validity and qualitative research an oxymoron

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Validity and Qualitative Research: An Oxymoron?

2007, Quality & Quantity

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Qualitative Research

Concerns with the issues of validity in qualitative research have dramatically increased. Traditionally, validity in qualitative research involved determining the degree to which researchers’ claims about knowledge corresponded to the reality (or research participants’ construction of reality) being studied. The authors note that recent trends have shown the emergence of two quite different approaches to the validity question within the literature on qualitative research. The authors categorize and label these ‘transactional’ validity and ‘transformational’ validity. While useful, the authors assert that neither approach is sufficient to meet the current needs of the field. The authors propose a recursive, process-oriented view of validity as an alternative framework.

VANESSA VERA LYNN

Deepak P Kafle

In general practice, qualitative research contributes as significantly as quantitative research and both try to find the same result; the truth. Qualitative research, also known as naturalistic inquiry, evolved inside the social and human sciences refers to theories on interpretation and human experience. The use of validity and reliability are common in quantitative research and currently, there are ongoing debates regarding whether the terms are appropriate to evaluate qualitative studies. Although there is no universally typical terminology and standards used to measure qualitative studies, all qualitative researchers comprise strategies to enhance the credibility of a study throughout the research design and implementation. The main aim of this article is to provide the concepts of validity and reliability and to ascertain that it is possible for qualitative research to be properly valid or reliable.

Mohammed Ali Bapir

With reference to definitions of validity and reliability, and drawing extensively on conceptualisations of qualitative research, this essay examines the correlation between the reliability of effort to find answers to questions about the social world, and the validity of conclusions drawn from such attempts. This is to point out the fundamental position to the role of theory in relation to research; as an inductivist strategy qualitative research tries to confer the correspondence between reality and representation. The problem of validity and reliability in qualitative research is entwined with the definition of qualitative research and the possibility to mirror this in practice to make a qualitative research properly valid and reliable. That presents both challenges and chances to qualitative researchers; yet, with taking into consideration qualitative criteria in social research, achieving validity and as well as reliability in qualitative research is not impossible.

Fitzroy Gordon

This paper explores multiple articles relating to qualitative research. Qualitative research has seen several transformation that aim to support contributions for this research development. As research, using a qualitative methodology rises to prevalence, this paper explores industry and academia use of this methodology. The paper review research based in the field of healthcare and social work. After analysis, the review of literature shows that a majority qualitative research are within the field healthcare (Johnson, 1999). The research conducted embraces a diverse collection of approaches to inquiry intended to generate knowledge actually grounded in human experience. The literature review also addressed “rigor” as a standard for valid research, and the impending presumption for flexibility as called for by pundits against qualitative research paradigm. It was argued that this call for rigidity could threaten the innovativeness and hence the meaning and quality of a qualitative r...

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Detection of a heart murmur in healthy children is common, but may generate anxiety among parents. Many parents believe a heart murmur is a sign of heart disease, although the majority of heart murmurs are innocent. The purpose of this study was to assess anxiety and concerns in parents of children referred for evaluation of a heart murmur and to evaluate the effect of receiving a fact sheet about heart murmurs before the cardiologic consultation. Parents of children referred for evaluation of a heart murmur responded to questionnaires assessing family and patient characteristics, parental concerns and anxiety. Anxiety was measured using the State Trait Anxiety Index (STAI) before and two weeks after the consultation. One third of the parents received a fact sheet before the consultation. Two hundred fifty-eight parents of 178 children participated. About 60 % of the parents had an increased level of anxiety before the consultation. The majority of the parents (71 %) had at least on...

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Validity and qualitative research: An oxymoron?

• University of South Florida
• University of Colorado Denver

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Although the importance of validity has long been accepted among quantitative researchers, this concept has been an issue of contention among qualitative researchers. Thus, the first purpose of the present paper is to introduce the Qualitative Legitimation Model, which attempts to integrate many of the types of validity identified by qualitative researchers. The second purpose of this article is to describe 24 methods for assessing the truth value of qualitative research. Utilizing and documenting such techniques should prevent validity and qualitative research from being seen as an oxymoron.

• Accountability
• Legitimation
• Qualitative research

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• Statistics and Probability
• General Social Sciences

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• Oxymoron Keyphrases 100%
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T1 - Validity and qualitative research

T2 - An oxymoron?

AU - Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.

AU - Leech, Nancy L.

PY - 2007/4

Y1 - 2007/4

N2 - Although the importance of validity has long been accepted among quantitative researchers, this concept has been an issue of contention among qualitative researchers. Thus, the first purpose of the present paper is to introduce the Qualitative Legitimation Model, which attempts to integrate many of the types of validity identified by qualitative researchers. The second purpose of this article is to describe 24 methods for assessing the truth value of qualitative research. Utilizing and documenting such techniques should prevent validity and qualitative research from being seen as an oxymoron.

AB - Although the importance of validity has long been accepted among quantitative researchers, this concept has been an issue of contention among qualitative researchers. Thus, the first purpose of the present paper is to introduce the Qualitative Legitimation Model, which attempts to integrate many of the types of validity identified by qualitative researchers. The second purpose of this article is to describe 24 methods for assessing the truth value of qualitative research. Utilizing and documenting such techniques should prevent validity and qualitative research from being seen as an oxymoron.

KW - Accountability

KW - Criteria

KW - Legitimation

KW - Qualitative research

KW - Standards

KW - Validity

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33847395831&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11135-006-9000-3

DO - 10.1007/s11135-006-9000-3

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33847395831

SN - 0033-5177

JO - Quality and Quantity

JF - Quality and Quantity

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Although the importance of validity has long been accepted among quantitative researchers, this concept has been an issue of contention among qualitative researchers. Thus, the first purpose of the present paper is to introduce the Qualitative Legitimation Model , which attempts to integrate many of the types of validity identified by qualitative researchers. The second purpose of this article is to describe 24 methods for assessing the truth value of qualitative research. Utilizing and documenting such techniques should prevent validity and qualitative research from being seen as an oxymoron.

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Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

• University of South Florida, Department of Educational Measurement and Research, College of Education, Tampa, USA

Nancy L. Leech

• University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Division of Educational Psychology, School of Education and Human Development, Denver, USA

qualitative research legitimation validity criteria standards rigor accountability

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Validity and Qualitative Research: An Oxymoron?

• Anthony Onwuegbuzie
• Nancy Leech

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Validity and Qualitative Research: An Oxymoron?

Abstract: qualitative research, legitimation, validity, criteria, standards, rigor, accountability,.

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References 19 publication s, obstacles to the adoption of secure communication tools.

Abstract-The computer security community has advocated widespread adoption of secure communication tools to counter mass surveillance. Several popular personal communication tools (e.g., WhatsApp, iMessage) have adopted end-to-end encryption, and many new tools (e.g., Signal, Telegram) have been launched with security as a key selling point. However it remains unclear if users understand what protection these tools offer, and if they value that protection. In this study, we interviewed 60 participants about their experience with different communication tools and their perceptions of the tools' security properties. We found that the adoption of secure communication tools is hindered by fragmented user bases and incompatible tools. Furthermore, the vast majority of participants did not understand the essential concept of end-to-end encryption, limiting their motivation to adopt secure tools. We identified a number of incorrect mental models that underpinned these beliefs.

Qualitative interpretive mobile ethnography

A growing number of studies use mobile ethnography and mobile devices to collect data, yet studies reveal a lack of coherent definition and inconsistencies in validity criteria. We draw on relevant literature from tourism, health and retail, and connect research designs utilizing mobile ethnographic methods. We show how these existing studies capture mobilities and social phenomena in boundaryless dynamic settings, allowing researchers to co-create knowledge with their participants. As a result, we offer a framework for mobile ethnography, consisting of four explanatory dimensions: the role of the researcher; focus of research; data collection and tools; and data analysis. Our methodological contribution specifies validity criteria and derives concrete implications for research practices in qualitative interpretive mobile ethnography

Concepções de validade em pesquisas qualitativas

ResumoEste ensaio tem como objetivo expor as distintas concepções existentes sobre validade e as várias formas de aferi-la, discutindo tais questões no âmbito da pesquisa qualitativa. Como metodologia, utilizou-se a análise comparativa. Foi possível perceber que as concepções de validade podem ser agrupadas em três grandes blocos: concepções relacionadas à fase de formulação da pesquisa (validade prévia), concepções relacionadas à fase de desenvolvimento da pesquisa (validade interna) e concepções relacionadas à fase de resultados da pesquisa (validade externa). Pôde-se notar, em cada uma das fases, a presença tanto de autores com visão conceitual quantitativa, quanto de autores de perspectiva qualitativa, embora os enfoques sejam diferenciados. As concepções de validade próxi-mas às origens positivistas preocupam-se mais com a validade na formulação e nos resultados, enquanto as concepções de validade mais interpretativistas dão maior ênfase ao desenvolvimento da pesquisa, sem desconsiderar, porém, preocupações com a formulação e com os resultados. Conclui-se que um pesquisador qualitativo pode e deve preocupar-se com a validade nas três fases da pesquisa: formulação, desenvolvimento e resultados. A validade em pesquisas qualitativas parece, assim, ser mais ampla e pormenorizada, embora menos mensurável quantitativamente.

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Effect Sizes in Qualitative Research: A Prolegomenon

• Published: November 2003
• Volume 37 , pages 393–409, ( 2003 )

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• Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie 1  

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The American Psychological Association Task Force recommended that researchers always report and interpret effect sizes for quantitative data. However, no such recommendation was made for qualitative data. Thus, the first objective of the present paper is to provide a rationale for reporting and interpreting effect sizes in qualitative research. Arguments are presented that effect sizes enhance the process of verstehen/hermeneutics advocated by interpretive researchers. The second objective of this paper is to provide a typology of effect sizes in qualitative research. Examples are given illustrating various applications of effect sizes. For instance, when conducting typological analyses, qualitative analysts only identify emergent themes; yet, these themes can be quantitized to ascertain the hierarchical structure of emergent themes. The final objective is to illustrate how inferential statistics can be utilized in qualitative data analyses. This can be accomplished by treating words arising from individuals, or observations emerging from a particular setting, as sample units of data that represent the total number of words/observations existing from that sample member/context. Heuristic examples are provided to demonstrate how inferential statistics can be used to provide more complex levels of verstehen than is presently undertaken in qualitative research.

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Onwuegbuzie, A.J. Effect Sizes in Qualitative Research: A Prolegomenon. Quality & Quantity 37 , 393–409 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1027379223537

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