The document discusses qualitative research synthesis (QRS) as an approach to analyze, synthesize, and interpret results from qualitative studies. QRS produces syntheses grouped around particular topics or questions in order to develop a "web of knowledge" and highlight gaps. It connects knowledge across studies and can act as an important medium for theory building. The basic process of QRS involves identifying related qualitative studies, examining their theories and findings in-depth, comparing results, synthesizing findings, and presenting an interpretive narrative across studies. Defining the parameters of a QRS includes formulating a research question, identifying and selecting relevant studies to appraise, and reflecting on the process.

1. Qualitative Research Synthesis
an introduction

2. Some initial thoughts
• Qualitative research often small-scale, emphasising the ‘particular’ or ‘unique’
• Increasingly criticised for lack of generalisability from a policy perspective
• ‘What works’, reductive agendas rely more heavily on quantitative approaches
• Need for methodologies which focus on drawing out wider patterns from qualitative
studies

3. Qualitative Research Synthesis
‘an approach which uses qualitative methods to analyse, synthesize and interpret the
results from qualitative studies…..’
(Major and Savin-Baden, 2010:10)
• One way in which we can synthesize studies and combine knowledge
• Produces syntheses grouped around particular topics or questions
• With specialisation can come fragmentation – QRS is one way of trying to make knowledge more connective
• Connective approach which helps develop a ‘web of knowledge’ which also highlights gaps
• By bringing studies together, syntheses can be an important medium for theory building
• Development of breadth as well as depth
• RCTs cannot answers all questions, QRS offers an alternative methodology which can act as a basis for policy

4. The basic process
Identify studies related to a research question
Collate qualitative studies across a large area of literature
Examine the theories and methods used in each study in-depth
Compare and analyse findings for each study
Synthesize findings for each study
Undertake an interpretation of findings across the studies
Present an interpretive narrative about the synthesis of
findings
Provide a series of recommendations
(Major and Savin-Baden, 2010:11)

5. Defining the parameters for the study
Formulate the question
Identify studies
Select a sample of studies
Appraise studies
Finalize the sample
Reflect upon the process
(Major and Savin-Baden, 2010:44)

6. What is perceived to be effective
— and from whose perspective —
when considering interventions
used by occupational therapists in
mental health?
A qualitative research
synthesis examining the
effectiveness of
interventions used by
occupational therapists in
mental health
Katherine Wimpenny, Maggi Savin-Baden,
and Clare Cook
British Journal of Occupational Therapy
June 2014, 77(6)

7. Example of synthesized data