Inquiry into issues of trustworthiness and quality in narrative studies: A perspective

Abstract

Many narrative studies subscribe to the criterion of verisimilitude as a form of quality check. However, such a criterion does not fully nor explicitly address the issue of quality or rigour. This paper examines a possible set of necessary criteria for evaluating narrative studies. It draws on the quality literature from the broader qualitative research field as well as the narrative research field. Specifically, it deals with the need to have a list of considerations to refer to in order to ensure acceptability and recognition of narrative studies' rigour. This paper posits that issues of trustworthiness, narrative truth, verisimilitude and utility need to be attended to for any narrative study to ensure its quality. © 2013: Jason Loh and Nova Southeastern University.