Trust and Applicability of Research Findings:

An Organizing Structure

Are the Research Findings Applicable?

For experimental, quasi-experimental, and survey research, generalizability of research
findings is an important goal. The research designs used for these studies prescribe
sampling procedures and the use of inferential statistics with the intention of
generalizing the results from the study sample to a larger target population. As
previously mentioned, although generalizability is not considered a goal of qualitative
research, or the goal of all quantitative research, for research to be valuable to and used
by practitioners, it needs some degree of applicability. Specific strategies to support
applicability are presented in Table 2.

For both quantitative and qualitative research, sampling plays an important role in
applicability. Were study participants and the study site or sites the “right” ones for the
study in terms of alignment with study purpose and questions; and in particular, in
terms of representativeness for quantitative studies? Were enough participants included
for appropriate statistical analysis for quantitative research and for data saturation for
qualitative research?

Table 2

Strategies to Support Applicability of Research Findings

Quantitative and Qualitative

 Provide a clear description of the study participants and setting/context.
 Provide a clear description of all variables/phenomena of interest that are part of
the study.
 Include the results of other, similar or related studies as part of literature review
and/or interpretation of results in the context of existing literature.
 Include multiple sites and/or groups in the study.

Quantitative
 Use a sufficiently large sample from
the target population.
 Use a random sample or
representative sample from the target
population.
Qualitative
 Use a purposive sample that
maximizes the relevance of data
collected.
 Use an adequate sample for
saturation.
 Facilitate naturalistic generalization.

This work by Tamara M. Walser is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0
International License. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc/4.0/.
 Trust and Applicability of Research Findings:
An Organizing Structure

Note: Facilitating naturalistic generalization can also support applicability of

quantitative research findings. By providing more description than is commonly
found in quantitative studies, researchers can facilitate linkages and resonance to the
personal experiences and situations of their audiences. In studies where statistical
generalizability is a goal, supporting naturalistic generalization can increase
applicability; in studies where statistical generalizability is not a goal, supporting
naturalistic generalization can contribute to applicability.

This work by Tamara M. Walser is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0
International License. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc/4.0/.