On the Aesthetics of Qualitative Research

Abstract

The longstanding debate concerning the credibility of qualitative work and the increasing interest in computerized systems for qualitative data are, arguably, manifestations of efforts to make qualitative research more closely resemble conventional science. Computer technology, in particular, is transforming the look and feel of qualitative work. Yet, qualitative research continues to convey the feeling tone of art. Although the sciences and the arts involve different aesthetics, they share common aesthetic criteria for evaluation, such as beauty and style. Recognition of the aesthetic in works of science and art suggests that both artistic and scientific canons of criticism be used for evaluating qualitative work.