Asking chatgpt to explain peer debriefing in qualitative research quality checking: a note for Housing Studies students

Asking chatgpt (accessed via poe.com) to explain peer debriefing in qualitative research quality checking: a note for Housing Studies students

My question 1: "I am a part-time Housing Studies student, currently studying the subject Research methods. I have come across a qualitative research quality checking task called peer debriefing. Could you brief me the basic ideas underlying peer review? Tks"

The reply from chatgpt: "Peer debriefing is a qualitative research quality-checking method that involves discussing your research with a colleague or peer who is not directly involved in your study. Here are the basic ideas underlying peer debriefing:

Objective Feedback: Peers provide an outside perspective, helping to identify biases, assumptions, or blind spots in your research. This can enhance the credibility of your findings.

Refinement of Ideas: Engaging in dialogue allows researchers to refine their interpretations and conclusions, improving the depth and clarity of the research.

Validation of Findings: Through discussions, peers can help validate the findings by challenging the researcher’s interpretations, ensuring that conclusions are grounded in the data.

Enhancing Rigor: Peer debriefing contributes to the rigor of qualitative research by fostering critical reflection and encouraging the researcher to think deeply about their methods and findings.

Support and Guidance: It offers emotional and intellectual support, which can be valuable during the often challenging process of qualitative research.

Documentation: Keeping records of these discussions can be useful for transparency and can be incorporated into the research report to demonstrate the process of quality assurance.

Overall, peer debriefing is a collaborative process that enhances the reliability and validity of qualitative research by incorporating diverse perspectives."

My question 2: "As I intend to conduct a few in-depth interviews to my gen z friends on their views on home ownership planning, could you propose a peer debriefing plan to me for my in-depth research interview?"

The reply from chatgpt: "Here’s a suggested peer debriefing plan for your in-depth interviews on Gen Z’s views on home ownership planning:

Peer Debriefing Plan

1. Select Peers

Choose 2-3 peers who have a background in housing studies or qualitative research. They should be familiar with your research topic or methodology.

2. Set Clear Objectives

Define what you want to achieve through the debriefing sessions. This could include:

Gaining feedback on your interview questions

Discussing preliminary findings

Identifying potential biases or assumptions

3. Schedule Regular Meetings

Plan for at least two debriefing sessions:

Pre-Interview Debrief: Before conducting interviews, discuss your research design, interview questions, and recruitment strategy.

Post-Interview Debrief: After interviews, share initial findings and interpretations.

4. Prepare Materials

For the Pre-Interview Debrief:

Provide your interview guide and any relevant literature.

For the Post-Interview Debrief:

Summarize your findings and any emerging themes from the interviews.

5. Facilitate Open Discussion

Encourage your peers to:

Ask clarifying questions

Challenge your assumptions

Suggest alternative interpretations of your data

6. Document the Discussions

Take detailed notes during the debriefing sessions, focusing on:

Feedback received

Suggested changes to your approach

Any new insights or perspectives

7. Incorporate Feedback

Reflect on the feedback and integrate relevant suggestions into your research process. This could involve revising interview questions or adjusting your analysis approach.

8. Follow-Up

After implementing changes, consider scheduling a follow-up session to share how the feedback was applied and discuss any new findings.

9. Conclude with Reflection

At the end of the debriefing process, reflect on the overall experience and document how it improved your research quality.

Timeline Example

Week 1: Select peers and schedule the first meeting.

Week 2: Conduct the pre-interview debriefing.

Week 3-4: Conduct in-depth interviews.

Week 5: Hold the post-interview debriefing.

This structured approach will help enhance the quality and credibility of your research on Gen Z’s views on home ownership planning."

My question 3: "Could you suggest specific questions for the debriefing sessions?"

The reply from chatgpt: "Certainly! Here are specific questions you can use for both the pre-interview and post-interview debriefing sessions.

Pre-Interview Debriefing Questions

Research Design

What are your thoughts on the overall research design? Is anything unclear or could it be improved?

Interview Questions

Do the interview questions effectively address the research objectives?

Are there any questions that seem leading or biased?

Would you suggest any additional questions or topics to explore?

Participant Recruitment

Do you think the criteria for selecting participants are appropriate?

How can I better reach Gen Z individuals who are willing to share their views?

Potential Biases

What biases do you think I might have in approaching this topic?

How can I mitigate these biases during the interviews?

Ethical Considerations

Are there any ethical concerns I should address in my research, particularly regarding confidentiality or informed consent?

Post-Interview Debriefing Questions

Initial Findings

Based on the summary of my findings, do you see any themes that I might have overlooked?

How do you interpret the data compared to my analysis?

Validity of Insights

Do you find the insights I gathered to be credible and representative of Gen Z views?

Are there any contradictions or unexpected findings that merit further exploration?

Analysis Approach

What do you think about my approach to analyzing the data? Is there a more effective method you would recommend?

Areas for Further Research

Based on the findings, what additional questions or areas for research do you think are worth pursuing?

Are there any external factors or literature I should consider that might provide context to my findings?

Feedback on Process

How do you think the interview process could be improved for future studies?

What did you find most interesting or surprising about the interviews?

Using these questions will guide constructive discussions and help you refine your research effectively."

Reference: a collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.