Introduction

Qualitative researchers engage in research that deals with subjective experiences of reality and flexible realities which are based off of participant engagement. Because of this, the quality of qualitative research must be ensured through various facets. There are many different ways that a researcher can gain credibility and dependability for their research study. Among these are member checking, triangulation, prolonged engagement with the data, audit trail, and code-recode strategy.

5 Best Practices for Ensuring Dependability

Dependability in qualitative research is critical because qualitative research can be thought of as based on subjective experience. There are 5 best practices on ensuring dependability in qualitative research:

1. Triangulation– a technique in which various sources of evidence and perspectives are combined to cross-validate findings and mitigate the limitations of using only one approach. Triangulation is used to ensure validity and credibility of the research and findings. The use of multiple methods provides more diverse and valid constructions of reality.[1]
2. Prolonged Engagement with Data– this allows for the production of rich data and thick descriptions, and allows the researcher to spend more time building trust and rapport with the population. As the time in the community increases the levels of trust increase and so too does the quality of the data collected improve.[2]
3. Audit Trail – requires examining every step of the research process, including researcher accounts of every research decision made, how the data were collected, how the data were recorded, and how the data were analyzed. The raw data, interview and observation notes, records, and all documents collected would be examined as an audit of the study to ensure validity and dependability.[3]
4. Code-Recode Strategy – the researcher codes the same data twice with a period of pause in between each coding session. This allows the researcher to double check their codes and ensures that there is a level of inter-rater reliability. Similarly, multiple members of a research team can code the same data and compare their results. Inter-rate reliability scores can be calculated to determine if the coders have similar understanding of the data. If the coding results are in agreement with a high inter-rate reliability score, the research is considered rigorous with a high level of dependability.[4]
5. Member Checks – also known as participant or respondent validation, is “a technique for exploring the credibility of results.”[5] The data that have been gathered are returned to the participants to ensure accuracy and that the data resonates with their experiences. This ensures the validity and trustworthiness of qualitative results.[6] The sharing of qualitative research findings is seen as a moral, ethical, and methodological procedure which enhances the credibility of the study. Miscommunication between participants and the researcher can occur and study participants are able to correct mistakes or add new information that the researcher then incorporates into the study findings. Often member checking is done early in the research process within the transcripts or during early interpretations, just to ensure that they are on the right track and understanding the participant properly.

Conclusion

This article examines 5 key ways that qualitative researchers can ensure dependability in their research studies. There are many different ways that a researcher can gain credibility and dependability for their research study, among these are member checking, triangulation, prolonged engagement with the data, audit trail, and code-recode strategy. Ensuring that the participants and other researchers have validated the findings helps increase trustworthiness and establishes a high level of rigor and dependability to the study.

Take Away

Dependability is essential for ensuring the trustworthiness and rigor of qualitative research. By employing best practices like triangulation, prolonged engagement, audit trails, code-recode strategies, and member checks, researchers can enhance the reliability of their findings and build credibility with both participants and the academic community. These strategies strengthen the study’s validity and promote ethical and methodologically sound practices, providing a foundation for high-quality qualitative research.

[1] Kaman, Z., & Othman, Z. (2016, April). Validity, reliability and triangulation in case study method: An experience. In Qualitative Research Conference (QRC) (Vol. 2016, pp. 24-26).

[2] Morse, J. M. (2015). Critical analysis of strategies for determining rigor in qualitative inquiry. Qualitative health research, 25(9), 1212-1222.

[3] Anney, V. N. (2014). Ensuring the quality of the findings of qualitative research: Looking at trustworthiness criteria.

[4] Anney, V. N. (2014). Ensuring the quality of the findings of qualitative research: Looking at trustworthiness criteria.

[5] Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016). Member checking: a tool to enhance trustworthiness or merely a nod to validation?. Qualitative health research, 26(13), 1802-1811.

[6] Goldblatt, H., Karnieli-Miller, O., & Neumann, M. (2011). Sharing qualitative research findings with participants: Study experiences of methodological and ethical dilemmas. Patient education and counseling, 82(3), 389-395.