In qualitative research, which concept refers to the trustworthiness and credibility of the research findings?

In qualitative research, the concept that best refers to the trustworthiness and credibility of the research findings is validity. Validity encompasses the degree to which the research findings accurately represent the phenomenon being studied and can reflect the truthfulness of the interpretations made by the researcher. This concept is central to qualitative work, as it addresses how well the research findings align with the realities of the participants' experiences and the context in which the study is conducted.

When qualitative researchers strive for validity, they often employ various techniques, such as member checking, triangulation, and peer debriefing, to enhance the credibility of their results. By ensuring that the findings are valid, researchers can argue for the trustworthiness of their conclusions, thereby reinforcing their contribution to understanding the phenomena under investigation.

In contrast, while reliability and authenticity are important, they do not specifically address the trustworthiness of findings in the same manner. Reliability often pertains to the consistency of a measure or the extent to which findings can be replicated, while authenticity refers to the genuineness of participants' voices and experiences presented in the research. Transferability is related to the extent to which findings from one study can be applied to other contexts, which also contributes to credibility but is a separate concern from validity.