Triangulation: Approach to Establish Credibility and Dependability of Qualitative Studies

1. Triangulation:
Approach to Establish Credibility and
Dependability of Qualitative Studies
Dr. Sankar Prasad Mohanty
Associate Professor of Education
Rama Devi Women’s University, Bhubaneswar
Email: sankarprasadmohanty@rdwu.ac.in

2. What is Triangulation?
• Literally refers something related to “Three”
• But in social science research literature, refers
to “multiple” method/approach to establish
credibility (synonym of validity) and
dependability (synonym of reliability) of
qualitative data.

3. • In quantitative research the Validity of findings is
established through single approach, but in
qualitative research “credibility” as well as
“dependability” of data is established through
multiple methods and/or approaches (e.g.
triangulation, member checking, prolonged stay).

4. For example
• In quantitative research, the data collected through
“tests” or “scales” from a single source, are not
necessarily supported by data collected through
other tools and/or from other sources.
• In qualitative research, the data collected through
“observations” or “interviews”, are essentially
supported by data through other tools (e.g. focus
group discussions, photographs, field notes) and/or
from other sources (e.g. parents, teachers,
neighbours).

5. Uses
• Currently, in mixed method approach to
research perspective, triangulation can be
used in almost all types of studies in social
sciences.
• Thus, triangulation is an approach to research
that uses a combination of more than one
research strategy in a single investigation.

6. Broad Purposes
• Qualitative investigators may choose
triangulation as a research strategy to assure
completeness of findings or to confirm
findings.

7. Assure Completeness
• The most accurate description of the elephant comes
from a combination of all three individuals' descriptions.
Confirm Findings
• Researchers choose triangulation to confirm findings
and conclusions.
• Any single qualitative research strategy has its
limitations.
• By combining different strategies, researchers confirm
findings by overcoming the limitations of a single
strategy.
• Uncovering the same information from more than one
helps researchers describe how the findings occurred
under different circumstances and assists them to
confirm the validity of the findings.

8. Types of Triangulation
1) Data Triangulation
• Time, Space, Person
2) Method Triangulation
• Design
• Data collection
3) Investigator Triangulation
4) Theory Triangulation
5) Multiple Triangulation
Uses a combination of two or more triangulation
techniques in one study

9. 1. Data Triangulation
Denzin (1989) described three types of data
triangulation: (1) time, (2) space, and (3)
person.
Time triangulation
• In time triangulation, researchers collect data
about a phenomenon at different points of
time so as to document changes over time.

10. Space triangulation
Space triangulation consists of collecting data at
more than one site.
Person Triangulation
In person triangulation, researchers collect data from
more than one level of person, e.g. parents,
teachers, community members.

11. 2. Method Triangulation
• Methods triangulation can occur at the level of design
or data collection.
• Methods triangulation at the design level has also
been called between-method triangulation and
methods triangulation at the data collection level has
been called within-method triangulation.

12. Design Level
• Design level triangulation uses quantitative methods
combined with qualitative methods in the study
design.
Data Collection Level
• Using methods triangulation at the level of data
collection, researchers use different techniques of
data collection (e.g. Surveys, FGDs, Interviews), each
within the same research tradition so as to provide a
holistic and better understanding of the phenomenon
under study.

13. 3. Investigator Triangulation
• Investigator triangulation occurs when two or
more researchers with divergent backgrounds
and expertise work together on the same
study.
• Multiple Investigators have prominent roles in
the study and their areas of expertise must be
complementary.
• All the investigators discuss their individual
findings and reach a conclusion, which
includes all findings.

14. 4. Theory Triangulation
• Theory triangulation incorporates the use of more
than one lens or theory in the analysis of the same
data set.
• In qualitative research, more than one theoretical
explanation emerges from the data.
• Researcher contrasts with different disciplines,
theories