Types of generalizability in qualitative research

What is Theoretical generalization equivalent to in quantitative research?

A similar idea is construct validity because it refers to the "leap" from observable operationalizations to the unobservable construct.

Case-to-case generalization transferability) Who is responsible for the generalization? How does the reseacher enable generalization?

Applying the findings of a study to a different group of people or a different setting or context. In qualitative research case-to-case generalization is the responsibility of both the researcher and the reader of the research report. The researcher ensures that thick descriptions are provided so that the reader has sufficient information. The reader decides whether or not the new context is similar enough to the one described in the report for the findings to be applicable

Explanation Sample-to- population generalization What does it depend on? Why is it good/bad for qualitative research?

Applying the results of the study to a wider population.P It depends on how representative the sample is. The best way to ensure representativeness is to sample randomly However, since the nature of sampling in qualitative research is non-probabilistic, this type of generalization in qualitative research is a weak point.

What is case to case generalization equivalent to in quantitative research?

Ecological validity (generalizing from experimental settings to real-life settings)

Theoretical generalization When can we generalize to a broarder theory?

Generalizing results of particular observations to a broader theory. Theory plays much greater role in qualitative research. We can generalize to a broader theory if data saturation has been achieved. Data saturation is a point when further data does not add anything new to the already formulated conclusions and interpretations.

What is Sample-to- population generalization equivalent to in quantative research?

Population validity