Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research (Qualitative Research Methods) (Hardcover)

~ Dr. Jerome Kirk (Author), Marc L. Miller (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Kirk and Miller define what is -- and what is not -- qualitative research. They suggest that the use of numbers in the process of recording and analyzing observations is less important than that the research should involve sustained interaction with the people being studied, in their own language and in their own surroundings.

`Qualitative research conducted as science should complement nonqualitative science,' they observe. `Understanding the workings of scientific endeavour, whether it is of the natural or social variety, entails an appreciation of its objectivity...By this convention, the objectivity of a piece of qualititative research is evaluated in terms of the reliability and validity of its observations on culture.'

After an introductory chapter on objectivity, the authors discuss the role of reliability and validity in the unfolding of science, and the problems that may arise when these two issues are neglected. They present a paradigm for the qualitative research process that makes it possible to pursue validity without neglecting reliability.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 88 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc (December 1, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803925603
• ISBN-13: 978-0803925601
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,335,203 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great insights for qualitative researches, May 2, 2009

By	Carlos H. B. Morais (São Paulo, SP Brasil) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research (Qualitative Research Methods) (Paperback)

Kirk and Miller's methodology explanation and historical examples help researchers of social problemas to conduct their works in a really focused scientific direction. Short and clear, without compromising the message, it's a really worth reading text.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative in Providing Background Material, February 18, 2004

By	Dr. W. G. Covington, Jr. (Edinboro, Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research (Qualitative Research Methods) (Paperback)

Kirk and Miller seek to resolve some of the problems of reliability and validity faced by researchers using qualitative methodology. It is emphasized in the series introduction in the preface of the book that the distinction between qualitative and quantitative research is often misleading and false. The authors elaborate on that observation in their opening comments by noting, "Technically, a 'qualitative observation' identifies the presence or absence of something, in contrast to 'qualitative observation,' which involves measuring the degree to which some feature is present." They go on to discuss how one knows what one knows and the role data collection and interpretion plays. They acknowledge that individuals' meanings must be taken into account in the process of reporting the findings.

The meat of their argument is addressed in the next section as they cite various well known researchers and discuss their contributions. They talk about issues of reliability in these studies and the role of interpreting results. This book helps you to see the challenges of ethnographic research.