Posted: May 8th, 2015

questionstohelpyoumakesenseofqualitativeresearch

 

10questionstohelpyoumakesenseofqualitativeresearch

 

Howtousethisappraisaltool

 

Threebroad issuesneedtobeconsideredwhenappraising thereportof a qualitativeresearch:

 

• Aretheresultsof thereviewvalid?
• Whataretheresults?
• Willtheresultshelplocally?

 

The10questions onthefollowing pagesaredesignedtohelpyouthinkabout theseissuessystematically. Thefirsttwoquestionsarescreeningquestionsand canbeansweredquickly.Iftheanswertoboth is“yes”,itis worthproceedingwith theremainingquestions.

 

Thereis somedegreeof overlapbetweenthequestions,youareaskedtorecorda “yes”,“no” or“can’t tell”tomostof thequestions.Anumberof promptsaregivenaftereachquestion.Thesearedesignedtoremindyouwhythequestion is important.Recordyourreasonsforyour answersin thespacesprovided.

 

 

©CASP This work is licensedundertheCreative CommonsAttribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 UnportedLicense. To viewa copy of this license,visit org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/”>http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.www.casp-uk.net

 

 

ScreeningQuestions

 

1.Wasthereaclearstatementofthe aims oftheresearch? oYesoCan’ttell oNo

HINT:Consider

• What was thegoal ofthe research?
• Whyit wasthought important?
• Its relevance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.Isaqualitativemethodologyappropriate?oYesoCan’ttell oNo

 

HINT:Consider

• If the researchseeks to interpret or illuminate the actions and/orsubjective experiences ofresearch participants
• Is qualitative researchthe right methodologyfor addressing theresearch goal?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is itworthcontinuing?

Detailedquestions

 

3.Wastheresearchdesignappropriateto address the aims of the research? oYesoCan’ttelloNo

 

HINT:Consider

• If the researcher has justifiedthe research design (e.g.have they discussed howtheydecided which methodto use)?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.Wastherecruitmentstrategyappropriatetothe aims of the research? oYesoCan’ttell oNo

 

HINT:Consider

• If the researcher has explainedhowtheparticipants were selected
• If theyexplainedwhythe participantstheyselectedwere the most appropriate toprovide access to the typeof knowledge soughtby the study
• If thereare anydiscussions aroundrecruitment (e. why some people chose nottotake part)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.Wasthedatacollectedina waythataddressed the research issue? oYesoCan’ttell oNo

 

HINT:Consider

• If the setting for datacollectionwasjustified
• If it is clearhow data were collected(e.g. focusgroup, semi-structuredinterview etc.)
• If the researcherhas justified the methods chosen
• If the researcher has made the methods explicit (e.g. for interview method,is there anindicationofhow interviews were conducted,or didthey usea topic guide)?
• If methods were modified duringthe stuIf so, has the researcherexplainedhow and why?
• If theform ofdata isclear (e.g. tape recordings,video material,notes etc)
• If the researcher has discussedsaturationofdata

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.Hastherelationshipbetweenresearcherandparticipantsbeenadequatelyconsidered?

oYesoCan’ttell oNo

 

HINT:Consider

• If the researcher critically examinedtheir ownrole, potentialbiasandinfluenceduring

(a) Formulationofthe research questions

(b) Datacollection,includingsample recruitment and choiceof location

• How the researcher respondedtoevents during the study andwhether they consideredtheimplications of any changes intheresearch design

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.Haveethicalissuesbeentakenintoconsideration?oYesoCan’ttell oNo

 

HINT:Consider

• If thereare sufficientdetailsof how the researchwasexplained to participantsfor the readerto assess whether ethical standards were maintained
• If the researcher has discussedissues raisedbythe study (e.g. issues aroundinformedconsent orconfidentialityor howthey have handled the effects of the studyon the participantsduring and after the study)
• If approval hasbeen sought from the ethicscommittee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.Wasthedataanalysissufficientlyrigorous?oYesoCan’ttell oNo

 

HINT:Consider

• If there isanin-depthdescriptionoftheanalysis process
• If thematicanalysis is used. Ifso,is it clear how the categories/themes were derivedfrom the data?
• Whether the researcher explains how the data presented were selectedfrom the original sampleto demonstrate the analysis process
• If sufficient data are presentedto support the findings
• To what extent contradictory dataare takeninto account
• Whether the researchercriticallyexamined their ownrole, potentialbiasandinfluenceduringanalysis and selection of data forpresentation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.Isthereaclearstatementoffindings?oYesoCan’ttell oNo

 

HINT:Consider

• If thefindingsare explicit
• If there isadequatediscussionofthe evidence bothfor and againsttheresearchersarguments
• If the researcher has discussedthecredibilityoftheir findings (e. triangulation,respondent validation, more thanoneanalyst)
• If thefindingsare discussedinrelation to the originalresearch question

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.Howvaluableis theresearch?

 

HINT:Consider

• If the researcher discusses the contribution the study makes to existing knowledgeor understandinge.do they consider the findingsinrelationto current practice orpolicy?, or relevant research-basedliterature?
• If theyidentify new areas where research is necessary
• If the researchers have discussedwhether or how the findings can betransferredtootherpopulations or consideredother ways the researchmay beused