Table 2.

Goba and Lincoln approach

Goba and Lincoln criteria	Goba and Lincoln make use of reliability or trustworthiness criterion to evaluate the quality of qualitative data. Reliability is simply the extent to which the findings of a qualitative research can be relied upon or trusted. They believe that the reliability criterion includes four separate but inter-related criteria as follows:	Reliability criterion
Credibility	In a credible research, the data are consistent and correlated, and not scattered and contradictory.	Using the triangulation techniques like confirmatory sources
Reliability	The ability to identify the origin of the data of a particular study, the way of their collection and the way they are used.	Using the structured processes of convergent interviewing for data recording and interpretation / Using a steering committee to evaluate and implement the interview plan
Confirmability	The researcher must show that the findings are both actually and really based on data.	Long-time contact with the research setting, continuous observation and exchange of opinions with peers
Transferability	Transferability deals with the applicability of research findings. Transferability is the degree in which the findings of a qualitative study can be transferred to a different environment and applied for a different population.	Using special procedures of data coding and analysis of symbols/Development and full description of the desired research dataset during the data collection stages

The content has been summarized from Abbaszadeh. J Appl Sociol 2012;23:19-34 [33].