Evaluating a Qualitative Research
Paper
Allen F. Shaughnessy, PharmD
Qualitative Research -- What is it?
• A style of research that focuses on
understanding meaning rather than in
generating numbers to be combined.
• Aims to provide understanding of the
topic, which is usually human behavior
• Seeks to generate hypotheses or theories
rather than conclusions or explanations
Qualitative Research -- What is it?
• Like quantitative research
– Consists of question, evidence, assessment,
findings, and drawing conclusions
• Unlike qualitative research
– It involves reflection on the data,
reconceptualization midway through the
research, subjectivity
Quantitative Research
Methodology
Research question →
Hypothesis generation→
Evidence collection →
Evidence analysis →
Interpretation →
. . . . . . . . . . . .Conclusions
Qualitative Analysis
Research question →
Collect evidence →
Understand the question
. . . . . . . . . . . .Conclusions
Qualitative
Quantitative
The aim of qualitative analysis is a
complete, detailed description.
Classify features, count them, and
construct statistical models in an
attempt to explain what is observed.
Researchers may only know roughly
what they are looking for.
Researcher knows clearly in advance
what he/she is looking for.
The design emerges as the study
unfolds.
All aspects of the study are carefully
designed before data is collected.
Researcher is the data gathering
instrument.
Researcher uses tools to collect
numerical data.
Qualitative data is more 'rich', time
consuming, and less able to be
generalized.
Quantitative data is more efficient,
able to test hypotheses, but may miss
contextual detail.
Researcher tends to become
subjectively immersed in the
subject matter.
Researcher tends to remain
objectively separated from the subject
matter.
Research Styles
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Case studies
Ethnographic
Focus groups
Role playing
In-depth surveys
Discourse analysis
Textual analysis
Evaluating a Qualitative Research
Article
• Step 1: Relevance
• Step 2: Validity
– Was the appropriate method used to answer
the question?
• Perceptions: Interviews, focus groups
• Behaviors: Some type of observation
Evaluating a Qualitative Research
Article
• Was sampling appropriate and adequate?
– Random sampling not important
– Goal: Enough subjects with enough different
views or behaviors to provide sufficient
information
– Not looking for generalizability
– Example: utility in decision analysis
• Patients vs physicians as source
Evaluating a Qualitative Research
Article
• Was an iterative process used?
• Collect data -- analyze -- collect more data
-- analyze, . . .
• Example: content analysis of the
hypertension self-assessment module
Evaluating a Qualitative Research
Article
• Was a thorough analysis presented?
– Interpretation, subjective and value-laden, is
important
– Researchers are part of the research
Evaluating a Qualitative Research
Article
• What is the background of the
investigators?
– What lens are they looking through?
– Nurse vs physician vs anthropologist vs
sociologist
– Not to judge, but to understand their biases