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Triangulation in research refers to the use of multiple techniques for gathering and/or handling data within a single study. The original purpose of triangulation was to seek confirmation of apparent findings. There now appears to be support for a second purpose - completeness. This paper reviews the arguments surrounding the use of triangulation, and shows how its use facilitated one researcher's attempt to provide a complete picture of the phenomenon explored in a qualitative study of the adequacy of the nurse education system in Malta
key words
* triangulation
* completeness
* confirmation
* qualitative research
* Malta
* nurse education
Introduction
Triangulation, according to Knafl and Gallo (1995), contributes to the overall quality of a study 'only to the extent that it facilitates the achievement of some clearly articulated purpose'. The usefulness of triangulation for confirmatory purposes depends on the premise that research should be a search for objective truth. Proponents argue that if there is truth to be found, the researcher should take a range of measures to ensure they find it. Opponents suggest that the existence of objective truth is often a flawed notion; consequently, confirmation as a purpose does not make sense.
With respect to completeness as a purpose, proponents assert that it offers the possibility of discovering a holistic view of the phenomenon under study, while opponents argue that 'triangulation', being a metaphor borrowed from the field of navigation, is not an appropriate term. The varied meanings and applications of the term suggest that the researcher needs to provide explicit clarification of, and justification for, the use of triangulation in a research study. Knafl and Breitmayer (1991) emphasise that to achieve completeness through a triangulated approach, researchers must be clear about their purpose and be able to demonstrate how their approach to triangulation contributes to the completeness of the resulting findings.
The meaning and purpose of triangulation in research
Denzin and Lincoln (1 994) explain that 'the combination of multiple methods, empirical stands, perspectives and observers in a single study is best understood as a strategy that adds rigour, breadth and depth to any invtitigatlon'. They point out that triangulation is not 'a tool or strategy for validation, but an alternative to validation'. They add, however, that Its use...