Validity in qualitative research

interview and the appearance of truth through dialogue

Abstract

This paper addresses several issues related to validity in qualitative research and, more specifically, explores the ways in which validity has been discussed and applied in research with qualitative interviews. The central question is to what extent, if at all, traditional positivist validity criteria are applicable, but also relevant, for evaluation of research with qualitative interviewing. The qualitative interview has been chosen as the focal point of this paper because of its peculiarity in terms of the relationship between the interviewer and the interviewee or, in other words, the ways in which during an interview meaning and narrative are constructed through discourse between the participants. The importance of the relationship (with its characteristics) between research participants (interviewer and interviewee) for the outcome of a qualitative interview cannot be overemphasized and is as such of particular interest for the assessment of its validity. I introduce and summarize the main approaches to the study and establishment of validity and scrutinize their significance for the example of qualitative interviewing and research in particular. This paper shows the importance of considering research context (in this instance interview) for any assessment of validity, if validity at all ought to assume the same role in qualitative and quantitative research. As alternatives to the positivist notion of validity concepts such as reflexivity, transparency and credibility throughout the research process are introduced and advocated.

Keywords

validity;qualitative research;interviews;quality criteria;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2009
Typology:	1.02 - Review Article
Organization:	UP - University of Primorska
Publisher:	Društvo psihologov Slovenije
UDC:	303.442:303.62
COBISS:	1024137556
ISSN:	1318-1874
Parent publication:	Psihološka obzorja
Views:	3069
Downloads:	13
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Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary title:	Veljavnost v kvalitativnem raziskovanju
Secondary abstract:	Pričujoči prispevek obravnava vprašanje veljavnosti v kvalitativnem raziskovanju. Osredotoča se na preiskovanje načinov obravnave in uporabe pojma veljavnosti v raziskovanju s kvalitativnim intervjujem. Glavno vprašanje je, do kakšne mere (če sploh) so tradicionalni pozitivistični kriteriji veljavnosti uporabni in relevantni za ovrednotenje takšnega raziskovanja. Kvalitativen intervju je bil izbran kot fokus zaradi svoje specifičnosti v smislu odnosa med tistim, ki intervjuva in intervjuvanim, kakor tudi zaradi načinov, kako v času samega intervjuja pomeni in narativi nastajajo skozi dialog med sodelujočima. V tem kontekstu ni nikdar preveč poudarjeno, kako pomembna sta za izid kvalitativnega interjuja odnos med sodelujočima in njegovznačaj. Ta odnos je še posebej zanimiv v povezavi z vprašanjem ocenjevanja njegove veljavnosti. V prispevku predstavljam in povzemam glavne pristope k obravnavi in vzpostavljanju veljavnosti ter ocenjujem njihovo pomembnost in aplikativnost za primer kvalitativnega intervjuja. Pričujoča razprava pokaže nujnost upoštevanja raziskovalnega konteksta (v tem primeru intervjuja) za kakršno koli oceno veljavnosti, seveda le v primeru, če naj ima veljavnost kot taka zares enako vlogo tako v kvalitativnem kot v kvantitativnem raziskovanju. Kot alternativa pozitivističnemu pojmu veljavnosti so predstavljeni pojmi refleksivnosti, transparentonsti in kredibilnosti.
Secondary keywords:	veljavnost;intervjuji;kvalitativno raziskovanje;kriteriji kakovosti;
URN:	URN:NBN:SI
Type (COBISS):	Not categorized
Pages:	str. 39-50
Volume:	ǂLetn. ǂ18
Issue:	ǂšt. ǂ2
Chronology:	2009
ID:	1734336