Writing Strategies for Rationalize Post-Study Decisions

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Finally, like all other Goals in the Methods, we need to ensure our choices are sound. Thus, the final strategy is to Rationalize Post-study Decisions. This Strategy is used to establish the credibility of data processing and/or analysis. We also use the Strategy to present a rationale for our choices and to indicate what statistical analyses or procedures were employed to ensure credibility of analysis. Once again, we are seeing a strategy devoted specifically to the justification of our actions. We saw this strategy used in the beginning, in the middle, and now at the very end of the Methods section.

Oftentimes, statements of establishing credibility are given in a complete sentence, for example:

a. “We secured credibility of the results by member-checking, inter-coder agreement, rich and thick description of the cases, and external audit.”

The rationale can also be tagged on as a short phrase at the beginning or end of a sentence:

b. “To ensure accuracy, data were coded by a second coder.”

Examples a and b both make the credibility of the analysis quite explicit simply by including a rationale in writing.

Here are some other patterns you may discover, but be on the lookout for more!