) For the qualitative critique, the rubric refers to “Trustworthiness and Rigor” rather than Validity and Reliability.
Some considerations for this section:
Credibility – How congruent are the findings with reality? Are the methods used well-established (i.e. have other researchers used them)? Did the researchers use random sampling of individuals to serve as informants? Is their triangulation (meaning did they use a variety of different methods to form the major data collection)? Were their any tactics to help ensure honesty in the informants (opportunity to refuse to participate, general interest in participating, encouragement to be frank and honest)? Did the researchers use iterative questioning to help uncover deliberate lies? What is the background, qualifications and experience of the researchers (are they credible or off-the-street-never-done-research-before food truck workers)?
Transferability – can the findings of the study be applied to other situations? Although each case is unique, it is an example within a broader group…
Dependability – if the work was repeated, in the same context, with the same methods and with the same participants, would similar results be obtained? In order to address dependability, you need to look at the detail used to describe the processes/methods. Is there enough detail that a future researcher could repeat the study – like a “prototype model”?
Confirmability – have steps been taken to help ensure that the work’s findings are the result and experiences and ideas of the informants, rather than the preferences of the researcher? This can be gauged from the detail used to describe the methods.
