Workshop on Scientific Foundations of Qualitative Research
Abstract
This report is organized into two major sections- general guidance for developing qualitative research projects and recommendations for strengthening qualitative research. The intent of the first section of the report is to serve as a primer to guide both investigators developing qualitative proposals and reviewers evaluating qualitative research projects.The second section of the report presents workshop recommendations for designing, evaluating, supporting, and strengthening qualitative research. Workshop participants recognized the importance and prestige of NSF funding, the desirability of making qualitative projects competitive in the NSF review process, and the value of research resources provided by an NSF award. Workshop members made two sets of recommendations: recommendations for the design and evaluation of qualitative research projects and recommendations for supporting and strengthening the scientific foundations of social science qualitative research in general.