This article examines the development of the concept of transferability in qualitative research and how it is similar to and different from generalization. Transferability is a process of abstraction used to apply information drawn from specific persons, settings, and eras to others that have not been directly studied. The concept of transferability has been minimally discussed in the social science and social work literature. The more widely used term, generalization, is poorly distinguished from transferability. This article explores the development of the concept of transferability in qualitative research, clarifying how it differs from universal generalization. Issues of who makes such transfers are examined. Several methods for conceptualizing transfers are detailed. Some types of generalization identified in the literature seem more accurately described as transfers when conceptualized fully.

中文翻译：

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定性研究中的可转移性和泛化


本文探讨了定性研究中可迁移性概念的发展，以及它与泛化有何相似和不同。可转移性是一种抽象过程，用于将从特定的人、环境和时代中提取的信息应用于尚未直接研究的其他信息。可转移性的概念在社会科学和社会工作文献中很少被讨论。使用更广泛的术语“泛化”与“可转移性”很难区分。本文探讨了可迁移性概念在定性研究中的发展，阐明了它与普遍概括的不同之处。谁进行此类转移的问题受到审查。详细介绍了几种概念化传输的方法。文献中确定的某些类型的概括在完全概念化后似乎更准确地描述为迁移。