One of the first aspects of qualitative research to evaluate is the robustness of the research questions. The research questions direct the qualitative study and provide a foundation for the analysis of the data. The research questions should be well-written and clearly define the focus of the study. Poorly constructed research questions often lead to confusing, uninterpretable results. In addition to the quality of the questions themselves, the study should gather and analyze data in light of these questions. There may be findings in addition to the analysis of the research questions, but the study should still have a clear focus.
Qualitative studies should describe all the tools and methods used to gather data and what data was collected. Some examples are audio recordings of interviews, transcripts, images including pictures and drawings and physical artifacts. If there is a source of data that is not included in the study, the researchers should state why the data were left out. For example, in educational settings the school may not allow the researcher access to students' grades. Triangulation of data is key to a solid qualitative study. Triangulation refers to using multiple sources of data to reach a conclusion. For example, if the conclusion is "Students in the science class were not motivated by the teacher's examples," it is more believable if the evidence comes from artifacts, interviews, observations and classroom transcripts than if it is based on interviews only. Triangulation adds authoritative weight to the conclusions.
The length of the study should be appropriate to the type of study conducted. Ideally, data collection should last for one cycle of the phenomenon being studied so that there is a natural stopping point. For example, studies of cultures may last for a set amount of years, studies of unique events (such as natural disasters) may last until the effects of the disaster are largely undone, studies in education may last a school year or semester. For any length of the study, the researchers should state how long the study will last in the introduction of the research paper. If the study's actual length varies from the stated desired length, the researchers should explain the reason for the difference.
How the participants in the study will be chosen by the researchers should also be clearly outlined. There must be a reason to choose certain participants and exclude others. Sometimes the researchers search and solicit participants from a group, and other times the participants choose the researchers (such as informants). In addition to describing the participant selection process and criteria, the research study should describe the participants themselves--their background, qualifications and any other information important for the interpretation of the data.
The study's conclusions and analysis should have direct and identifiable roots in the data. While the researcher's instincts and hunches may be the impetus for the conclusions, the study must show how the data gathered support these ideas. Additionally, qualitative studies benefit from additional examinations of prior research to help frame the results.