Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Background: Methodological choice in qualitative research is a critical process requiring the articulation of epistemological, philosophical, and technical foundations to understand complex social phenomena. Objective: To critically analyze the epistemological criteria and procedures guiding methodological selection in qualitative research projects. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines across Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, Redalyc, and Dialnet (2015-2026). After applying eligibility criteria and assessing methodological quality, exactly 11 studies were selected. Results: The analysis reveals that methodological choice is not merely technical but an epistemological stance. Tensions exist between rigorous data systematization and preserving the subjective richness of narratives. Hermeneutic, phenomenological, and ethnographic approaches demand strict coherence between the researcher's ontology and data collection techniques. Conclusions: The central epistemological finding demonstrates that qualitative validity relies not on neutrality, but on constant reflexivity, triangulation, and the dialogic co-construction of knowledge, successfully balancing scientific rigor with situated interpretive sensitivity.
Author: José Luis Rosario-Rodríguez
Institution: Instituto Superior de Formación Docente Salomé Ureña
Language: Spanish
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7213563003