title: Qualitative Evaluation Methods in Ethics Education: A Systematic Review and Analysis of Best Practices.
abstract: Although qualitative research offers some unique advantages over quantitative research, qualitative methods are rarely employed in the evaluation of ethics education programs and are often criticized for a lack of rigor. This systematic review investigated the use of qualitative methods in studies of ethics education. Following a review of the literature in which 24 studies were identified, each study was coded based on 16 best practices characteristics in qualitative research. General thematic analysis and grounded theory were found to be the dominant approaches used. Researchers are effectively executing a number of best practices, such as using direct data sources, structured data collection instruments, non-leading questioning, and expert raters. However, other best practices were rarely present in the courses reviewed, such as collecting data using multiple sources, methods, raters, and timepoints, evaluating reliability, and employing triangulation analyses to assess convergence. Recommendations are presented for improving future qualitative research studies in ethics education.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Oklahoma , Norman , Oklahoma , USA.
authors.forename: Logan L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Oklahoma , Norman , Oklahoma , USA.
authors.forename: E Michelle
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Oklahoma , Norman , Oklahoma , USA.
authors.forename: Tyler J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Mulhearn
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology , University of Texas at Arlington , Arlington , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Kelsey E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Oklahoma , Norman , Oklahoma , USA.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mumford
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Oklahoma , Norman , Oklahoma , USA.
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Connelly
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D004992:Ethics, Medical / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D036301:Qualitative Research; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Best practices; ethics education; ethics instruction; qualitative evaluation methods; qualitative research