Research is an important tool in the identification of a problem, collection of data, data analysis, problem justification and solutions. The type of data collection tool that a researcher decides to use needs to be trustworthy, useful, quality and rigorous. The paper would discuss validity and reliability, which are the tools used in measuring trustworthiness, usefulness, quality and rigor of a data collection tool (Nieswiadomy, 2012).
Reliability
The quality of data collection tool is a critical part of qualitative research, one of the most important elements used when gauging quality is reliability. It is concerned with consistency, dependability and reproducibility Halloway & wheeler (2010). Reliability in qualitative research is the level to which the outcome of the research remains unaffected by irrelevant variations and procedures of the research. Reliability shows the degree to which the results obtained by using a data collection tool remains the same, if the tool is subjected to the same research again on a different occasion. In a narrow perspective, it is the accuracy in which any data collection tool measures given characteristics of interest. It is the extent that the test score is error free. Reliability is the evidence that the tool is good and dependable (Halloway & wheeler, 2010).
Validity
Validity involves application of evaluative judgment of the experiential evidence and hypothetical rationales and the degree to which the two conforms to the sufficiency and the appropriateness of the test score interpretation. Validity is the meaning one gets by interpreting the test score Woods & Haber (2006). Validity answers questions such as does the data collection tool collects what was intended to be collected and does the collection tool allow one to achieve the intended research objectives?
For example, what are the doctors’ experiences in treating type 2 diabetes? Meaning, a data collection tool should collect the doctors’ experiences on treating type 2 diabetes and nothing, because the intention of the tool was to collect the experiences of the doctors on treating type 2 diabetes (Woods & Haber, 2006).
Validity gives the real meaning of the research; its main focus is the relationship among, what the researcher had in mind at the onset of the research, the research activities and the meaning of the outcome. Validity questions are hard to answer with utmost certainty, but they help researchers develop strong support for validation of the of a data collection tool (Watz, Strickland, & Lenz, 2005).
References
Holloway, I., & Wheeler, S. (2010). Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare (3rd ed.). Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell.
Nieswiadomy, R. M. (2012). Foundations of nursing research (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Waltz, C. F., Strickland, O., & Lenz, E. R. (2005). Measurement in nursing and health research (3rd ed.). New York: Springer Pub..
Wood, G., & Haber, J. (2006). Nursing research: methods and critical appraisal for evidence-based practice (6th ed.). St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby Elsevier.
