Triangulation
Definition
Comparing independent quantitative and qualitative findings on the same research question to check whether they converge, add to each other, or contradict.
- Method
- Fixes position using two distances from two fixed points
- Purpose
- Records the exact location of an evidence item
- Requirement
- Two immovable reference points
- Field
- Crime scene documentation
Common questions
Why does triangulation need two fixed reference points instead of one?+
A single distance measurement only places the item somewhere on a circle around that point, but a second distance from a different fixed point narrows the location to a single intersection, fixing the item's position precisely.
What makes a reference point suitable for triangulation at a scene?+
It must be a permanent, identifiable fixture such as a corner of a building or a fixed piece of furniture, so that the measurement can be reproduced later if the scene is revisited or the documentation is challenged.
Related terms
- Convergent Design
- A mixed-methods design that collects quantitative and qualitative data in the same timeframe, analyses each strand separately, then merges the two at...
- Explanatory Sequential Design
- A mixed-methods design that collects and analyses quantitative data first, then uses a qualitative follow-up phase to explain a result the numbers...
- Exploratory Sequential Design
- A mixed-methods design that begins with qualitative data collection and uses what it finds to build or refine a quantitative instrument, such...
- Finished Sketch
- Off-scene drawing made later, to scale, with legend and compass. The courtroom version.
- Joint Display
- A table or matrix that places a quantitative result and the qualitative data addressing the same theme side by side so a...
- Meta-Inference
- A conclusion drawn only after both the quantitative and qualitative strands of a mixed-methods study have been integrated, rather than a conclusion...
- Rough Sketch
- On-scene freehand drawing with measurements, not drawn to scale. Made in the duty diary in pen, never erased.
- Scene Log
- The contemporaneous record of every person entering and exiting the inner cordon, with time stamps and roles; the foundational chain-of-custody document for...
- Three-Tier Perimeter
- The cordoning standard. An inner cordon around the body and evidence, a middle cordon around the search area, an outer cordon around...
Explained in these topics
- Mixed-Methods Research in Crime and Justice
- Securing and Documenting the Crime SceneA measurement method that fixes an evidence item's position using two distances from two fixed reference points.