Trustworthiness in qualitative research includes credibility and dependability; which pair is a common criterion?

Trustworthiness in qualitative research includes credibility and dependability; which pair is a common criterion?

• A. Generalizability and transferability
• B. Internal validity and external validity
• C. Statistical power and effect size
• D. Credibility and dependability

Answer: (D)

In qualitative research, trustworthiness is built on whether the findings are believable and stable. Credibility checks that the results reflect participants’ experiences and what they would say if consulted again, ensuring the story rings true to those involved. Dependability ensures the study’s conclusions would remain consistent if the work were repeated in the same context, given the same methods. Together, these two aspects are a standard pair used to describe trustworthiness because they address both believability and consistency of the findings. Other options mix concepts from quantitative research—like generalizability, validity, statistical power, and effect size—which don’t capture the qualitative focus on truthfulness and stability in the same way.

In qualitative research, trustworthiness is built on whether the findings are believable and stable. Credibility checks that the results reflect participants’ experiences and what they would say if consulted again, ensuring the story rings true to those involved. Dependability ensures the study’s conclusions would remain consistent if the work were repeated in the same context, given the same methods. Together, these two aspects are a standard pair used to describe trustworthiness because they address both believability and consistency of the findings. Other options mix concepts from quantitative research—like generalizability, validity, statistical power, and effect size—which don’t capture the qualitative focus on truthfulness and stability in the same way.