Improving reporting of meta-ethnography: The eMERGe reporting guidance

Emma F France; Maggie Cunningham; Nicola Ring; Isabelle Uny; Edward A S Duncan; Ruth G Jepson; Margaret Maxwell; Rachel J Roberts; Ruth L Turley; Andrew Booth; Nicky Britten; Kate Flemming; Ian Gallagher; Ruth Garside; Karin Hannes; Simon Lewin; George W Noblit; Catherine Pope; James Thomas; Meredith Vanstone; Gina M A Higginbottom; Jane Noyes

doi:10.1002/pon.4915

Improving reporting of meta-ethnography: The eMERGe reporting guidance

Emma F France
, Maggie Cunningham
, Nicola Ring
, Isabelle Uny
, Edward A S Duncan
, Ruth G Jepson
, Margaret Maxwell
, Rachel J Roberts
, Ruth L Turley
, Andrew Booth
, Nicky Britten
, Kate Flemming
, Ian Gallagher
, Ruth Garside
, Karin Hannes
, Simon Lewin
, George W Noblit
, Catherine Pope
, James Thomas
, Meredith Vanstone

Gina M A Higginbottom, Jane Noyes

University of Stirling
Edinburgh Napier University
Cardiff University
University of Sheffield
University of Exeter Medical School
eMERGe project
University of Leuven
South African Medical Research Council, Capetown
University of North Carolina
Southampton University
EPPI-Centre, Institute of Education, University of London
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
University of Nottingham
University of York

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

AIMS: The aim of this study was to provide guidance to improve the completeness and clarity of meta-ethnography reporting.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based policy and practice require robust evidence syntheses which can further understanding of people's experiences and associated social processes. Meta-ethnography is a rigorous seven-phase qualitative evidence synthesis methodology, developed by Noblit and Hare. Meta-ethnography is used widely in health research, but reporting is often poor quality and this discourages trust in and use of its findings. Meta-ethnography reporting guidance is needed to improve reporting quality.

DESIGN: The eMERGe study used a rigorous mixed-methods design and evidence-based methods to develop the novel reporting guidance and explanatory notes.

METHODS: The study, conducted from 2015 to 2017, comprised of: (1) a methodological systematic review of guidance for meta-ethnography conduct and reporting; (2) a review and audit of published meta-ethnographies to identify good practice principles; (3) international, multidisciplinary consensus-building processes to agree guidance content; (4) innovative development of the guidance and explanatory notes.

FINDINGS: Recommendations and good practice for all seven phases of meta-ethnography conduct and reporting were newly identified leading to 19 reporting criteria and accompanying detailed guidance.

CONCLUSION: The bespoke eMERGe Reporting Guidance, which incorporates new methodological developments and advances the methodology, can help researchers to report the important aspects of meta-ethnography. Use of the guidance should raise reporting quality. Better reporting could make assessments of confidence in the findings more robust and increase use of meta-ethnography outputs to improve practice, policy, and service user outcomes in health and other fields. This is the first tailored reporting guideline for meta-ethnography. This article is being simultaneously published in the following journals: Journal of Advanced Nursing, Psycho-oncology, Review of Education, and BMC Medical Research Methodology.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	447-458
Number of pages	12
Journal	Psycho-Oncology
Volume	28
Issue number	3
Early online date	15 Jan 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4915
Publication status	Published - Mar 2019

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France, E. F., Cunningham, M., Ring, N., Uny, I., Duncan, E. A. S., Jepson, R. G., Maxwell, M., Roberts, R. J., Turley, R. L., Booth, A., Britten, N., Flemming, K., Gallagher, I., Garside, R., Hannes, K., Lewin, S., Noblit, G. W., Pope, C., Thomas, J., ... Noyes, J. (2019). Improving reporting of meta-ethnography: The eMERGe reporting guidance. Psycho-Oncology, 28(3), 447-458. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4915

@article{36f6d4efdab047079973912645012f6d,

title = "Improving reporting of meta-ethnography: The eMERGe reporting guidance",

abstract = "AIMS: The aim of this study was to provide guidance to improve the completeness and clarity of meta-ethnography reporting.BACKGROUND: Evidence-based policy and practice require robust evidence syntheses which can further understanding of people's experiences and associated social processes. Meta-ethnography is a rigorous seven-phase qualitative evidence synthesis methodology, developed by Noblit and Hare. Meta-ethnography is used widely in health research, but reporting is often poor quality and this discourages trust in and use of its findings. Meta-ethnography reporting guidance is needed to improve reporting quality.DESIGN: The eMERGe study used a rigorous mixed-methods design and evidence-based methods to develop the novel reporting guidance and explanatory notes.METHODS: The study, conducted from 2015 to 2017, comprised of: (1) a methodological systematic review of guidance for meta-ethnography conduct and reporting; (2) a review and audit of published meta-ethnographies to identify good practice principles; (3) international, multidisciplinary consensus-building processes to agree guidance content; (4) innovative development of the guidance and explanatory notes.FINDINGS: Recommendations and good practice for all seven phases of meta-ethnography conduct and reporting were newly identified leading to 19 reporting criteria and accompanying detailed guidance.CONCLUSION: The bespoke eMERGe Reporting Guidance, which incorporates new methodological developments and advances the methodology, can help researchers to report the important aspects of meta-ethnography. Use of the guidance should raise reporting quality. Better reporting could make assessments of confidence in the findings more robust and increase use of meta-ethnography outputs to improve practice, policy, and service user outcomes in health and other fields. This is the first tailored reporting guideline for meta-ethnography. This article is being simultaneously published in the following journals: Journal of Advanced Nursing, Psycho-oncology, Review of Education, and BMC Medical Research Methodology.",

author = "France, \{Emma F\} and Maggie Cunningham and Nicola Ring and Isabelle Uny and Duncan, \{Edward A S\} and Jepson, \{Ruth G\} and Margaret Maxwell and Roberts, \{Rachel J\} and Turley, \{Ruth L\} and Andrew Booth and Nicky Britten and Kate Flemming and Ian Gallagher and Ruth Garside and Karin Hannes and Simon Lewin and Noblit, \{George W\} and Catherine Pope and James Thomas and Meredith Vanstone and Higginbottom, \{Gina M A\} and Jane Noyes",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2019 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley \& Sons Ltd.",

year = "2019",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1002/pon.4915",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

pages = "447--458",

journal = "Psycho-Oncology",

issn = "1057-9249",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Ltd",

number = "3",

}

France, EF, Cunningham, M, Ring, N, Uny, I, Duncan, EAS, Jepson, RG, Maxwell, M, Roberts, RJ, Turley, RL, Booth, A, Britten, N, Flemming, K, Gallagher, I, Garside, R, Hannes, K, Lewin, S, Noblit, GW, Pope, C, Thomas, J, Vanstone, M, Higginbottom, GMA & Noyes, J 2019, 'Improving reporting of meta-ethnography: The eMERGe reporting guidance', Psycho-Oncology, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 447-458. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4915

TY - JOUR

T1 - Improving reporting of meta-ethnography

T2 - The eMERGe reporting guidance

AU - France, Emma F

AU - Cunningham, Maggie

AU - Ring, Nicola

AU - Uny, Isabelle

AU - Duncan, Edward A S

AU - Jepson, Ruth G

AU - Maxwell, Margaret

AU - Roberts, Rachel J

AU - Turley, Ruth L

AU - Booth, Andrew

AU - Britten, Nicky

AU - Flemming, Kate

AU - Gallagher, Ian

AU - Garside, Ruth

AU - Hannes, Karin

AU - Lewin, Simon

AU - Noblit, George W

AU - Pope, Catherine

AU - Thomas, James

AU - Vanstone, Meredith

AU - Higginbottom, Gina M A

AU - Noyes, Jane

PY - 2019/3

Y1 - 2019/3

N2 - AIMS: The aim of this study was to provide guidance to improve the completeness and clarity of meta-ethnography reporting.BACKGROUND: Evidence-based policy and practice require robust evidence syntheses which can further understanding of people's experiences and associated social processes. Meta-ethnography is a rigorous seven-phase qualitative evidence synthesis methodology, developed by Noblit and Hare. Meta-ethnography is used widely in health research, but reporting is often poor quality and this discourages trust in and use of its findings. Meta-ethnography reporting guidance is needed to improve reporting quality.DESIGN: The eMERGe study used a rigorous mixed-methods design and evidence-based methods to develop the novel reporting guidance and explanatory notes.METHODS: The study, conducted from 2015 to 2017, comprised of: (1) a methodological systematic review of guidance for meta-ethnography conduct and reporting; (2) a review and audit of published meta-ethnographies to identify good practice principles; (3) international, multidisciplinary consensus-building processes to agree guidance content; (4) innovative development of the guidance and explanatory notes.FINDINGS: Recommendations and good practice for all seven phases of meta-ethnography conduct and reporting were newly identified leading to 19 reporting criteria and accompanying detailed guidance.CONCLUSION: The bespoke eMERGe Reporting Guidance, which incorporates new methodological developments and advances the methodology, can help researchers to report the important aspects of meta-ethnography. Use of the guidance should raise reporting quality. Better reporting could make assessments of confidence in the findings more robust and increase use of meta-ethnography outputs to improve practice, policy, and service user outcomes in health and other fields. This is the first tailored reporting guideline for meta-ethnography. This article is being simultaneously published in the following journals: Journal of Advanced Nursing, Psycho-oncology, Review of Education, and BMC Medical Research Methodology.

AB - AIMS: The aim of this study was to provide guidance to improve the completeness and clarity of meta-ethnography reporting.BACKGROUND: Evidence-based policy and practice require robust evidence syntheses which can further understanding of people's experiences and associated social processes. Meta-ethnography is a rigorous seven-phase qualitative evidence synthesis methodology, developed by Noblit and Hare. Meta-ethnography is used widely in health research, but reporting is often poor quality and this discourages trust in and use of its findings. Meta-ethnography reporting guidance is needed to improve reporting quality.DESIGN: The eMERGe study used a rigorous mixed-methods design and evidence-based methods to develop the novel reporting guidance and explanatory notes.METHODS: The study, conducted from 2015 to 2017, comprised of: (1) a methodological systematic review of guidance for meta-ethnography conduct and reporting; (2) a review and audit of published meta-ethnographies to identify good practice principles; (3) international, multidisciplinary consensus-building processes to agree guidance content; (4) innovative development of the guidance and explanatory notes.FINDINGS: Recommendations and good practice for all seven phases of meta-ethnography conduct and reporting were newly identified leading to 19 reporting criteria and accompanying detailed guidance.CONCLUSION: The bespoke eMERGe Reporting Guidance, which incorporates new methodological developments and advances the methodology, can help researchers to report the important aspects of meta-ethnography. Use of the guidance should raise reporting quality. Better reporting could make assessments of confidence in the findings more robust and increase use of meta-ethnography outputs to improve practice, policy, and service user outcomes in health and other fields. This is the first tailored reporting guideline for meta-ethnography. This article is being simultaneously published in the following journals: Journal of Advanced Nursing, Psycho-oncology, Review of Education, and BMC Medical Research Methodology.

U2 - 10.1002/pon.4915

DO - 10.1002/pon.4915

M3 - Article

C2 - 30644150

SN - 1057-9249

VL - 28

SP - 447

EP - 458

JO - Psycho-Oncology

JF - Psycho-Oncology

IS - 3

ER -

Improving reporting of meta-ethnography: The eMERGe reporting guidance

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