Validity & reliability of research

Question 1

What is meant by reliability?

Answer 1

Would another researcher be able to reproduce the same data & interpret them in the same way?

Question 2

What is meant by validity?

Answer 2

The degree to which the findings accurately represent the specific concept that the researcher is attempting to measure.

Question 3

How to ensure that the data collected is valid?

Answer 3

1. The setting & method used for data collection should be justified
   - e.g. interview patients away from hospital setting & in their homes so that they feel more comfortable & are able to discuss negatives feelings
2. All data collected should be analysed, even if negative attitudes are portrayed
3. Researcher should reflect on whether their values & attributes may have influenced (or biased) any stages of the study.
   - e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, if researcher has the same condition as the 1 being investigated
   - An 18-year-old man & 50-year-old woman are likely to elicit different responses to questions about sexual health when interviewing group of teenagers.
4. Sufficient raw data should be included in final report to enable reader to draw same conclusions as the researchers (themes)
   - Therefore should include direct quotes from the study participants.
5. Use the same comparison method to clarify the emerging themes

6.Triangulation- cross-verifying the research findings by using more than one research method.

Question 4

What are the major types of triangulation?

Answer 4

1. having multiple researchers in the study
2. using more than 1 method to gather data
3. recruiting a range of patients from different backgrounds.

A research finding is more valid if various methods lead to the same finding

Question 5

How to ensure that the data collected is reliable?

Answer 5

1. the setting & method used for data collection should be justified.
2. themes should be derived from the data, i.e., using the actual words of the participants.
   - if they were derived from the researcher’s own beliefs, other researchers might obtain different themes if they tried replicating the research study.
   - To ensure that the themes are derived from the data, get a second researcher to code the data independently, thus checking for inter-rater reliability.
3. researcher should reflect on whether their attributes may have influenced (or biased) any stages of the study.
   - called reflectivity

Question 6

What is the final step, after checking for validity & reliability of data?

Answer 6

Transferability- whether data can be applied to other patients & settings.

Done by assessing whether the sample & study setting have been described in enough detail to allow readers to determine if findings can be applied to their patients & settings.