviews afterwards.
Researcher triangulation involves using different
people as researchers. This increased the
confirmability and credibility of conclusions. Without
this data collection and conclusions might be
affected by researcher bias.
Other triangulation techniques include data
triangulation and theory triangulation.

Qualitative Research Methods:

Triangulation
Method to enhance
the validity &
reliability of
qualitative research
Enhances accuracy
of interpretation
Confirms that the
data collected is not
due to chance or
circum-stances

Qualitative Research Design:

Triangulation
For example:
Collect data from
May interview teachers,
multiple sources
principals & parents
Collect data in
May interview &
multiple ways from
observe students
subjects
Collect different
May review student
kinds of data in
records, interview
multiple ways from
teachers, observe
multiple subjects
students

Qualitative Research Design:

Triangulation
Multiple data
collection strategies
Kinds of data

Multiple
kinds of data

Subjects
(data sources)

Data collection
strategies

Multiple data
sources

Example of triangulation
techniques:
Method triangulation. Comparing data that come
from the use of different methods. These could be
both quantitative and qualitative. Eg. first using a
questionaire to ask about eating habits in a school,
and then conduct focus group interviews afterwards.
Researcher triangulation involves using different
people as researchers. This increased the
confirmability and credibility of conclusions. Without
this data collection and conclusions might be
affected by researcher bias.
Other triangulation thechniques include data
triangulation and theory triangulation.

Criteria for judging quantitative and


qualitative research
Credibility Internal validity
Trustworthyness How believable are the research conclusions? Conclusions and interpretations are
Breadth and deapth is gathered.

correct as variables are well defined and measures well controlled.

Transferability Generalizability
The context is well described as it is unlikely that
The research conclusions can be applied to
it wont have an impact on the findings. Different samples as the research context is
controlled enough.

Dependability Reliability
Data obtained cannot be expected to be the same
Repeated use of the instrument provide stable
Dependability means therefore that the researcher has
measurements and researchers using them
Described all factors that might have influenced the data. Find similar results

Confirmability Objectivity
Subjectivity is not only unavoidable; it is valued. Therefore
researchers should give details of procedures and attempt As many sources of bias from opinion are
eliminated from the research process
To find examples that contradict the findings.

You might also like