Question

One approach to systematically integrating qualitative findings distinguished qualitative reports that are “summaries” and ones that are “syntheses;” the researchers argued for including only “syntheses” in a meta-synthesis. Which scholars are associated with this approach?

A. Noblit and Hare

B. Campbell and colleagues

C. Sandelowski and Barroso

D. Paterson and colleagues

Answer 1

C. Sandelowski & Barrosoh

each of the authors of these texts has acknowledged the complexity and challenges that haunt researchers who attempt metasynthesis.

together they have called for further explication of the method to contribute to an improved understanding of how best address such challenges.

a key task in conducting research integration studies is determining what features to account for in the research reports eligible for inclusion .

the authors propose that the finding in journal reports of qualitative studies in the health domain can be classified on a continuum of data transformation as no finding topical survey ,the sysmeatic survey ,conceptual /thematic surveyor interpretive explanation.

this article is based on completed work in an ongoing methodological study aimed at developing a usable and transparent protocol for combining the finding in reports of health related qualitative studies.

qualitative metasummaries are useful end products of research integration studies involving reports of finding in the form of qualitative surveys.

SYNTHESIS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

It focuses on the formal synthesis of qualitative research. whether different types of qualitative research based on different theoretical underpinning of their work are not always closely related to the methods actually used.

Method of synthesis

a number of different methods have been proposed for the synthesis of qualitative findings some of the methods maintain the qualitative form of the evidence such as meta-ethnography and some involve converting qualitative findings into a quantitative form such as content analysis.

some of which have been applied inconsistently. some terms used as qualitative meta -synthesis appear to have been in an over arching way to describe any synthesis of qualitative research.

the use of meta synthesis to describe any synthesis of qualitative research has been criticised on the grounds that is not specific to qualitative research

since what is being attempted is not at the meta-level of the synthesis but at the meta -level of the included studies.