Quality in qualitative evaluation: a framework for assessing research evidence. A quality framework

Despite many different approaches and traditions within qualitative and evaluative research, there are widespread concerns about quality.

This document presents a framework for appraising the quality of qualitative evaluations. It was developed with particular reference to evaluations concerned with the development and implementation of social policy, programmes and practice.

There are four central principles that underpin the content of the framework. All of these are based on themes that are highly recurrent in the literature and in the interviews conducted for the study the framwrk resulted from.

They advise that research should be:

• contributory in advancing wider knowledge or understanding about policy, practice, theory or a particular
  substantive field
• defensible in designby providinga research strategy that can addressthe evaluative questions posed
• rigourous in conduct through the systematic and transparent collection,analysis and interpretation of qualitative data
• credible in claim through offeringwell-founded and plausible argumentsabout the significance of the evidence generated