Peer Debriefing in Qualitative Research: Emerging Operational Models

Using a qualitative research methodology detailed by Lincoln and Guba, peer debriefing sessions were examined by interviewing education graduate students who completed dissertations and who participated in peer debriefing. The following patterns emerged: (a) Trust was the foundation for selection of the debriefer and the debriefing interaction, (b) the focus for the debriefer and researcher was on methodology, and (c) research skills were continuously developed. Analysis of the data also showed that debriefers worked in pairs or in small groups. Some debriefing groups met for the total time from proposal to dissertation defense, and others began at different stages of the research process. As a result, some groups relied on memory or journal notes for the review of collected data. Implications are included.