Open AccessGood listening: A key element in establishing quality in qualitative research
Author(s) -
Einat Lavee,
Guy Itzchakov
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
qualitative research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.285
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1741-3109
pISSN - 1468-7941
DOI - 10.1177/14687941211039402
Subject(s) - active listening , interview , qualitative research , reflective listening , quality (philosophy) , psychology , data collection , informational listening , qualitative property , semi structured interview , sociology , computer science , epistemology , social science , communication , philosophy , machine learning , anthropology , listening comprehension
What is “good” qualitative research? Considerable literature articulates criteria for quality in qualitative research. Common to all these criteria is the understanding that the data gathering process, often interviews, is central in assessing research quality. Studies have highlighted the preparation of the interview guide, appropriate ways to ask questions, and especially the interaction between interviewer and interviewee. To a lesser extent, qualitative scholars mention the importance of the interviewer’s listening abilities in obtaining the interviewee’s cooperation. Based on results of listening studies in the fields of psychology and organizational behavior, we argue that good listening is crucial for assessing the quality of qualitative research, yet remains a blind spot in qualitative data gathering. Drawing on our experience as qualitative researcher and listening researcher, we present practices for enhancing good listening in qualitative research, thereby enabling researchers to calibrate themselves as research instruments and obtain richer data.