On Becoming a Qualitative Researcher: The Value of Reflexivity

Authors

Diane Watt, University of OttawaFollow

Abstract

Learning how to conduct qualitative research may seem daunting for those new to the task, especially given the paradigm ’s emphasis on complexity and emergent design. Although there are guidelines in the literature, each project is unique and ultimately the individual researcher must determine how best to proceed . Reflexivity is thus considered essential, potentially facilitating understanding of both the phenomenon under study and the research process itself . Drawing upon the contents of a reflective journal, the author provides an inside view of a first project, making connections between theory and practice. This personal narrative highlights the value of reflexivity both during and after a study, and may help to demystify the research process for those new to the field

Keywords

Reflexivity, Research Journal, Qualitative Methodology, and Student Researchers

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank the editors of The Qualitative Report for their invaluable comments on earlier versions of this paper.

Publication Date

3-1-2007

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2007.1645

Recommended APA Citation

Watt, D. (2007). On Becoming a Qualitative Researcher: The Value of Reflexivity. The Qualitative Report, 12(1), 82-101. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2007.1645