Qualitative inquiries offer deep contextual insights into complex human phenomena. Demonstrating empirical rigor according to Lincoln and Guba’s trustworthiness criteria satisfies strict peer reviewers.
The 4 Pillars of Qualitative Trustworthiness
- Credibility (Internal Validity): Established through prolonged engagement, data triangulation, member-checking, and peer debriefing.
- Transferability (External Validity): Provided via "thick description" of context, settings, and participant demographics.
- Dependability (Reliability): Demonstrated through clear audit trails detailing coding decisions and emergent themes.
- Confirmability (Objectivity): Addressed via reflexivity statements acknowledging researcher positionality.
