Research Validity and Rigor Questions

Assess understanding of research validity, reliability, and methodological rigor across qualitative and quantitative studies. Candidates should be able to identify threats to validity including sampling and measurement issues, describe common biases such as selection bias, confirmation bias, and observer bias, and explain concrete mitigation strategies including careful recruitment, triangulation of data sources, protocol standardization, coder training, and preregistered analysis plans. Include statistical considerations such as sample size estimation, statistical power, effect size interpretation, confidence intervals, multiple comparison adjustments, and responsible interpretation of statistical significance. For qualitative work cover approaches to ensure trustworthiness such as reflexivity, thick description, audit trails, member checking, and intercoder reliability checks. Also address ethical considerations, participant privacy, transparent reporting of limitations, and how to communicate confidence and uncertainty in findings so stakeholders can make informed decisions.