PhD/Doctoral Qualitative Methods Rubric Description This rubric is designed to evaluate the quality and rigor of qualitative research conducted by PhD and doctoral students. It assesses key components of qualitative methodology; ensuring students demonstrate proficiency in research design; data collection; analysis; and interpretation. The rubric provides clear criteria for evaluating scholarly work; fostering academic growth and methodological precision. The rubric evaluates the research question’s alignment with qualitative inquiry; ensuring it is open-ended; exploratory; and suitable for in-depth investigation. Students must justify their chosen qualitative approach (e.g.; phenomenology; grounded theory; case study) and demonstrate its appropriateness for the research context. The rubric emphasizes the importance of ethical considerations; including informed consent; confidentiality; and reflexivity; ensuring responsible research practices. Data collection methods are assessed for rigor and relevance. Students must describe their sampling strategy; data sources; and procedures in detail; showing how they ensure credibility and trustworthiness. The rubric evaluates the depth of data analysis; requiring students to articulate their coding process; thematic development; and use of qualitative software (if applicable). Interpretations must be grounded in the data; with clear connections to existing literature and theoretical frameworks. Finally; the rubric assesses the clarity and coherence of the written presentation; including logical organization; transparency in methodological decisions; and adherence to academic writing standards. By using this rubric; students receive structured feedback that enhances their methodological skills; critical thinking; and ability to produce high-quality qualitative research. Faculty can use it to provide consistent; constructive evaluations that support students’ academic and professional development.
