Validity And Generalization In Qualitative Research

Validity means that the study investigates what was intended, reliability refers to the con-sistency of findings/results, whether the results are repeatable and generalization means that findings can be generalized to other settings (Fink, 2000). Qualitative validity according to Creswell (2003) means that the researcher should check for accuracy of the findings. One of the main strategies to assure validation is triangulation is the process of comparing different kinds of data or data derived from different methods (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).

Qualitative reliability indicates that the approach of the researcher is consistent in dif-ferent projects Creswell (2003) suggests that in order to determine if the researcher 's ap-proaches are consistent,

More frequent in qualitative research is to generalize to theory rather than to population, it is looking for a system that their findings are included in it. In other words, the quality of the theoretical inferences that derive from the data, is the important issue when generalizing (Bryman, 2009)

Janesick (2000) suggests alternative ways to think about the trinity of validity, reliabil-ity and generalization, in fact he offers to change the language to a more accurately describes the complexity and texture of qualitative research. He also argues that “the traditional view of generalizability limits the ability to reconceptualize the role of social science in education and human services” (p.

Semi - structured interview – the interviewer has general form of interview schedule, but he can vary the sequence of the question and add questions to significant replies (Bryman, 2009).

3. Unstructured interview – the format is non – standardized, the interviewer has only list of topics, like an interview guide, and he uses an informal style in order that the problem of in-terest will arise from the interviewee 's reactions. (This type of interview often called: Inten-sive interview or ethnographic interview) (Bryman, 2009; Denzin & Lincoln, 2000).

4. Qualitative interview – general term for both the Semi – structured and the unstructured interview (this type of interview often called: In - depth interview), the purpose of in-depth interview is to examine assumptions rather than to get answers; it is based on the willing to understand the experience of other people and the significance that they attached to it (Bryman, 2009).

5. Focused interview – an interviewees are selected to be interviewed due to their involve-ment in a particular situation and are asked about that involvement, it may be administered to individuals or to groups (Bryman,