The Solid Epistemic Foundation of Qualitative Interviews
Location
DeSantis Room 1048
Format Type
Plenary
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
15-1-2020 9:15 AM
End Date
15-1-2020 9:35 AM
Abstract
Qualitative evaluation interviews produce testimony that has been long recognized as one of just a few primary sources of evaluation data. However, the extant literature on interviews as well as experiences of professional evaluators suggest that interview generated testimony is often challenged and discounted on the potential that a participant might be untruthful. Such challenges to interview testimony persist despite the application of rigorous qualitative methodology research expectations, practices, and inquiry norms designed to promote the quality and trustworthiness of interview testimony findings.
Accordingly, this paper presentation examines the epistemic status of interview generated testimony from the perspective of evaluation. We argue for the default acceptance of testimony based on cultural norms promoting truthfulness long recognized in the epistemology literature as well as the trustworthiness practices embedded within qualitative research methodology.
This paper also contributes to the larger discussion about the overall value and trustworthiness of qualitative research and evaluation. It addresses the fundamental and favorable epistemic perspectives of interviews from the discipline of philosophy in terms of knowledge creation .
Keywords
Interviews, Epistemic Standing of Testimony
The Solid Epistemic Foundation of Qualitative Interviews
DeSantis Room 1048
Qualitative evaluation interviews produce testimony that has been long recognized as one of just a few primary sources of evaluation data. However, the extant literature on interviews as well as experiences of professional evaluators suggest that interview generated testimony is often challenged and discounted on the potential that a participant might be untruthful. Such challenges to interview testimony persist despite the application of rigorous qualitative methodology research expectations, practices, and inquiry norms designed to promote the quality and trustworthiness of interview testimony findings.
Accordingly, this paper presentation examines the epistemic status of interview generated testimony from the perspective of evaluation. We argue for the default acceptance of testimony based on cultural norms promoting truthfulness long recognized in the epistemology literature as well as the trustworthiness practices embedded within qualitative research methodology.
This paper also contributes to the larger discussion about the overall value and trustworthiness of qualitative research and evaluation. It addresses the fundamental and favorable epistemic perspectives of interviews from the discipline of philosophy in terms of knowledge creation .
Comments
Thanks for considering this request. I have been working on this argument for at least two years and recognize that it is a work in progress.
Feedback from my colleagues would be very helpful at this time
Gary