Moving Beyond Data Transcription

Abstract

Rigor in qualitative research has been based upon criteria of credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability. Drawing upon articles published during our editorship of the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, we illustrate how the use of digital data in research study reporting may enhance these areas of rigor, and can provide more detailed and nuanced representations that move beyond print-based transcriptions. Data shared demonstrate how including digitally rich artifacts in research articles deepens readers' access to the content, forces authors to show and not just tell of the connections to practice, and ultimately improves the rigor of the study. We also address challenges and solutions to potential problems of using digital data in research reports.