Show me the data: research reproducibility in qualitative research

In quantitative methods, reproducibility is held as the gold standard for demonstrating research integrity. However, threats to scientific integrity, such as fabrication of data and results, have led to some journals now requiring data, syntax and prior registration of hypotheses to be made available as part of the peer-review. While qualitative research reproducibility has been questioned in the past, it has been protected from the recent transparency agenda. But for how long? What if journals mandated the sharing of data and analysis for qualitative research? These issues were addressed at a session in this year’s NCRM Research Methods Festival, held in Bath, where a panel of speakers debated whether there was indeed a ‘crisis’ and what ‘reproducibility’ approaches and standards might look for qualitative research.