Issues of Representation within Qualitative Inquiry

Abstract

Although qualitative inquiry has developed into a popularized and very useful way of conducting research within the health sciences, there has been a relatively disproportionate amount of literature devoted to "who" is represented in such inquiries. It is most often assumed that the end text should present an objective, value-free, and accurate representation of the participants and therefore exclude by all means the researcher's presence from the study. Although this might hold grounds for some inquiries, it is not necessarily the norm of a qualitative research. In this article, the author argues that the representation of the researcher in qualitative inquiries is inevitable, and the exclusion, or not, of the researcher from the text is a mere conventional agreement founded on a paradigmatic consensus. He concludes with the notion that there is a correlation between issues of representation and the researcher's stated epistemological and ontological assumptions.

Quality of life and well‐being of people receiving haemodialysis treatment in Scotland: A cross‐sectional survey

“…Interpretive research also assumes that reality is socially constructed and that the researcher becomes the vehicle by which this reality is revealed (Walsham, 1995;Cavana et al, 2001). Hence, the researchers are not divorced from the phenomenon under study, but they must take into account their own position in the setting and situation as they are the main research tool (Mantzoukas, 2004). Being considered as a research tool is consistent with the construction of the social world characterised by interaction between the researcher and the participants (Mingers, 2001).…”

Complexity and reflexivity: Two important issues for economic evaluation in health care

“…Nonetheless, it has been suggested that the criterion of generalizability be replaced by transferability . In the qualitative literature, transferability of a research study implies the development of knowledge that, through critical reading and decision-making, can be contested and shared (Malterud, 2002;Mantzoukas, 2004). It places a requirement on researchers to give detailed descriptions of the intervention, context and process of data production to allow readers to assess the transferability to their settings Øvretveit, 2002).…”

“…Medical and biomedical sciences are dominated by the logical positivism of traditional science which assumes the existence of an objective and universal reality, and considers researchers as independent observers (FitzGerald, 1995;Herman, 1992;Kneebone, 2002;Malterud, 2002). However, contemporary theory of knowledge realizes that all scientific knowledge (including laboratory facts) is constructed and reflects the researchers' standpoints, thus criticizing the belief of a neutral observation (Haggerty, 2003;Latour & Woolgar, 1986;Lynch, 2000;Malterud, 2002;Mantzoukas, 2004). All scientific facts must be conquered, constructed, and confirmed (Bourdieu, 1992).…”

“…As a human activity, scientific research necessarily requires to be conducted by an individual or individuals. The researchers' ontological and epistemological stances (i.e., their attitudes towards the nature of reality, truth, and knowledge) are indicative of the perspectives represented in a research endeavor (Mantzoukas, 2004). Medical and biomedical sciences are dominated by the logical positivism of traditional science which assumes the existence of an objective and universal reality, and considers researchers as independent observers (FitzGerald, 1995;Herman, 1992;Kneebone, 2002;Malterud, 2002).…”

Can One Get Fish and Bear's Paws at the Same Time Ethical Dilemma of Qualitative Health Research in Chinese Culture

“…This could take us further into complicated ethical dilemmas of the various aspects of qualitative research. [4,5] Mencius, a Confucian thinker, said in <Gaozi> that "Fish are my favorite; bear's paws are also my favorites. If I cannot have both, I will choose bear's paws over fish."…”