This paper argues for three aspects of tolerance with respect to QCA research: tolerance with respect to different approaches to QCA; producing QCA research with tolerance (work that is resistant to criticism); and for QCA researchers to be clear about the tolerance of the solutions they present -- especially in terms of calibration and truth…

A recent paper proposed an alternative weighting scheme when performing matching-adjusted indirect comparisons. This alternative approach follows the conventional one in matching the covariate means across two studies but differs in that it maximizes the effective sample size when doing so. The appendix of this paper showed, assuming there is one…

The purpose of this paper is to identify key characteristics and forms that both research approaches use within the applied field of education. In this paper, we ask--how are CPAR and IS-GR similar and different? And, can tools or propositions from each be used in tandem within a research project? We invite readers to consider useful frameworks…

The last decades have seen an enormous growth in published research and evaluations, which makes it difficult for a researcher to stay up-to-date in their own field, let alone complement their knowledge with insights from other fields. In this paper we give an elaborate overview of a methodology that aims to tackle this task. It builds on the…

Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is an empirical research method that has gained some popularity in the social sciences. At the same time, the literature has long been convinced that QCA is prone to committing causal fallacies when confronted with non-causal data. More specifically, beyond a certain case-to-factor ratio, the method is…

This paper explores the prospects of combining Grounded Theory (GT) and Action Research (AR) methodologies to spark further methodological discussion. GT and AR methodologies are sometimes used together in the same study without a discussion of their methodological compatibility. However, different iterations of GT and various forms of AR may…

Increasingly, the broader public, media and policymakers are looking to qualitative research to provide answers to our most pressing social questions. While an exciting and perhaps overdue moment for qualitative researchers, it is also a time when the method is coming under increasing scrutiny for a lack of reliability and transparency. The…

In this article, we consider the use of the zero-truncated binomial distribution as a randomization device while estimating the population proportion of a sensitive characteristic. The resultant new estimator based on the zero-truncated binomial distribution is then compared to its competitors from both the efficiency and the protection point of…

Recent findings from social attention research suggest direct engagement with others is a necessary condition for the social cognitive development of both autistic children and their typically developing peers. These findings come from studies that have used eye-tracking technology and paradigms for measuring social attention in naturalistic,…

In this paper, we utilize both English and German language scholarly literature to describe the use of four core concepts in child protection. Using the scholarly literature, we address the research questions: (1) How are these four concepts used in regard to child protection services? (2) How do these four concepts address and reflect the social…

Uncertainty undermines causal claims; however, the nature of causal claims decides what counts as relevant uncertainty. Empirical robustness is imperative in regularity theories of causality. Regularity theory features strongly in QCA, making its case sensitivity a weakness. Following qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) founder Charles Ragin's…

To date, hundreds of researchers have employed the method of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) for the purpose of causal inference. In a recent series of simulation studies, however, several authors have questioned the correctness of QCA in this connection. Some prominent representatives of the method have replied in turn that simulations…

Does the moral requirement that medical research comparing the effectiveness of two treatment methods be done only when there is community level equipoise also apply to research in teaching and learning comparing the effectiveness of two instructional methods? This article argues that it does. It evaluates three claims that the requirement does…

The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast frameworks for evaluating methodological rigor in single case research. Specifically, research on high-probability requests to increase compliance in young children was evaluated. Ten studies were identified and were coded using 4 frameworks. These frameworks were the Council for Exceptional…

The use of phenomenology and phenomenography as a method in the educational research literature has risen in popularity, particularly by researchers who are interested in understanding and generating knowledge about first-person events, or the lived experiences of students in certain educational contexts. With the rise of phenomenology and…