Rigour and Trustworthiness in the Study

Any worthwhile qualitative research must be able to withstand rigorous scrutiny in the scientific world (Conroy, 2003:33). In this study this was achieved by observing the principles of trustworthiness as outlined by Lincoln and Guba (1985), namely:

3.9.6.1 Credibility

Credibility refers to confidence in the truth or information as expressed by people within their environmental contexts (Leininger and McFarland, 2002:88). According to Koch (1999:977), credibility is further enhanced when researchers describe and interpret experiences, which is an indication of their involvement. As a result, credibility depicts the truthfulness of the experiences as lived by the participants.

The researcher increased the credibility of the study by explicating her beliefs and knowledge about the research. The researcher‘s personal interest was made explicit at the beginning of the data collection. Throughout the study the researcher continually explored her position and role, and how it influenced the participants‘ responses. Thus she was in a better position to approach the topic honestly and openly. By so doing the researcher employed the term ‗reflexivity‘ more than bracketing and continuously engaged in self-criticism and self-appraisal throughout

Page 81 the research process (Mitchmann, 2004:34). The researcher also provided preliminary findings to participants for critical commentary, thus aligning herself with Donalek (2004:516), who states that research is not truly phenomenological unless the researcher‘s beliefs are interrogated and incorporated in data analysis.

Explication of personal beliefs made the researcher more aware of the potential judgments that may occur during data collection and analysis based on the researcher‘s belief system rather than on the actual data as presented by participants. Triangulation as suggested by Holloway and Wheeler (1996:164), was also used in the methods of data collection whereupon face to face interviews were conducted. Observations were made and notes taken during the face-to-face interviews.

 Immersion into the data

Immersion in the data is a product of extended exposure to the data. In this study the researcher had prolonged engagement with participants through conducting in-depth interviews, transcribing these, reading and rereading these before analysis, such that she knew everything about the data to be able to develop themes and categories. Furthermore, transcriptions were taken back to the participants for verification and confirmation of interpretation. This prolonged relationship and openness built confidence in the participants that only their true experiences would be reported upon.

 Member checking

For credibility and validity Hammersley and Atkinson (1995:79), recommend the involvement of both insiders and outsiders. These consist of both participants as well as the scientific community which includes the researcher and her promoter. These provide a quality check on processes as well as on the data collected. In order to carry out the member checking, copies of the transcripts were sent to all the participants asking them to comment on their accuracy, correct them as required and provide supplementary explanations if they thought it necessary to do so. Data analysis and interpretation were clearly

Page 82 documented throughout the original work and these, along with the transcripts, remained available for the audit.

3.9.6.2 Dependability

‗Dependability‘ in qualitative research refers to ‗data stability over time and over condition‘ (Polit and Hungler, 2003:313). According to Crowford, Ceybourne and Arnott (2000:11), and (Guba and Lincoln, 1985:242 as cited in Holloway and Wheeler, 1996:160) dependability is parallel to reliability as conducted in qualitative studies. In dependability an enquiry must provide its audience with the evidence that, if it were replicated with the same or similar participants in the same or similar context, the findings would be repeated. However, the authors also acknowledge that reliability in qualitative research is difficult to achieve as participants change over time. The researcher in this study, treated such changes and shifts as hallmarks of maturing research. Silverman (2000:187) points out that one of the ways in which a research study may show dependability as opposed to consistency, is in the documentation of the process followed, known as the audit trail. An audit trail was established to enable other researchers to scrutinize the research method and the researcher‘s interpretations. Raw data in the form of the verbatim transcripts, with coded data and interpretations were provided for dependability.

3.9.6.3 Conformability

Conformability refers to ―the objectivity or neutrality of the data, such that two or more independent people would reach an agreement about the data‖ (Polit and Hungler, 2003:315). Conformability means that data are linked to their sources for the reader to establish that the conclusions and interpretations are directly from them. Leininger and McFarland (2002:88) state that documented verbatim statements and direct observational evidence from participants, situations and other people who firmly and knowingly confirm or substantiate the data or findings implies conformability. The researcher also sought confirmation from the participants that her interpretations were a true reflection of their experiences.

Page 83 3.9.6.4 Transferability

Transferability refers to the extent to which findings from data can be applied/transferred to other settings or groups and is thus similar to the concept of the ‗generalizability‘ of findings (De Vos, 2000:331). According to Leininger and McFarland (2002:88), ‗transferability‘ refers to whether the research process is clear enough for it to be replicated in other similar settings. In this study the researcher provided thick descriptions of the research process and where the findings could not be generalized the study could be replicated in similar situations.

3.10 Conclusion

Chapter 3 provided a detailed discussion of the research design, methodology and the reasoning strategies used. The findings are discussed in Chapter 4.

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CHAPTER FOUR

RESEARCH FINDINGS

4.1 Introduction

In Chapter 3 data analysis and the interpretive phenomenological process was discussed. In this chapter the research findings are presented in the meanings that the Black Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting students attaches to their

experiences. The findings are presented in the form of themes that emerged from the students‘ experiences of Accounting III in 2009.

The themes are discussed and supported by other published research work in the form of literature in order to demonstrate the usefulness and implications of the findings (Morse and Field, 1996:106). The literature was reviewed to formulate a foundation of knowledge on which to base the findings of the study (LoBiondo-Wood and Haber, 2007:79) and to establish whether the identified themes had previously been documented (verification of identified themes) in order to establish the

credibility of the findings. Furthermore, it points out the general agreements and disagreements among previous researchers on the identified themes and then indicates contextually where the study fits within the scientific body of knowledge.

4.2

Respondent’s Profile

Respondents Age Gender Years in Accounting III Race Home Language Participant 1 25-30 Male Second African Xhosa

Participant 2 20-25 Male First African Xhosa

Participant 3 25-30 Female Second African Xhosa

As indicated in the sample section, three respondents who dropped out of Accounting III in 2009 participated in this research. All three were from the University

Page 85 of Fort Hare‘s East London Campus in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Their ages ranged between 20 and 30 years. Two males and one female participated in the study. Their experiences within the Accounting Department ranged from two participants repeating Accounting III for the second time (participants 1 and 3) to one (participant 2) doing Accounting III for the first time. All three dropped out of the Accounting III course in 2009. All three students were African and Xhosa was their home language. Although gender was not a priority the sample consisted of two males and one female.