How to judge? Qualitative literacy and process tracing studies

Abstract

We all had papers and research proposals rejected invoking standards that, at least to the qualitative researcher, were clearly not applicable: no external validity; difficult to replicate; mere description; selection on the dependent variable(!). We know the list. As Small and Calarco point out, qualitative research’s purview is growing but “qualitative literacy” is not keeping pace. That is, the competency of “others” to assess the quality of qualitative research is often insufficient.