Which elements contribute to rigor in qualitative thematic analysis?

• A. Credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability, triangulation, and an audit trail
• B. Large sample size and random sampling
• C. Statistical significance and p-values
• D. Randomization and blinding

Answer: (A)

In qualitative thematic analysis, rigor comes from trustworthiness—the idea that findings are believable and well supported by the data. This is built through several interrelated elements: credibility, which checks that the findings reflect participants’ experiences and are supported by evidence such as member checks or prolonged engagement; transferability, which relies on providing thick, descriptive detail so others can judge whether the findings apply in other contexts; dependability, which focuses on the consistency of the analytic process and is supported by thorough documentation and an audit trail; and confirmability, which ensures the results stem from the data rather than researcher bias, often protected by reflexivity and external audit. Triangulation adds further confidence by using multiple data sources, methods, or analysts to corroborate results, and an audit trail records how data were collected, coded, and interpreted so someone else can follow the analytic path. These components collectively address how well qualitative findings stand up to scrutiny.

Choices that emphasize large sample size and random sampling, statistical significance and p-values, or randomization and blinding are characteristics of quantitative research and experimental designs, not the qualitative criteria for rigor described above.