ABSTRACT
Good researchers want to design projects that will be taken seriously and produce trustworthy data. In quantitative research this is achieved by following clearly established procedures to ensure rigour. This chapter closes with a case study from Annette Street and Amanda Hordern. Both of these researchers work in a school of nursing, and their case study reflects the high quality of qualitative research conducted within the nursing field. In quantitative research such as statistical and experimental studies, the term ‘rigorous’ is used to describe study designs that are valid and reliable. Validity refers to the extent to which a test or instrument measures what it claims to measure. The chapter focuses on topics and issues that are important when designing a qualitative research project. These are the issue of rigour and strategies for improving the perceived rigour of a project, developing a qualitative methodology and how the selection of qualitative data collection methods can be done appropriately.
