Encouraging the use of reflexivity in the writing up of qualitative research

Abstract

There is no set formula to guide researchers in writing up qualitative research projects. Much writing up of any research tends to eliminate the self-analysis of the researcher. This article analyses the author's position in relation to the qualitative research process. Reflexive research is defined as a method that fully embraces and exploits the subjectivity of the researcher. Increasing reflexivity of research can increase the credibility and trustworthiness of qualitative data. In this article, examples from a qualitative study are used to illustrate how much of the reflexive self-analysis undertaken as part of the original design was lost in the study's formal scientific write-up. The reasons why writers are reluctant to write about the ‘self’ in published journals are explored. Two different approaches to qualitative writing up are discussed: the ‘realist’ and the ‘confessional’ approaches. The confessional approaches that were lost in the design and process of this study are described, taking power relationships as a theme for the examples cited. The need for both confessional and realist tales in the writing up of qualitative research is considered in relation to participant visibility and service user empowerment.