Notions of quality and standards for qualitative research reporting

• Published in: International journal of nursing practice Vol. 21; no. 5; pp. 670 - 676
• Main Authors: Pearson, Alan, Jordan, Zoe, Lockwood, Craig, Aromataris, Ed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2015; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Clinical guidelines; Data Accuracy; evidence-based health; Evidence-Based Medicine; Guidance; Health sciences; Humans; Investment; Medical research; Nursing care; Qualitative Research; quality; Quantitative analysis; Quantitative research; Reference Standards; reporting; Research Design; Systematic review; Australia; standards; evidence-based health; qualitative research; reporting; quality
• ISSN: 1322-7114; 1440-172X; 1440-172X
• DOI: 10.1111/ijn.12331

The utility of qualitative research findings in the health sciences has been the subject of considerable debate, particularly with the advent of qualitative systematic reviews in recent years. There has been a significant investment in the production of guidance to improve the reporting of quantitative research; however, comparatively little time has been spent on developing the same for qualitative research reporting. This paper sets out to examine the possibility of developing a framework for refereed journals to utilize when guiding authors on how to report the results of qualitative studies in the hope that this will improve the quality of reports and subsequently their inclusion in qualitative syntheses and guidelines to inform practice at the point of care.