Stage 5: Terminating interview session: This stage was an indication that the interview had come to an end, this is where the researcher made an indication by using phrases such as “in
3.10. TRUSTWORTHINESS, DEPENDABILITY, TRANSFERABILITY AND CONFIRMABILITY
Qualitative studies use the trustworthiness term and principle to indicate reliability and validity (Koonin, 2014:258; Bryman, 2004: 30). These authors share the ideas that the term trustworthiness can further be categorised into dependability, confirmability, transferability, and credibility of the research findings to provide an understanding of a research phenomenon without the temptation to generalise findings to the population. These categories indicated by Koonin and Bryman are supported in Cilliers et al. (2014: 259) that the four distinct elements ‘transferability, credibility, dependability and confirmability’ must be used to develop trustworthiness in the study which is used to ensure both reliability and validity.
This research followed categorisation as recommended. In addition, it acknowledged the phase as important in order to ensure that the study had an impact and proved to have a reason to be trusted.
Koonin (2014: 258) argues that if a study uses the qualitative method to collect data, trustworthiness is important in providing the worldview of the experiences, realities of people, in-depth insight and analysis of responses of people from data interpretation within the field being investigated. When gaining perspectives from participants, acknowledging interpretations and insight brings trust and reality to the study. The researcher engaged with participants under this belief of trustworthiness. In qualitative research, credibility increases and ensures data reassurance when the explanation and findings are supported by participants in the study, according to Shenton (2004:65) and Polit and Beck (2008: 539). The authors state that a qualitative researcher identifies rigour of the inquiry by implementing credibility strategies, continuous and varied field experience, triangulation, flexibility, time sampling,
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peer consistency and member checking. For this study, the researcher achieved credibility through noting the perspectives and opinions of the academically resilient post-school youth who shared their lived experiences, which demonstrated academic resilience.
Shenton (2004:65) and Polit and Beck (2008: 539) further explain the other elements of trustworthiness and state that transferability is related to external validity. They highlight how the research findings can be applied to similar circumstances deriving similar results, enabling for the transferability of findings within an approach that does not lead to generalisability. The authors emphasise that the researcher must at all times provide an in- depth description of procedures and the process followed throughout the study for the transferability of findings. Data collection methods, data analysis and a detailed description of the research process allow replicability of the study aiding transferability (Koonin, 2014:259; Shenton, 2004:66). Polit and Beck (2008: 539) believe that transferability is based upon the generalisability of the data. This is proven when the discoveries can be transferred to or become applicable in other groups or settings. It is with this that Cilliers (2014: 258) as according to the context of this study, supports that the researcher must provide a summary of methods used in the study, which enable the findings to be functional, to produce similar results despite different settings, situations or groups.
Dependability equates to reliability and is the quality and ability to find the value of the process of integration between data collection, data analysis and findings generated from the data (Koonin, 2014:259; Shenton, 2004:66; Bryman (2004: 275). Dependability is maintained due to the detailed outline of the methodological process of the study. This approach involves the following processes, “ensuring that complete records of all phases of the research process-problem formulation are kept, selection of the research participants, fieldwork notes, interview transcripts and data analysis decisions” (Bryman, 2004: 275). According to Shenton (2004: 72), dependability ensures that the developments involved in the study are described in detail. This makes provision to permit future researchers to replicate the research, whether or not to achieve the same results (Shenton, 2004:72). Furthermore, dependability ensures that researchers are able to note the continuous change in the environment where the research is conducted (Litchman, 2010: 228). For the purpose of this study, dependability demonstrated the way in which the population under study can be used for another study, and perhaps produce the same results showing that the research is trustworthy and consistent.
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Confirmability refers to objectivity; the researcher comprehensively describes the research process allowing others to scrutinise the research design (Koonin, 2014:259; Shenton, 2004:66). Cilliers (2014: 259) also supports this definition of confirmability where he states that confirmability is used in qualitative research to demonstrate the efficiency of the data collected, and sustain the findings and understanding of the researcher. Lastly, the findings of the research should reflect the ideas and experiences, voices and the condition of the participants’ inquiry in the research as opposed to the views of the researcher, their biases, impulses or viewpoints (Polit & Beck, 2014: 323). Participants support the confirmability of the study (Shenton, 2004:66).
3.10.1. Overview of validity and reliability applied in this study
The researcher embarked on various activities and incorporated the application of multiple strategies for reliability and validity as recommended by Koonin (2014:252):
• The researcher triangulated various parts of the data collected through the semi- structured one-on-one and focus group interviews by testing evidence from the participant sources and used the information to justify the conceptualisation of the themes. Through this process, the research ensured validity and confirmed that the selected themes were based on the various sources of perspectives and data from participants.
• Member checking was used by the researcher to determine the accuracy of the findings from semi-structured and focus group interviews. This was done through descriptions and themes of data that had been selected from the raw data in the transcriptions. The researcher verified the accuracy and referred findings back to the post-school youth to establish if they agreed with the findings. The procedure was done through follow up interviews with some participants, providing an opportunity for comments.
• Peer debriefing was used by the researcher where sections on data analysis were sent to a peer in the field for review. The peer reviewer was not involved in the field work of the study which ensured accuracy.
79 3.11. SUMMARY
This chapter has, in detail, outlined the research paradigm of this study, the qualitative methodology and design, the strategies for data collection and instruments, the detailed research process as used in this study. There was a discussion of data analysis and sampling techniques including details on ethical issues.
The handling of the data, issues pertaining to validity and reliability of this study, as well as important ethical issues that guided the processes in the study were also described, discussed and explained in detail. Chapter 4 will focus on data presentation and findings of the study, where the data analysis processes will be discussed and demonstrated using the tools discussed in this chapter.
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DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION AND FINDINGS 4.1. INTRODUCTION
Chapter 3 provided a detailed discussion of the methodology employed in this study, the goals and objectives of the study. The outline of the chapter presented an introduction to the research methodology, research paradigm that guided the study and research design, used in gathering data from post-school youth in Tembisa. The data analysis process, ethical considerations; confidentiality issues that needed to be addressed; trustworthiness matters and summary of the chapter were part of the discussion. The study followed a qualitative research paradigm as guided by Creswell (2014:185) and Du Plooy-Cilliers (2014:98) when aiming to engage directly with participants to gain perspectives, understanding of the phenomenon and in-depth subjective responses on the investigated phenomenon.
The purpose of this chapter is to present a clear and detailed process of findings of the study and discussion where the researcher provides an in-depth analysis of data from the interpretation of qualitative data gathered through semi-structured one-on-one and focus groups interviews as guided when using a qualitative approach (Du Plooy- Cilliers, 2014:175;
Greeff, 2011;Klenke, 2008:130; Denzin &Lincoln, 2005). The researcher ensured that formal introductions were made between the researcher and the participants. The researcher explained the purpose of the study and the possible benefits and risks (none were shared as this is a low-risk study) associated with participating in the study. The researcher obtained formal informed consent through participants signing of the consent forms including permission to audio record interviews and use a pen and exam pad. Participants were informed that they could either answer the questions in English or any other African language. The researcher is proficient in IsiZulu and IsiXhosa. Each of the participants were provided with a copy of the explanatory statement, which explained the study and its purpose.
The introduction phase allowed the researcher time to build rapport with participants while abiding by the ethical research procedures.
As indicated earlier in Chapter 3, data analysis for this research was acquired through the process of the generated codes, patterns and themes that aimed at providing meaning to the data, based on the responses that addressed the research questions and objectives.
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This chapter reports and discusses qualitative data findings gathered in the study using the methodology and the research instruments described in chapter three. As indicated in chapter one of this study, due to the vastness of what encompasses a population, parameters were put in place to determine the suitability to participate. The population for the study was the youth between 18-30 years who lived in Tembisa Township and who displayed academic resilience through their efforts of pursued career paths. The criteria for choosing participants were that they needed to be registered learners at Ekurhuleni TVET College: Tembisa campus, which is where they were pursuing their careers.
In order to provide the context of the collected data, the researcher further used contents from the literature review in chapter two of this thesis. Both one-on-one and focus groups interviews were conducted on-site, at Ekurhuleni West College: Tembisa Campus. Three key venues were accessible to the researcher. The main Principal’s boardroom, the visiting staff office, and the Student Representative Committee offices (Table: 3.3). The semi-structured one-on-one interviews were scheduled to be conducted over an hour per participant and the focus groups were scheduled to be carried in approximately an hour and a half. The eight semi-structured one-on-one interviews and the two focus group interviews were audiotaped and transcribed by the researcher, as indicated in chapter three (Braun & Clarke, 2006:87;
Silverman, 2011:274). For capturing purposes, the interview sessions were also written down (Punch, 2009:174-175; Bezuidenhout & Cronje, 2014: 236). The researcher also provided participants with sheets where they populated their profile information, which is tabled in this chapter (Table 4.1 and Table 4.4). Pseudonyms were used to protect the confidentiality of participants in the study. Copies of transcribed interview data were made and stored safely.
The researcher in the coding and thematic analysis process used the other copies.