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Explain criteria for evaluating the quality of qualitative research and consider the connection of such criteria to philosophical orientations. You will also consider the ethical implications of designing qualitative research. With these thoughts in mind: ASSIGNMENT: an explanation of two criteria for evaluating the quality of qualitative research designs. Next, explain how these criteria are tied to epistemological and ontological assumptions underlying philosophical orientations and the standards of your discipline. Then, identify a potential ethical issue in qualitative research and explain how it might influence design decisions. Finally, explain what it means for a research topic to be amenable to scientific study using a qualitative approach. Be sure to support your Main Issue Post and Response Post with reference to the week’s Learning Resources and other scholarly evidence in APA Style.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Evaluating the Quality of Qualitative Research: Criteria, Philosophical Foundations, Ethical Considerations, and Scientific Inquiry

Qualitative research offers rich, in-depth insights into human experiences, social processes, and cultural contexts. To ensure the rigor and trustworthiness of qualitative studies, researchers employ specific quality criteria. This essay discusses two primary criteria for evaluating qualitative research—credibility and dependability—and explores how these criteria are connected to epistemological and ontological assumptions. Additionally, it addresses a potential ethical issue in qualitative research, its influence on design decisions, and elucidates what makes a topic suitable for qualitative scientific study.

Criteria for Evaluating Qualitative Research

Two fundamental criteria for assessing the quality of qualitative research are credibility and dependability. Credibility pertains to the confidence in the truth of the findings. It ensures that the results accurately reflect participants' perspectives and the context of the study. Techniques such as prolonged engagement, triangulation, member checks, and peer debriefing serve to enhance credibility (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Dependability, on the other hand, relates to the stability and consistency of data over time and across researchers. It involves maintaining an audit trail, detailed documentation of procedures, and transparent reporting. These measures facilitate an external review and replication, ensuring that findings are dependable (Tracy, 2010).

Connection to Philosophical Orientations

The criteria of credibility and dependability are intrinsically linked to the epistemological and ontological assumptions underpinning qualitative research. Epistemologically, credibility aligns with constructivist and interpretivist paradigms that emphasize understanding subjective meanings and multiple realities as constructed by social actors (Guba & Lincoln, 1995). Dependability corresponds with the ontological assumption that social phenomena are dynamic and context-dependent, necessitating flexible yet rigorous research processes that can adapt while maintaining consistency (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). These criteria reflect commitment to understanding complex, contextualized human experiences rather than seeking 'universal truths,' which aligns with the standards within disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, and education.

Ethical Considerations in Qualitative Research

A potential ethical issue in qualitative research is maintaining participant confidentiality, especially when dealing with sensitive topics or small, identifiable populations. Ensuring confidentiality might influence decisions such as data storage, anonymization of data, and the scope of reporting findings. For example, researchers may choose to omit or alter certain details to prevent identification, which can impact the depth and authenticity of the data. Ethical considerations also involve informed consent, respecting participants' autonomy, and managing power dynamics, all of which influence study design and researcher-participant relationships (Moreno et al., 2020). Ethical dilemmas necessitate careful planning and transparent protocols to uphold participants' rights while achieving research objectives.

Scientific Study and Qualitative Approaches

A research topic is considered amenable to scientific study using a qualitative approach when it involves complex social phenomena that require in-depth understanding rather than quantification. Such topics often involve exploring personal experiences, cultural meanings, or social processes where variables are not easily measurable. For instance, investigating patients’ lived experiences of chronic illness or understanding community responses to social change exemplifies qualitative research topics. These areas benefit from flexible, iterative methods such as interviews, focus groups, and ethnography, which provide nuanced insights aligned with the interpretive nature of qualitative inquiry (Denzin & Lincoln, 2018). The scientific merit of qualitative research lies in its ability to generate rich, contextualized knowledge that contributes meaningfully to theory and practice.

References

• Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1995). Frameworks for qualitative inquiry. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 191–215). Sage.
• Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage.
• Moreno, V., Weil, C., & Wight, D. (2020). Ethical considerations in qualitative research involving vulnerable populations. Qualitative Health Research, 30(4), 593–603.
• Tracy, S. J. (2010). Qualitative quality: Eight “big-tent” criteria for excellent qualitative research. Qualitative Inquiry, 16(10), 837–851.
• Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2018). The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Sage.