In qualitative analysis, information triangulation means approaching a query from a number of views.
It includes utilizing multiple information supply or methodology to research a concept or corroborate a discovering.
For one thing with such a mathematical-sounding title, it’s a reasonably easy idea. However it’s a strong one, too. Ask a gaggle of 5 boaters why their watercraft sank within the sea and also you’ll get 5 barely totally different tales. Every particular person story holds the bias of its teller. Taken collectively, although, the person accounts kind a deeper and extra correct image of what went mistaken.
This logic applies to qualitative analysis. Since qualitative information isn’t as cut-and-dry as quantitative data, you want multiple perspective, information sort, and methodology to shore it up.
With triangulation, you give the outcomes a stronger platform to face on.
When to Use Knowledge Triangulation with Qualitative Knowledge
When you ask me, there’s by no means a foul time to do information triangulation once you’re working with qualitative information.
From a researcher’s perspective, triangulation will help you confirm key particulars and strengthen your findings—and your argument.
And in case you’re somebody who makes use of qualitative information to tell your online business selections, gathering information from a number of sources is wise. It may possibly assist you make important selections with a stage of confidence you wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) have in case you relied on only one supply.
In a 2014 journal article revealed within the Oncology Nursing Discussion board titled, “The use of triangulation in qualitative research,” authors Nancy Carter, et al., lay out two views of information triangulation.
They argue that it’s each “using a number of strategies or information sources in qualitative analysis to develop a complete understanding of phenomena” and “a qualitative analysis technique to check validity by means of the convergence of data from totally different sources.”
Put into easier phrases, qualitative information triangulation helps us:
- Acquire a fuller understanding of a analysis matter or argument
- Put our analysis to the check by evaluating and contrasting it with totally different sources on the identical matter
Nicely-rounded arguments profit everybody, on a regular basis.
So in case you’ve been on the fence about whether or not to attract sources from multiple place or use multiple methodology in your analysis, take into account this your signal.
Do it.
Tips on how to Do Qualitative Knowledge Triangulation
Earlier than you start operating qualitative information triangulation, it’s useful to know the 4 varieties, as outlined by Carter et al.:
- Technique triangulation: Utilizing two or extra strategies to collect information
- Investigator triangulation: Counting on the involvement of multiple researcher to gather or analyze the info
- Concept triangulation: Analyzing the data utilizing totally different theoretical views
- Knowledge supply triangulation: Drawing data from a number of information sources, together with these from totally different instances, locations, and folks
Figuring out which sort of triangulation to deal with might be difficult.
We’ll discover every sort in additional element and counsel inquiries to ask your self once you’re tackling the start of the triangulation course of.
Technique triangulation
Technique triangulation means utilizing a wide range of analysis strategies to check the identical matter. In qualitative analysis, the most typical data-gathering methods are:
- Interviews
- Focus teams
- Statement
- Open-ended surveys or questionnaires
So, in qualitative analysis, methodology triangulation means gathering information utilizing at the very least two of those strategies.
However methodology triangulation may also imply looping in non-qualitative types of information assortment, like demographic data or responses to closed-question (yes-or-no and/or multiple-choice) surveys. Since we’re specializing in qualitative information right here, although, we’ll save mixed-method triangulation for one more day.
Proper now, our lens is firmly targeted on qualitative analysis.
Use methodology triangulation when:
- Leaning closely on one methodology will solely provide you with a partial view of your analysis query or matter. Say you’re sending out a survey to seek out what folks discover most demanding about in-person grocery buying. You get some fascinating solutions, however you need to dig deeper. You resolve to ship a gaggle of buyers right into a retailer with money and a grocery listing to look at their lived, in-the-moment experiences. Together with the survey responses, you now have a extra full image of frequent grocery-shopping stressors.
- It’s essential cross-validate findings from totally different strategies. Think about you’re doing in-depth interviews with staff to know their job satisfaction. On the similar time, you need to see if these self-reported experiences align with behaviors you possibly can observe throughout the workday. You resolve to pair the interviews with direct office observations. The purpose? To see whether or not the staff’ each day actions match their satisfaction ranges. When you see any inconsistencies, you possibly can go over them with the interviewee for a extra correct image of their expertise.
Investigator Triangulation
The purpose of investigator triangulation is to have multiple researcher (or workforce of researchers) analyze the identical set of information. Like a peer evaluation for a scholarly journal article, investigator triangulation helps cut back bias. This, in flip, strengthens the credibility of your analysis.
However it’s important to watch out to not invite researchers together with your similar opinions and biases to take part in any such triangulation. You don’t need them to substantiate every little thing you’ve researched. You need them to learn it line by line, grappling with the knowledge and pushing you to see it in a brand new gentle.
Attain out to folks in numerous—however associated—fields. Invite them to collaborate by analyzing your analysis and interesting with it from their very own viewpoints. Hear rigorously to what they need to say—don’t simply dismiss it since you don’t see issues the identical method.
That is the way you’ll get essentially the most well-rounded evaluation of your qualitative analysis.
Use investigator triangulation when:
- The analysis includes subjective interpretations or complicated subjects. In case your information could possibly be seen in a different way relying on the researcher’s perspective, then you definitely want recent eyes to take a look at it. When you’re learning how sufferers understand care in a hospital setting, for instance, one researcher would possibly deal with emotional elements like empathy. One other won’t take into account this in any respect and as a substitute deal with how environment friendly the care is. Each views are essential to your analysis.
- The subject is delicate or controversial. When you really feel like your information goes to ignite a firestorm of controversy, you want additional eyes. A number of them. The extra scrutiny earlier than the info will get revealed or used to tell a choice, the higher. You need minimal private bias—and most credibility.
Concept Triangulation
With concept triangulation, you aren’t utilizing totally different information assortment strategies or bringing in researchers with distinctive viewpoints.
As a substitute, you’re altering the lens by means of which you see the info.
This strategy challenges researchers to put aside their unique theories for analyzing data. It invitations them to make use of at the very least one extra, theoretical perspective once they sit all the way down to interpret the info.
Researchers normally use concept triangulation when their matter spans multiple self-discipline. When you have been learning human grocery buying habits, as an example, you could possibly analyze the outcomes by means of three lenses:
- Psychological: Examine how particular person decision-making processes, feelings, and cognitive biases have an effect on buying selections. Does impulse shopping for play a job? What about determination fatigue?
- Sociological: Study the affect of social components. Do cultural norms, peer strain, or household dynamics have an effect on buying habits? Does social class influence buying habits? If that’s the case, how?
- Financial: Analyze the consumers’ habits by means of the lens of cost-benefit evaluation, price range limits, and worth sensitivity. How do incentives like reductions or promotions affect purchases—or not?
Mainly, concept triangulation pushes you to think about issues from viewpoints you hadn’t earlier than. And it will possibly make the outcomes loads meatier than in case you relied on a single concept.
Use concept triangulation when:
- You’re learning a posh matter that would use a number of totally different theoretical views to be understood. Say you’re trying on the components behind worker motivation. You would possibly use psychological theories like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Must discover intrinsic motivators. Subsequent, you could possibly use financial theories to check how exterior components like monetary incentives affect efficiency.
- You need to examine or check the validity of a number of theories to see which framework most closely fits your information. Let’s think about you’re learning instructional outcomes. You might examine Constructivist Concept (targeted on how college students construct data) with Behaviorist Concept (targeted on reinforcement and self-discipline), to see which one higher explains pupil success.
Knowledge Supply Triangulation
With information supply triangulation, your purpose is to collect information from at the very least two sources, however in all probability greater than that.
What does this appear like in qualitative analysis?
It’d imply gathering information from:
- Archival information
- Textual evaluation of coverage/authorized paperwork
- Social media content material
- Information articles, blogs, and different media content material
- The feedback part of any discussion board, web site, or weblog
- Case research
- Literature and art work
The purpose of information supply triangulation is to check one matter utilizing these various information sources. (If you wish to pull from quantitative information sources like internet analytics and public databases, you are able to do that too.)
That is primarily one other technique to examine your analysis query from a number of views. However as a substitute of a gaggle of various researchers or a set of theories from a number of disciplines, these differing information sources are the opposite views.
Use information supply triangulation when:
- It’s essential accumulate information from totally different sources to collect views on a subject—with out direct interplay. For instance, say you’re learning public perceptions of local weather change. You need to seize the uncooked, unfiltered emotions and opinions behind this fraught matter. What higher place to go than social media discussions, information articles (and their feedback sections), and authorities stories? You’ll get tons of wealthy, in all probability brutally trustworthy information with out ever making your presence as a researcher recognized.
You need to validate findings throughout current qualitative information sources. Let’s say you’re learning stigmas on psychological well being points. You’ve already used methodological triangulation to collect qualitative information from interviews and surveys. Now, you need to examine this information with themes from on-line boards, weblog posts, and private memoirs. The information present in these sources will help validate your findings—or deliver up new questions and fascinating discrepancies to discover.
