The Nature of Qualitative Evidence

Book excerpt: What constitutes qualitative evidence? This book will break new ground by providing urgently needed standards for qualitative inquiry and tackle the significant issues of what constitutes qualitative evidence. In particular, this book will address the place of qualitative evidence in the planning delivery, and evaluation of health care. The authors first examine the status of qualitative research as evidence versus as "opinion." They then examine such topics as: who decides what counts as evidence, the nature of outcomes, how to evaluate qualitative evidence, constructing evidence within the qualitative project, and research utilization and qualitative research. They conclude with perspectives on the issue of standards for qualitative investigation.