ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how the quality of qualitative research can and should be judged. This issue is of prime significance to both commissioners and consumers of qualitative health-related research, whether they are policymakers, practitioners, or academics. Next, the chapter examines the question of appropriate criteria for assessing qualitative research that is closely related to the question of the appropriate and legitimate goals of such research. It illustrates a range of ways in which a commitment to searching for contradictory evidence can be operationalized. The chapter expands on this theme in relation to, first, the use of a variety of methods within research studies and, second, the exposure of one's analysis to feedback from research participants. It finally discusses some of the ways in which the findings from qualitative research may be subjected to evaluation by both researcher and the consumer of research findings.
