Ensuring Validity and Reliability in Phenomenographic Research Using the Analytical Framework of a Structure of Awareness

Abstract

The contentious issue of the rigour of qualitative research may have come full circle. Recent calls in the literature have promoted the return of the scientific terms and criteria of validity and reliability. This paper is concerned with how validity and reliability can be adapted to ensure rigour in phenomenographic research approaches. Eight requirements for validity are proposed and interjudge communicability is argued as an appropriate measure of reliability. The paper proposes that addressing the requirements is more straightforward if all aspects of phenomenographic research have been underpinned with the analytical framework of a structure of awareness. The requirements for ensuring validity and reliability are considered in terms of the framework and a phenomenographic study of undergraduate students' ways of experiencing information systems is used to illustrate the use of the framework to ensure rigour.

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