As you read and talk about research, you may come across the terms validity and reliability. These terms and concepts originate with research based in quantitative approaches (see Chapter 1) and are related to each other. In those approaches, reliability has to do with whether research methods will have consistent results if the research is repeated. The concept of reliability is used in designing tests. For example, if I take a personality test, it is considered reliable if the results are similar each time I take it.
Generally speaking, validity has to do with whether the research measures what it sets out to measure and whether the conclusions drawn from research can be considered sound. Quantitative researchers use various approaches to determine if their research is valid.
As discussed in Chapter 1, quantitative and qualitative research reflect different perspectives about truth, knowledge and knowing. Some qualitative researchers question whether concepts of reliability and validity can be applied to qualitative research. Instead, they consider whether research is credible and trustworthy (Golafshani, 2003; Holly, Arhar & Kasten, 2005; Lankshear & Knobel, 2004).
Following are some questions to help you judge the credibility and trustworthiness of your research. Review the questions as you plan and carry out your research. If you answer "no" to some questions, make adjustments as needed. The more questions you can answer "yes" to, the more confident you can be that your research will be considered credible. When you share your research, it is important to tell others how you addressed these considerations so that they can judge the credibility of your research.