Promoting Rigorous Research: Generalizability and Qualitative Research

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-12-2021

Publication Title

Journal of Counseling and Development

Volume

99

Issue

2

First page number:

178

Last page number:

188

Abstract

Although generalizability is not typically considered a feature or goal of qualitative research, it is an integral part of applying findings to advance knowledge in the counseling profession. First, we describe types of generalizability, the use of trustworthiness criteria, and strategies for maximizing generalizability within and across studies, then we discuss how the research approaches of grounded theory, autoethnography, content analysis, and metasynthesis can yield greater generalizability of findings. We then describe six phases for aggregating qualitative research to conduct a metasynthesis, which can be applied as relevant to the metastudy approaches of formal grounded theory, autoethnography, and content analysis.

Keywords

Autoethnography; Content analysis; Formal grounded theory; Generalizability; Metasynthesis

Disciplines

Counselor Education

Language

English

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