reflexive-practice

# Reflexive Practice in Qualitative Research Reflexivity is ongoing critical attention to how the researcher’s **identity, assumptions, relationships, and institutional location** shape every stage of inquiry—from question formation to writing. It supports transparency and can improve analytic nuance when balanced with methodological discipline. ## Types of reflexivity - **Personal reflexivity:** How your biography, emotions, and social identities affect access, rapport, and interpretation. - **Epistemological reflexivity:** What you believe counts as knowledge, how you relate to “truth,” and how that shapes coding and claims. - **Methodological reflexivity:** How method choices (sampling, interview style, software use) channel certain insights and foreclose others. ## Reflexive journal techniques Keep a dated journal separate from field notes. Useful prompts: - What surprised me today—did I dismiss it too quickly? - What did I want the participant to say—where is that desire from? - Which questions felt risky or leading after the fact? - How might a participant read my summary differently? Tag entries by **phase** (data collection, coding, writing) so you can trace evolution. ## Positionality statement components A strong statement often includes: social identities relevant to the setting; prior experience with the topic; power relations with participants; ethical stakes; how you mitigated bias (debriefing, triangulation, member checks where appropriate); limits of self-knowledge. Avoid performative confession; emphasize **analytic consequences**. ## Finlay’s reflexive strategies (overview) Linda Finlay catalogued multiple reflexive moves used across interpretive traditions—e.g., monitoring intersubjective dynamics, bracketing (where phenomenologically aligned), and questioning ostensibly “neutral” descriptions. Pick strategies that fit your paradigm; do not paste phenomenological bracketing into GT without justification. ## Glaser: reflexivity vs theoretical sensitivity Glaser emphasizes **theoretical sensitivity** earned through analytic practice and broad reading, warning against **over-insertion** of the researcher’s story as if it were participant data. Reflexivity in GT should discipline **forcing** and **narcissistic narrative**, not replace **constant comparison** with self-analysis. ## Ongoing reflexive practice (habits) - Schedule **post-interview memos** before the next task. - Review code definitions when you notice emotional charge around certain themes. - Use peer debriefing to externalize blind spots. - When writing discussion sections, ask: **for whom** is this conclusion plausible, and **what counter-story** exists in the data? ## Reporting reflexivity Include a concise reflexivity subsection or appendix in dissertations/articles; link reflexive insights to **methodological decisions** (why sampling shifted, why a category was split). ## Checklist - [ ] Journal maintained; entries tied to decisions and surprises. - [ ] Positionality articulated with analytic implications. - [ ] Paradigm-appropriate reflexive strategies chosen. - [ ] GT: reflexivity supports openness; does not substitute for comparison. - [ ] Peer or mentor dialogue used to counter self-deception. ## References (starting points) - Finlay, L. (2002). “Outing” the researcher: The provenance, principles, and practice of reflexivity. *Qualitative Health Research*. - Berger, R. (2015). Now I see it, now I don’t: Researcher’s position and reflexivity in qualitative research. *Qualitative Research*. - Glaser, B. G. *Theoretical Sensitivity* — on sensitivity without autobiographical takeover.