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Critically appraising qualitative research

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Choosing a suitable sample size in qualitative research is an area of conceptual debate and practical uncertainty. Sample size principles, guidelines and tools have been developed to enable researchers to justify the acceptability of their sample size. Nevertheless, research shows that sample size sufficiency reporting is often poor, if not absent, across a range of disciplinary fields. The issue of sample size is accepted as an important marker of the quality of qualitative research. The purpose of this paper is to delineate a standardized framework for qual studies to arrive at a sample size strategy that is transparent and logical about its sample size sufficiency.

While qualitative methodologies have increased in popularity over the past few decades, they have been criticised because of a lack of transparency in procedures and processes. While much of this criticism has been levied at analytical steps, many published qualitative studies give little information about the characteristics of the study sample or the type of sample employed or techniques used. In this paper, Gina Higginbottom aims to provide an overview of the complexity of sampling in qualitative research, and to provoke reflection and consideration of qualitative methodologies. It is hoped that this will encourage nurse researchers to seek out the primary texts and gain greater insight into the various philosophical underpinnings and sampling techniques in qualitative research > sampling > qualitative research > methodological approaches > maximum phenomena variation Atkinson R Hammersley M (1998) in Denzin K, Lincoln Y (eds) Strategies of Qualitative Enquiry. Thousand Oaks, Sage. Baker C eta/(1992) Method slurring: the grounded theory/phenomenology example.

This paper focuses on the question of sampling (or selection of cases) in qualitative research. Although the literature includes some very useful discussions of qualitative sampling strategies, the question of sampling often seems to receive less attention in methodological discussion than questions of how data is collected or is analysed. Decisions about sampling are likely to be important in many qualitative studies (although it may not be an issue in some research). There are varying accounts of the principles applicable to sampling or case selection. Those who espouse 'theoretical sampling', based on a 'grounded theory' approach, are in some ways opposed to those who promote forms of 'purposive sampling' suitable for research informed by an existing body of social theory. Diversity also results from the many different methods for drawing purposive samples which are applicable to qualitative research. We explore the value of a framework suggested by Miles and Huberman [Miles, M., Huberman,, A., 1994. Qualitative Data Analysis, Sage, London.], to evaluate the sampling strategies employed in three examples of research by the authors. Our examples comprise three studies which respectively involve selection of: 'healing places'; rural places which incorporated national anti-malarial policies; young male interviewees, identified as either chronically ill or disabled. The examples are used to show how in these three studies the (sometimes conflicting) requirements of the different criteria were resolved, as well as the potential and constraints placed on the research by the selection decisions which were made. We also consider how far the criteria Miles and Huberman suggest seem helpful for planning 'sample' selection in qualitative research. Abstract PURPOSE We wanted to review and synthesize published criteria for good qualitative research and develop a cogent set of evaluative criteria. METHODS We identified published journal articles discussing criteria for rigorous research using standard search strategies then examined reference sections of relevant journal articles to identify books and book chapters on this topic. A cross-publication content analysis allowed us to identify criteria and understand the beliefs that shape them. RESULTS Seven criteria for good qualitative research emerged: (1) carrying out ethical research; (2) importance of the research; (3) clarity and coherence of the research report; (4) use of appropriate and rigorous methods; (5) importance of reflexivity or attending to researcher bias; (6) importance of establishing validity or credibility; and (7) importance of verification or reliability. General agreement was observed across publications on the first 4 quality dimensions. On the last 3, important divergent perspectives were observed in how these criteria should be applied to qualitative research, with differences based on the paradigm embraced by the authors. CONCLUSION Qualitative research is not a unified field. Most manuscript and grant reviewers are not qualitative experts and are likely to embrace a generic set of criteria rather than those relevant to the particular qualitative approach proposed or reported. Reviewers and researchers need to be aware of this tendency and educate health care researchers about the criteria appropriate for evaluating qualitative research from within the theoretical and methodological framework from which it emerges.

International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 2018

The debate on determining sample size in qualitative research is confounded by four fundamental methodological issues: the exclusive focus on theme analysis; the diverse and imprecise use of 'qualitative'; a reliance on only two logics of inquiry, induction and deduction, and the occasional confusion of abduction with induction; and a general lack of recognition of the importance of differences in ontological assumptions. Embedded in these issues is an unwarranted acceptance of limited associations between certain assumptions, logics, forms of data, and methods of data collection/ generation and analysis. What is required is a reformulation of the problem and its discussion with reference to ontological assumptions and logics of inquiry.

Health Promotion Practice, 2012

F or health education and promotion specialists who want to contribute to evidence-based research and practice, using quantitative methods is important. However, when quantitative methods are used alone, or used to acquire more depth about a topic, they are not sufficient. To get the complete picture, it is important to understand and be able to conduct qualitative research-research that traditionally does not include numbers and statistical figures, or "count" data.

Nurse Researcher, 2004

This article discusses the complexities of qualitative research sampling. It analyses a research experience, the rationales for and limitations of qualitative research sampling. It examines the reality of establishing and maintaining a purposeful/theoretical sample and how data saturation symbiotically interacted with constant comparison to guide sampling. Additionally, sample limitations are countered. This methods paper is aimed at novice and experienced researchers in nursing interested in the practical reality of research, who are also mindful of the necessity for rigour.

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An introduction to reading and appraising qualitative research

Affiliation.

• 1 Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M4N 3M5. [email protected]
• PMID: 18687727
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.a288
• Comprehension*
• Data Interpretation, Statistical
• Qualitative Research*
• Reproducibility of Results
• Research Design

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Home > FACULTIES > Medicine > Department of Medicine Publications > 73

Department of Medicine Publications

Critically appraising qualitative research.

Ayelet Kuper , University of Toronto Lorelei Lingard , University of Toronto Wendy Levinson , Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON

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British Medical Journal

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.a1035

Dr. Lorelei Lingard is currently a faculty member at The University of Western Ontario.

Since April 07, 2011

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