How to Evaluate the Quality of Qualitative Research in Physiotherapy (Part 3) with Dr Melanie Farlie

Dr Melanie Farlie is a Senior Lecturer in Monash University's Department of Physiotherapy. Mel is an educator, physiotherapy researcher and developer of the Balance Intensity Scale. 

In part 3 of this four-part series, Mel explains the process of appraising the quality of qualitative research, using the example of the study by Katherine Lawler and colleagues. Access the study here: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2024.2343822

Follow along using the COREQ checklist here: https://www.equator-network.org/reporting-guidelines/coreq/

In this episode:

• 0:00 Introduction to the episode
• 1:25 Why we need to evaluate the quality of qualitative research?
• 2:51 Checklists you can use – the COREQ checklist. Don’t forget to look at the supplementary material for your article
• 6:45 Reflexivity: The research team and how they manage their biases. Why this is important?
• 12:20 The relationship between researchers and participants. A guide to understanding
• 16:10 The interviewer characteristics and why they matter. Relating qualitative research to the interviews we do with patients in the clinic
• 19:30 Study design – what is a theoretical framework? Examples of theoretical frameworks. Real world practical applications of qualitative research
• 29:05 Study setting and data collection – where was the study conducted? Who was present at the interviews? What questions were asked (topic guide) 
• 30:40 How big is the dataset? Looking beyond the sample size. The concept of ‘information power’
• 33:24 What are the most important things to consider from the quality appraisal so far?

Coming up next:  In the final part of this series (part 4) we will finalise our quality appraisal of the qualitative study by Lawler and colleagues and give you our tips for applying what you have learned in the clinic or in your research studies.

Read more about Dr Melanie Farlie here: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/melanie-farlie

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This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.