Triangulation in Canadian doctoral dissertations on aging

Abstract

Triangulation has been increasingly used in gerontological research. It is unknown, however, whether this approach has been implemented by emergent scholars in the field. The goal of this article is to provide review of Canadian doctoral dissertations in the field of aging with the following questions in mind: Is triangulation common in doctoral dissertations on aging in Canada? What triangulation strategies are used by doctoral students? What implications to doctoral education could these data have? The authors searched the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database (from May 1966 to November 2011) and reviewed 66 doctoral dissertations that met the inclusion criteria. The findings revealed recent proliferation in use of triangulation strategies in doctoral dissertation research on aging in Canada. Methodological triangulation, data source triangulation and multiple triangulation were found as the most widely used triangulation strategies by emergent scholars, whereas theoretical and investigator triangulations were less common. Implications for gerontological research and education are discussed.