Published 7 August 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a1035
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a1035

Practice

Qualitative Research

Critically appraising qualitative research

Ayelet Kuper, assistant professor1, Lorelei Lingard, associate professor2, Wendy Levinson, Sir John and Lady Eaton professor and chair3

1 Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and Wilson Centre for Research in Education, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room HG 08, Toronto, ON, Canada M4N 3M5 , 2 Department of Paediatrics and Wilson Centre for Research in Education, University of Toronto and SickKids Learning Institute; BMO Financial Group Professor in Health Professions Education Research, University Health Network, 200 Elizabeth Street, Eaton South 1-565, Toronto , 3 Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Correspondence to: A Kuper ayelet94@post.harvard.edu

Related to doi: , 10.1136/bmj.a288doi: , 10.1136/bmj.39602.690162.47doi: , 10.1136/bmj.a1020doi: , 10.1136/bmj.a879doi: 10.1136/bmj.a949

Six key questions will help readers to assess qualitative research

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.


Appraising qualitative research is different from appraising quantitative research
Qualitative research papers should show appropriate sampling, data collection, and data analysis
Transferability of qualitative research depends on context and may be enhanced by using theory
Ethics in qualitative research goes beyond review boards’ requirements to involve complex issues of confidentiality, reflexivity, and power


Over the past decade, readers of medical journals have gained skills in critically appraising studies to determine whether the results can be trusted and applied to their own practice settings. Criteria have been designed to assess studies that use quantitative methods, and these are now in common use.

In this article we offer guidance for readers on how to assess a study that uses qualitative research methods by providing six key questions to ask when reading qualitative research (box 1). However, the thorough assessment of qualitative research is an interpretive act and requires informed reflective thought rather . . . [Full text of this article]


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