Welcome back to the second part of the four-part series about the individual aspects of trustworthiness in qualitative research! We often get asked, “What the heck is dependability?” Here’s a quick explanation.
Let’s begin with the basics. Dependability is important to trustworthiness because it establishes the research study’s findings as consistent and repeatable. Researchers verify that their findings are consistent with the raw data they collect. They want to make sure that if some other researchers were to look over the data, they would arrive at similar findings, interpretations, and conclusions about the data. This ensures that the researcher doesn’t miss anything in the study and isn’t sloppy or misguided in their final report.
While there are several techniques one could use to establish dependability, one of the best ways to establish dependability is to have an outside researcher conduct an inquiry audit on the research study. This technique is also called an external audit. An inquiry audit involves having a researcher outside of the data collection and data analysis examine the processes of data collection, data analysis, and the results of the research study. Researchers do this to confirm the accuracy of the findings and ensure the data collected supports them.
Researchers examine all interpretations and conclusions to determine whether the data supports them. Inquiry audits are beneficial because they allow an outside researcher to examine, explore, and challenge how data analysis and interpretation occurred. A researcher can gain valuable insight from this method, and the inquiry audit can help prepare doctoral students for their final defense. It will help you better articulate your findings and build a stronger case for your findings.
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It’s important to remember that this technique assumes reality remains fixed and that observers perceive truth objectively. This happens because the technique assumes the researcher has objectively captured truth and reality, which an outside researcher can confirm. As a result, this drawbacks researchers who believe that they co-create truth, rather than discovering an objective reality.
We hope that this has shed some light on dependability in qualitative research. You must attend to this necessary facet of trustworthiness, but it can also be incredibly enriching.