Quality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourse

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dc.contributor.authorReynolds, Joannaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorKizito, Jamesen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorEzumah, Nkolien_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMangesho, Peteren_ZA
dc.contributor.authorAllen, Elizabethen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorChandler, Clareen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-10-28T07:07:14Z
dc.date.available2015-10-28T07:07:14Z
dc.date.issued2011en_ZA
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND:Increasing demand for qualitative research within global health has emerged alongside increasing demand for demonstration of quality of research, in line with the evidence-based model of medicine. In quantitative health sciences research, in particular clinical trials, there exist clear and widely-recognised guidelines for conducting quality assurance of research. However, no comparable guidelines exist for qualitative research and although there are long-standing debates on what constitutes 'quality' in qualitative research, the concept of 'quality assurance' has not been explored widely. In acknowledgement of this gap, we sought to review discourses around quality assurance of qualitative research, as a first step towards developing guidance. METHODS: A range of databases, journals and grey literature sources were searched, and papers were included if they explicitly addressed quality assurance within a qualitative paradigm. A meta-narrative approach was used to review and synthesise the literature. RESULTS: Among the 37 papers included in the review, two dominant narratives were interpreted from the literature, reflecting contrasting approaches to quality assurance. The first focuses on demonstrating quality within research outputs; the second focuses on principles for quality practice throughout the research process. The second narrative appears to offer an approach to quality assurance that befits the values of qualitative research, emphasising the need to consider quality throughout the research process. CONCLUSIONS: The paper identifies the strengths of the approaches represented in each narrative and recommend these are brought together in the development of a flexible framework to help qualitative researchers to define, apply and demonstrate principles of quality in their research.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationReynolds, J., Kizito, J., Ezumah, N., Mangesho, P., Allen, E., & Chandler, C. (2011). Quality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourse. <i>Health Research Policy and Systems</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14474en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationReynolds, Joanna, James Kizito, Nkoli Ezumah, Peter Mangesho, Elizabeth Allen, and Clare Chandler "Quality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourse." <i>Health Research Policy and Systems</i> (2011) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14474en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationReynolds, J., Kizito, J., Ezumah, N., Mangesho, P., Allen, E., & Chandler, C. (2011). Quality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourse. Health Research Policy and Systems, 9(1), 43.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Reynolds, Joanna AU - Kizito, James AU - Ezumah, Nkoli AU - Mangesho, Peter AU - Allen, Elizabeth AU - Chandler, Clare AB - BACKGROUND:Increasing demand for qualitative research within global health has emerged alongside increasing demand for demonstration of quality of research, in line with the evidence-based model of medicine. In quantitative health sciences research, in particular clinical trials, there exist clear and widely-recognised guidelines for conducting quality assurance of research. However, no comparable guidelines exist for qualitative research and although there are long-standing debates on what constitutes 'quality' in qualitative research, the concept of 'quality assurance' has not been explored widely. In acknowledgement of this gap, we sought to review discourses around quality assurance of qualitative research, as a first step towards developing guidance. METHODS: A range of databases, journals and grey literature sources were searched, and papers were included if they explicitly addressed quality assurance within a qualitative paradigm. A meta-narrative approach was used to review and synthesise the literature. RESULTS: Among the 37 papers included in the review, two dominant narratives were interpreted from the literature, reflecting contrasting approaches to quality assurance. The first focuses on demonstrating quality within research outputs; the second focuses on principles for quality practice throughout the research process. The second narrative appears to offer an approach to quality assurance that befits the values of qualitative research, emphasising the need to consider quality throughout the research process. CONCLUSIONS: The paper identifies the strengths of the approaches represented in each narrative and recommend these are brought together in the development of a flexible framework to help qualitative researchers to define, apply and demonstrate principles of quality in their research. DA - 2011 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1186/1478-4505-9-43 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Health Research Policy and Systems LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2011 T1 - Quality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourse TI - Quality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourse UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14474 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/14474
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1478-4505-9-43
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationReynolds J, Kizito J, Ezumah N, Mangesho P, Allen E, Chandler C. Quality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourse. Health Research Policy and Systems. 2011; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14474.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherBioMed Central Ltden_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDivision of Clinical Pharmacologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licenseen_ZA
dc.rights.holder2011 Reynolds et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.en_ZA
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0en_ZA
dc.sourceHealth Research Policy and Systemsen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.health-policy-systems.com/en_ZA
dc.subject.otherQualitativeen_ZA
dc.subject.otherglobal healthen_ZA
dc.subject.otherqualityen_ZA
dc.subject.otherquality assuranceen_ZA
dc.subject.otherguidanceen_ZA
dc.subject.othermeta-narrativeen_ZA
dc.subject.otherliterature reviewen_ZA
dc.titleQuality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourseen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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