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6: Validity and Reliability (Focus: Qualitative research) Part II…
6: Validity and Reliability
(Focus: Qualitative research)
Part II
Reliability contested
(e.g.Winter2000; Stenbacka 2001; Golafshani2003)
Can be replaced by: ‘credibility’, ‘neutrality’, ‘confirmability’, ‘dependability’, ‘consistency’, ‘applicability’, ‘trustworthiness’ and ‘transferability’
e.g. a degree of accuracy and comprehensiveness of coverage
(Bogdan and Biklen 1992: 48)
BUT, two different findings might both be reliable
Especially
dependability
Audit trails
to avoid researchers to only hear the loudest bangs and brightest lights
Respondent validation (Bloor, 1978), page 149
Interview
bias
= ‘a systematic or persistent tendency to make errors in the same direction, that is, to overstate or understate the ‘‘true value’’ of an attribute’
(Lansing et al. 1961)
Way to assess validity: compare the interview measure with another (valid) measure (
convergent validity
)
Sources of bias:
attitudes, opinions and expectations of interviewer
a tendency for the interviewer to see the respondent in his or her own image
interviewer to seek answers that support preconceived notions
misperceptions on the part of the interviewer of what the respondent is saying
misunderstandings on the part of the respondent of what is being asked.
Most problematic: Sensitive issues, interviewer has the power to react to/sanction interviewee
(Lee, 1993)
Solution: highly structured interview, with the same format and sequence of words and questions for each respondent
(Silverman 1993)
, p. 150
(Silverman, 1993)
Reliability increased by:
Interviewees understand questions same way
Training of interviewers
inter-rater reliability in response coding
Extended use of closed questions
Leading questions
: Should normally be avoided, but may serve purpose in getting information maybe withheld by the interviewee
Interviewee might be anxious to keep reputation
Phone interview:
May leave out important non-verbal communication, leading to misunderstandings and lack of dynamics.
BUT maybe easier to gain information difficult to give face to face
Important to start off making the interviewee feel at ease
Problem: More rational and calculating interview increase reliability, but reduce validity, as response becomes more calculated too, p. 153
Questions may be formulated in a way that encourages respondents to put themselves in a good light
Qualifications of skilled interviewer p. 154
Transcription always decontextualized. Even when noting intonation, body language etd