JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Qualitative research provides essential insights into human behaviors, perceptions, and experiences in health sciences. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ), published in 2007 and endorsed by the Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research (EQUATOR) network, substantially advanced transparency of qualitative research reporting. However, the recent rapid integration of large language models (LLMs) into qualitative research introduces novel opportunities and methodological challenges that existing guidelines do not address. LLMs are increasingly applied to tasks ranging from research design and data processing to data analysis and interpretation, and even direct interaction (“conversing”) with qualitative data. Yet their probabilistic nature, their dependence on underlying training data, and susceptibility to hallucinations necessitate dedicated reporting to ensure transparency, reproducibility, and methodological validity.

Objective:

This protocol outlines the development of COREQ+LLM, an extension to the COREQ checklist, to support transparent and responsible reporting of LLMs’ use in qualitative research. This study aims to: (1) identifying current applications of LLMs in qualitative research; (2) assess how LLM use in qualitative studies in healthcare is reported in published studies; and (3) develop and refine reporting items for COREQ+LLM through a structured consensus process among international experts.

Methods:

Following EQUATOR Network guidance for reporting guideline development, this study comprises four main phases. Phase 1 is a systematic scoping review of peer-reviewed literature from January 2020 to April 2025, examining the use and reporting of LLMs in qualitative research. The scoping review protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework on June 6th, 2025 (https://osf.io/bk42y) and will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Phase 2 will employ a Delphi process to reach consensus on candidate items for inclusion in the COREQ+LLM checklist amongst an interdisciplinary international panel of experts. Phase 3 includes pilot testing and phase 4 publication and dissemination.

Results:

As of May 2025, the Steering Committee has been established, and the initial search strategy for the scoping review has identified 5,049 records, with 4,201 remaining after duplicate removal. Title and abstract screening is underway and will inform the initial draft of candidate checklist items. The COREQ+LLM extension is scheduled for completion by December 2025.

Conclusions:

The integration of LLMs in qualitative research requires dedicated reporting guidelines to ensure methodological rigor, transparency, and interpretability. COREQ+LLM will address current reporting gaps by offering specific guidance for documenting LLM integration in qualitative research workflows. The checklist will assist researchers in transparently documenting LLM use, support reviewers and editors in evaluating methodological quality, and foster trust in LLM-supporter qualitative research. By December 2025, COREQ+LLM will provide a rigorously developed tool to enhance the transparency, validity, and reproducibility of LLM-supported qualitative studies.