Reflexive Accounts and Accounts of Reflexivity in Qualitative Data Analysis

Abstract

While the importance of being reflexive is acknowledged within social science research, the difficulties, practicalities and methods of doing it are rarely addressed. Thus, the implications of current theoretical and philosophical discussions about reflexivity, epistemology and the construction of knowledge for empirical sociological research practice, specifically the analysis of qualitative data, remain underdeveloped. Drawing on our doctoral experiences, we reflect on the possibilities and limits of reflexivity during the interpretive stages of research.We explore how reflexivity can be operationalized and discuss reflexivity in terms of the personal, interpersonal, institutional, pragmatic, emotional, theoretical, epistemological and ontological influences on our research and data analysis processes. We argue that data analysis methods are not just neutral techniques.They reflect, and are imbued with, theoretical, epistemological and ontological assumptions -including conceptions of subjects and subjectivities, and understandings of how knowledge is constructed and produced. In suggesting how epistemological and ontological positionings can be translated into research practice, our article contributes to current debates aiming to bridge the gap between abstract epistemological discussions and the nitty-gritty of research practice. KEY WORDSdata analysis / epistemology / methodology / methods / ontology / qualitative research / reflexivity 413 Sociology

The first antenatal appointment: An exploratory study of the experiences of women with a diagnosis of mental illness

“…Reflexivity enables the reciprocal sharing of knowing between the researcher and participants. However, as Mauthner and Doucet (2003) point out, there is often a limit to how reflexive a researcher can be, and to what extent they can make sense of the research at the time of conducting it (2003:415). Expectations, bias and assumptions may only become apparent once the research is completed.…”

Researching elite education: affectively inferred belongings, desires and exclusions

“…As Pini (2004) outlines, reflexivity is about awareness of oneself as a researcher, taking into account how participants may seek to 'position' you. It allows us to make sense of the kinds of performance engaged in while in the field and the affective relations established (see also Mauthner & Doucet, 2003). All of this shapes how data are co-constructed, the analysis is approached, and the manner in which particular findings are foregrounded (Martino et al, 2013).…”

Research to engage voices on the ground in educational development

“…Literally, the voices of the participants lie at the heart of the VCR method which directs the researcher to exercise intensive listening, not only during the interviews, but also while reading and interpreting the interview transcripts. Sociologists Mauthner and Doucet (1998;2003) have built a model based on focused readings of interview transcripts. During the first reading the researcher takes into the analysis the overall story, their own reaction to the story, including their emotional and intellectual responses and pre-conceived ideas and assumptions about the story and the people involved.…”