Author Question: A researcher reports on a qualitative study and does not give enough information about how decisions ... (Read 59 times)

magmichele12 · **on:** Jul 8, 2018

A researcher reports on a qualitative study and does not give enough information about how decisions were reached. What would the reviewer say about this omission?

a. The researcher did not provide enough protection for the subjects in this study. It is unclear what happened after the in-depth questioning on this very sensitive topic. From the information presented, debriefing did not take place and would seem to be necessary in this study.
b. Findings in the study indicate that another researcher with similar background would undoubtedly arrive at the same conclusions, particularly if the subjects came from a similar population.
c. The researcher failed to provide enough information for anyone else to arrive at the same conclusion. This threat to auditability is further emphasized because the researcher did not provide the reader with a sufficient number of quotes to support the findings.
d. There is a significant problem with the significance of the study.

Question 2

Which statement by a reviewer would indicate an understanding of the critique of threats to adequate documentation of the participants in a qualitative study?

a. Registered nurses were interviewed in four states. They were selected appropriately and seemed to represent the population.
b. The researcher gave a thorough description of the study sample including the rationale for subject selection and the context and location of the study.
c. The subjects were randomly selected and are representative of the study population.
d. The subjects were selected using stratified random sampling methods.

patma1981 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 8, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
The reviewer has captured the problems with auditability in the study.
The statement, The researcher did not provide enough protection for the subjects in this study. It is unclear what happened after the in-depth questioning on this very sensitive topic. From the information presented, debriefing did not take place and would seem to be necessary in this study does not indicate a problem with auditability.
With these statements, the reviewer is discussing threats to ethical standards, not auditability.
This statement is discussing the descriptive vividness, not auditability.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
The statement, The researcher gave a thorough description of the study sample, including the rationale for subject selection and the context and location of the study demonstrates an appropriate evaluation of a qualitative study and the determination of documentation of the participants.
These statements do not represent a thorough understanding of adequate documentation of the participants in a qualitative study.
In qualitative research, there is no effort to represent the population in that way, nor would the sample have been selected randomly.
In qualitative research, there is no effort to represent the population in that way, nor would the sample have been selected randomly.