The Diversity of Quality An Assessment of Quality Criteria for Qualitative Research from the Perspective of Analytical Sociology

Abstract

This paper uses the quality criteria proposed by Strübing and colleagues as an opportunity to discuss their usefulness from the perspective of analytical sociology as well as the need for "analytical-empirical"quality criteria for qualitative research. Two potential blind spots of analytic-empirical quality control are discussed. First, the possibility of theory construction from rich empirics through adequate methods, and, more generally, the neglect of the context of discovery in analytical-empirical research; second, an overly rigid notion of methods. The fruitfulness of Strübing et al.'s proposals is discussed regarding those potential weaknesses. Although there is room for improvement with respect to the first blind spot, the quality criteria are too vague and too specific at the same time. On the one hand, they contain too few guiding principles for systematic methods research as well as quality determination in particular cases, on the other hand, their justifications already contain implicit commitments to certain methods. In the second part of the paper, selected analytical-empirical quality criteria are discussed: 1) quality criteria of theory building, 2) internal and external validity, and 3) transparency and reproducibility. Analytical-empirical quality criteria exist for all aspects of the research process and not only (as claimed) for the narrow aspect of measurement. The selected requirements concern a more general level above particular methods as well as the qualitative-quantitative distinction. They should therefore be given greater consideration in a comprehensive list of criteria for qualitative research.