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Open research questions in Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics

235 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 3,838 Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • the scarcity of sources from beyond Europe in the history of science, - the limitations of traditional methods in engaging with marginalized voices and worlds, - the need for a methodology that can address the complexities of asymmetrical archives

    Cross-Contextualization as Method · 2026 · DOI

  • This exclusion is not only an epistemological issue of limited knowledge perspectives but also an ethical problem of epistemic injustice (Fricker, 2007).

    Writing with research partners ‘from the field’: Plural knowledges and epistemic justice in qualitative research · 2025 · DOI

  • Future research could explore the use of NVivo in different qualitative research contexts. Further studies could investigate the potential of NVivo to support reflexivity in other research designs.

    NVivo as a reflexive tool for insider-researchers: early observations from an ongoing study · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research could explore the application of CUAR in different fields and contexts. Further studies could investigate the impact of CUAR on social justice and human well-being.

    Analysis in action research · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the literature regarding the philosophical underpinnings of action research. There is a need for increased transparency about the different research analyses in various fields.

    Analysis in action research · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of a cohesive, index-based method for measuring contextual coherence. The limitations of existing validity frameworks in addressing contextual alignment.

    The Challenge of Context-Free Validity: Introducing the Contextual Research Validity Index Framework for Situated Legitimacy under Socioeconomic Challenges · 2026 · DOI

  • the First, dimensions The CRVI provides a clear method for evaluating contextual alignment, but it has limitations that present opportunities for improvement. four (epistemic, institutional, cultural, and operational fit) capture essential aspects of contextual coherence. However, context is complex and may involve additional factors, such as political economy or environmental conditions. While the CRVI is intentionally concise, future research could explore the need for domain- specific adaptations or weighting. is is not Second, scoring the CRVI relies on interpretation, influenced by assessors' biases and which inherently expertise. This subjectivity problematic, as contextual legitimacy is relational, but it raises concerns about consistency and comparability between studies. Clearer guidelines, calibration exercises, or multi-stakeholder scoring could enhance reliability without making the tool overly mechanical. Third, the CRVI aims to bridge disciplines while focusing on the local context. This creates a tension; the framework cannot be fully universal without losing its contextual sensitivity. Future research should strive to balance general structure with local adaptability, possibly through modular extensions or flexible indicators.

    The Challenge of Context-Free Validity: Introducing the Contextual Research Validity Index Framework for Situated Legitimacy under Socioeconomic Challenges · 2026 · DOI

  • The data management was limited by the use of binary choice male/female tickbox categories for gender. Writers were not asked to provide their race or ethnicity.

    The sibling postcard exercise - substance and methodology · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research can build on the findings of this study by exploring the use of the written postcard exercise in different contexts. Further studies can investigate the significance of non-relational information in understanding sibling relationships.

    The sibling postcard exercise - substance and methodology · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies should investigate demand characteristics bias in different research contexts. The development of more reflexive methodologies is needed to address demand characteristics bias. Research should consider the ways in which research interactions influence participant responses.

    “I Thought I Should Give You Good Answers”: Evidence of Demand Characteristics Bias in a Research Interview · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of dedicated studies on the effects of demand characteristics on research participant behaviors outside laboratory settings. The study addresses this gap by investigating demand characteristics bias in a real-world research context.

    “I Thought I Should Give You Good Answers”: Evidence of Demand Characteristics Bias in a Research Interview · 2026 · DOI

  • The extent of non-dissemination in qualitative health research is unclear. The factors associated with publication in qualitative health research are unknown.

    Non-dissemination in qualitative health research—A retrospective cohort study of conference abstracts · 2026 · DOI

  • The book identifies a gap in the traditional dichotomy of quantitative and qualitative research methods. It seeks to provide a more nuanced discussion of approaches.

    Bell, E., Bryman, A., Kleinknecht, S. (Eds.). (2023). Social research methods (6th Canadian ed.). Oxford University Press. · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research could further explore Patti Lather's work and its impact on qualitative research. It could also examine the applications of Lather's concepts in various fields and contexts.

    Engaging Boldly to (Re)Think Methodology · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of Patti Lather's work and its impact on qualitative research. It highlights the need for further exploration of Lather's concepts and their influence on the field.

    Engaging Boldly to (Re)Think Methodology · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of frameworks to facilitate systematic analysis of methodology. The literature reveals a broken whole-part relationship between definitions and methodic practices.

    Reconnecting Definitions and Decisions in Research Methodology: A Continuum Framework Linking Worldview to Technique · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should explore the comparative and analytic utility of the framework for understanding methodological choices for a single methodology, for multiple methodologies from across paradigms, such as case study or grounded theory approaches (i.e., inter-paradigm methodological analysis), and for multiple methodologies within paradigms (intra-paradigm methodological analysis). These types of methodological analysis could be particularly fruitful for research methods courses and doctoral students, narrowing or justifying their dissertation methodology. The proposed solution may also serve as a companion artifact for those teaching, learning, or applying the theory of paradigms of disciplined inquiry (Lincoln et al., 2023).

    Reconnecting Definitions and Decisions in Research Methodology: A Continuum Framework Linking Worldview to Technique · 2026 · DOI

  • The tendency to equate practical value with actionability. The reduction of educational research to 'what works'. The lack of clear, shared criteria for judging practical relevance.

    Beyond applicability: Rethinking how educational research serves practice · 2026 · DOI

  • The concept of practical value is under-specified. The question of what it means for research to be valuable for practice remains surprisingly under-specified. The criteria for evaluating research quality rarely address the ways in which research is expected to resonate with, inform, or support educational practice.

    Beyond applicability: Rethinking how educational research serves practice · 2026 · DOI

  • Development of standardized reporting guidelines for LLM use in qualitative research. Investigation of the impact of LLMs on the quality and validity of qualitative research findings. Exploration of the potential applications of LLMs in qualitative research.

    The use and methodological reporting of large language models in qualitative research: a scoping review · 2026 · DOI

  • The scope, function, and reporting quality of LLM use in qualitative research remain poorly understood. Existing reporting guidelines for qualitative research provide minimal guidance for documenting LLM use.

    The use and methodological reporting of large language models in qualitative research: a scoping review · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research could investigate the effectiveness of teaching students to acknowledge limitations in master's dissertations. Further research could explore the relationship between the Limitations section and other sections of the dissertation.

    “This study has limitations as all studies do”: Structuring the Limitations Section in ELT Master’s Dissertations · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the discourse practices underlying the construction of the Limitations section in master's dissertations. Limitation statements have received limited attention in EAP writing, especially in master's dissertations.

    “This study has limitations as all studies do”: Structuring the Limitations Section in ELT Master’s Dissertations · 2026 · DOI

  • Excluding people in poverty from research, lack of inclusive empirical methods, limited understanding of poverty from the perspective of people living in poverty

    THIS IS WHAT POVERTY MEANS: A SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF A PARTICIPATORY POVERTY RESEARCH PROJECT IN JAPAN · 2026 · DOI

  • Traditional poverty research has been criticized for excluding people in poverty from the research itself. There is a need for more inclusive empirical methods that incorporate the perspectives of people with lived experience of poverty.

    THIS IS WHAT POVERTY MEANS: A SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF A PARTICIPATORY POVERTY RESEARCH PROJECT IN JAPAN · 2026 · DOI

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235 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 3,838 Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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