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Abductive Reasoning and Qualitative Research

Lipscomb, Martin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7329-9221 (2012) Abductive Reasoning and Qualitative Research. Nursing Philosophy, 13 (4). pp. 244-256. ISSN Online: 1466-769X

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Abstract

Abduction, deduction and induction describe forms of reasoning. Deduction and induction are discussed in the nursing literature. However, abduction has been largely neglected by nurse scholars. In this paper it is proposed that abduction may play a part in qualitative data analysis – specifically, in the identification of themes, codes, and categories. Abduction is not, in research, restricted to or associated with any particular methodology. Nevertheless, situating abduction in qualitative research facilitates the identification of three interlinked issues. First, it is suggested that abductively derived claims require support from deductive and inductively sourced evidence if they are to ‘hold’ and, yet, in qualitative research this is clearly problematic. Second, difficulties in choosing between alternative plausible hypotheses (i.e. concerning theme, code, and category description) are explored through an examination of the ‘generality problem’. Third, the role of background and auxiliary theories in adjudicating between hypothesis options is discussed. It is argued that if qualitative researchers utilize abductive inference in the manner suggested, then the peculiarly fallible nature of abduction must be acknowledged and, in consequence, the action guiding potential of qualitative research findings is compromised.

Item Type: Article
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Uncontrolled Discrete Keywords: nursing research, qualitative research, applied research, explanation, abductive reasoning
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
R Medicine > RT Nursing
Divisions: College of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences > School of Nursing and Midwifery
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Depositing User: Martin Lipscomb
Date Deposited: 11 Sep 2015 10:16
Last Modified: 17 Jun 2020 17:08
URI: https://eprints.worc.ac.uk/id/eprint/3933

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