In qualitative research, validity is typically established through which approaches?

In qualitative research, validity is typically established through which approaches?

• A. Statistical significance
• B. Triangulation and rich description
• C. Random sampling
• D. Hypothesis testing

Answer: (B)

Validity in qualitative research is about trustworthiness: how well the findings reflect participants' meanings and can be judged credible by readers. The strongest way to establish this is through triangulation and rich description. Triangulation means using multiple data sources, methods, or investigators to examine the same phenomenon. When different angles converge on the same interpretation, it reduces the chance that the result rests on a single perspective or bias, boosting credibility and dependability. Rich or thick description provides detailed, contextual accounts of the setting, participants, and interactions, so readers can understand the context and judge whether the findings might transfer to similar situations. Together, these approaches ground conclusions in the data and context rather than in assumptions. In contrast, those quantitative-oriented strategies—statistical significance, random sampling, and hypothesis testing—are designed for generalization and controlling for chance and do not typically establish validity in qualitative work.

Validity in qualitative research is about trustworthiness: how well the findings reflect participants' meanings and can be judged credible by readers. The strongest way to establish this is through triangulation and rich description. Triangulation means using multiple data sources, methods, or investigators to examine the same phenomenon. When different angles converge on the same interpretation, it reduces the chance that the result rests on a single perspective or bias, boosting credibility and dependability. Rich or thick description provides detailed, contextual accounts of the setting, participants, and interactions, so readers can understand the context and judge whether the findings might transfer to similar situations. Together, these approaches ground conclusions in the data and context rather than in assumptions. In contrast, those quantitative-oriented strategies—statistical significance, random sampling, and hypothesis testing—are designed for generalization and controlling for chance and do not typically establish validity in qualitative work.