Credibility Definition
Credibility. Credibility ensures that the description and interpretation of data are consistent with reality and perceived social constructs as it exists in the minds of the respondents. This involves understanding the phenomenon from the participant’s eyes (Trochim, 2006). “Credible interpretations of qualitative data offer explanations that are consistent with the data collected and are understandable to the people in the study population” (Ulin, Robinson, &Trolley,2005,P.166). Data was collected over a month period using one-on-one interviews. This afforded the researcher an opportunity to build trust and engage the study participants and understand knowledge, beliefs, and self-assessment of body weight among African immigrants. Peer debriefing
occurred at intervals during the study, creating a critical paradigm that provided support and helped the researcher focus on the phenomenon being explored. This also helped ensure that personal themes and bias were not passed on.
Transferability. While quantitative studies are generalizable to other populations, qualitative studies are not easily to generalize (Cottrell and McKenzie, 2005). However, to increase transferability of the study, the researcher provided in the results, a thick, rich description of the narrative.
Dependability and Confirm-ability. Dependability refers to an enquiry process that is accurate and of high quality and includes being able to reproduce a study with similar results within similar contents.
Confirm-ability is the extent to which the study findings are a product of the focus of its inquiry and not the biases or interpretation of the researcher (Erlandson et al., 1993; Mertens, 2005). The dependability and confirm-ability of this study was assured by the researcher utilizing an audit trail, containing details careful documentation of all the research activities as well as the researchers though processes (Erlandson et al.,1993;Ulin, et al., 2005). The researcher documented all procedure from the beginning to the end with a reflexive journal, developed the data collection process chronologically and ensured proper documentation of data analysis procedures.
occurred at intervals during the study, creating a critical paradigm that provided support and helped the researcher focus on the phenomenon being explored. This also helped ensure that personal themes and bias were not passed on.
Transferability. While quantitative studies are generalizable to other populations, qualitative studies are not easily to generalize (Cottrell and McKenzie, 2005). However, to increase transferability of the study, the researcher provided in the results, a thick, rich description of the narrative.
Dependability and Confirm-ability. Dependability refers to an enquiry process that is accurate and of high quality and includes being able to reproduce a study with similar results within similar contents.
Confirm-ability is the extent to which the study findings are a product of the focus of its inquiry and not the biases or interpretation of the researcher (Erlandson et al., 1993; Mertens, 2005). The dependability and confirm-ability of this study was assured by the researcher utilizing an audit trail, containing details careful documentation of all the research activities as well as the researchers though processes (Erlandson et al.,1993;Ulin, et al., 2005). The researcher documented all procedure from the beginning to the end with a reflexive journal, developed the data collection process chronologically and ensured proper documentation of data analysis procedures.