Evaluation of a Qualitative Study: Definition, History, and Characteristics
Qualitative research is an important tool for understanding the complexities of human behavior and the social and cultural contexts in which it is found. Qualitative evaluation is the process of assessing the quality of the data collected and its relevance to the research question. This article provides an overview of the definition, history, and characteristics of qualitative evaluation.
Definition
Qualitative evaluation is the systematic assessment of data collected during a qualitative study. The goal of qualitative evaluation is to assess the quality of the data and its relevance to the research question. This process involves both assessing the validity of the data and the relevance of the data to the research question.
History
The use of qualitative evaluation has a long history in the field of qualitative research. In the early twentieth century, qualitative evaluation was used to assess the quality of data collected in anthropological studies. In the 1950s, qualitative evaluation was used to assess the validity of data collected in psychological studies. Since then, qualitative evaluation has been used in a variety of social science fields, such as sociology, economics, and education.
Characteristics
Qualitative evaluation typically involves four stages: (1) data collection, (2) data analysis, (3) data interpretation, and (4) evaluation. During each stage, the researcher evaluates the quality of the data and its relevance to the research question. Qualitative evaluation is an iterative process, meaning that the researcher may need to revisit the data and revise the evaluation if new information is discovered.
Conclusion
Qualitative evaluation is an important tool for assessing the quality of data collected during a qualitative study and its relevance to the research question. This article provided an overview of the definition, history, and characteristics of qualitative evaluation. Understanding these aspects of qualitative evaluation is important for researchers who wish to ensure that their data is valid and relevant to the research question.
References
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Esterberg, K.G. (2002). Qualitative methods in social research. Boston: McGraw Hill.
Lofland, J., & Lofland, L.H. (1995). Analyzing social settings: A guide to qualitative observation and analysis. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Maxwell, J.A. (2005). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Miles, M.B., & Huberman, A.M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.