Ten criteria for evaluating qualitative research proposals.

With the proliferation of interest in qualitative research in nursing comes the attendant problem of how to evaluate it appropriately. Qualitative research has its own unique history, philosophical foundations, and methodologies that separate it from the quantitative approach. Although the literature is crowded with guidelines for evaluating the latter, little is offered for the qualitative reviewer. The Research Proposal Evaluation Form: Qualitative Methodology is a partial solution to this dilemma. It provides a framework for critiquing the proposal phase of a qualitative study and can be an important guide both for the educator and for the novice researcher.