These standards provide much-needed criteria to guide researchers as well as journal editors, reviewers, and students. They also provide the critical elements of a qualitative study, including design choices, participant recruitment strategies, data analysis procedures, and the significance of the results.

Heidi Levitt explains the purpose and function of these standards, helping researchers strengthen the impact of their work. The book is relevant for varied qualitative methods and includes examples from APA journal articles to illustrate how writers can tailor their reporting style to their methodologies and goals. Levitt also details other key aspects of reporting qualitative research, such as how to establish a study's methodological integrity.