Module 6: Reflection as Research

Objectives:

• Identify some differences between reflection in practice and reflection in research
• Identify steps of reflective research
• Identify reflective strategies used in qualitative research (pair the two)
• Discuss ethical concerns in reflective research

Essential Questions:

• What are some differences between reflection in practice and reflection in research?
• What are the steps of reflective research?
• What are some reflective strategies used in qualitative research?
• What are some ethical concerns in reflective research?

 Differences Between Reflection in Practice and Reflection in Research

Critical reflection can occur naturally in our daily lives, but it can also be used in the context of qualitative research. Various disciplines, particularly those in the social sciences and health sciences, have begun to develop non-traditional forms of studying people’s experiences. This has given rise to different ways of knowing and research, such as participatory action research, cooperative inquiry, and narrative studies. While critical reflection on a daily basis is structured and applied through the frameworks discussed in earlier modules, critical reflection in research must meet the standards of rigor and trustworthiness required for empirical studies.

Reflective writing can be used in two ways during the qualitative research process (jasper, 2005).  Reflections can include primary sources of data such as: autobiographies, diaries, narratives, journals, logs, critical incidents, and reflections. Additionally, the researcher can use his or her own products as secondary sources of data: Field notes, reflection on action, writer interacts with and interprets the data, hunches, insights, feelings, dialogue with themselves as the researcher (Jasper, 2005).

Steps of Reflective Research

The steps of reflective research are similar to process that all qualitative researchers use. As noted in the prior section, researchers can use reflections as primary data collection instruments in qualitative studies. Chenail (2011) outlined 10 steps novice researchers can use to develop qualitative research studies:

1. Identify a topic of interest.
2. Draft a statement of interest and justify its scholarly and practical importance (with citations).
3. Narrow down the topic to a feasible, doable study. Justify the need for the study from research.
4. Compose an initial research question
5. Define goals and objectives for the study
6. Conduct a review of the literature
7. Design the study (problem, purpose, research questions, method, design, data collection instruments).
8. Conduct a self-assessment of skills: what skills do you have and what skills do you need in order to conduct the study.
9. Collect and analyze data.
10. Report the results.

As part of the study design process, the researcher first identifies the qualitative research design appropriate for the identified problem and determines if reflections as primary data are appropriate. Again, these primary sources of data can be diaries, personal narratives, journals, logs, and critical incidents. 

Reflective writing as primary data. Morley (2008) used critical reflection as a form of research or means of inquiry to explore how practitioners could use their own personal narratives to support victims or survivors of sexual assault through challenging legal processes. The problem emerged as a result of Morley’s (2008) experiences as a counselor working in the field of sexual assault. When working with these victims and survivors, Morley reported she repeatedly dealt with unresponsive legal personnel and processes. Other practitioners in the field experienced similar challenges. Thus, Morley (2008) contended that practitioners could reflect on these processes and generate theories that may not have been previously considered. Morley (2008) identified a theoretical and epistemological framework to undergird the study.

Morley (2008) met with six practitioners in a focus group (on two separate occasions) to talk about a critical incident of case from their practice that presented difficulties they had experienced with the legal system. Each participant made brief notes prior to coming to the meeting. Prior to the meetings, the participants wrote accounts of times they had felt powerless as an advocate for the victims or survivors. These critical incidents became the narrative through which the participants told their story. In the first meeting with participants, the practitioners deconstructed their experiences, which involved identifying and questioning dominant themes in the conversation. The practitioners examined the values and beliefs present in these accounts. Morley used critically reflective questions to guide this process. After the two meetings, Morley transcribed data and analyzed. This was followed by a reconstruction process during the second meeting when the participants looked for new discoveries and ideas that they may not have considered before. The participants discussed how particular ideas were created within existing social structures. Through this process, some participants realized that they had unknowingly contributed to their own powerlessness serving as advocates for their clients and identified ways they could challenge current processes. Through reconstruction of experiences, individuals may become open to change by looking at alternative ways to handle issues, thus empowering them to become active agents in their own world.

Reflective writing as secondary data. Reflective writing is also commonly used by researchers in qualitative studies as secondary data. Often the research will record field notes. For example, after conducting an interview, he or she may record thoughts on participants body language or reflections about the interview. The researcher can also interact with and interpret the data, hunches, insights, feelings, dialogue with themselves as the researcher. This process requires reflexivity to avoid bias in the study.

Reflexivity. Reflexivity is a skill inherent to both critical reflection and research which requires one to identify internal and external factors that influence social and cultural understandings. Fook defined reflexivity as one’s ability to recognize aspects of ourselves and contexts that influence the way we engage in research, or how we make meaning of our experiences (Fook 2007). She went further to discuss four ways one can engage with reflection:

1. Knowledge is embodied and social in nature, meaning our physical state and social position influence how we interpret and select information.
2. We filter or view knowledge through our own personal lens, based on our own prior experiences and social status; knowledge is subjective
3. The knowledge we build is, in part, determined by the tools and processes we use to gather information. We react based on our own beliefs to determine what knowledge is legitimate. The way we get that knowledge and how we use it influences what we find out. Observations will likely yield different meanings than conversations.
4. Knowledge is interactional in nature, influenced by history and structural contexts.

Ethical issues with Reflection in Research

Like all qualitative studies, use of reflection in research can pose some ethical concerns. These primarily concern challenges in rigor, authenticity, subjectivity, and methodology. One example might be that during the reflection process, the researcher may interpret the actions and meanings of others incorrectly. Or, a participant might disagree with the version the researcher creates. Using a carefully outlined data collection plan, audit trail, structured analysis process, data triangulation and decision trail can help the researcher avoid these issues. Finally, as mentioned earlier, the researcher should engage in reflexivity, when interacting with the data, standing back from the data and consider it against external criteria.

Conclusion

Critical reflection can be used to research personal practice or experiences to develop individuals’ understandings of themselves as “knowers or makers of knowledge” (Fook, 2008, p. 444). This process, whether used in daily practice, or applied in a formal research context helps individuals make connections between themselves and the larger environment. In sum, we begin to understand how our own beliefs and assumptions are influenced by and influence our social worlds. Fook (2008) indicated several benefits of critical reflection to include improved collegiality between colleagues at all levels of organizations, being open to new ideas and perspectives, motivation to find new and different ways of interacting with coworkers, new commitment to the job, better morale, developing strategies to deal with workplace issues, developing new visions of what professional practice. Reflection also provides benefits in qualitative research through the use of primary data generated from participants and secondary reflections generated by the researcher.

Reflection Questions

1. What are the primary differences in reflection in practice and reflection in research?
2. What is the importance of reflexivity in qualitative research?
3. Describe a qualitative research topic you might be interested in and how you might use specific reflective instruments as primary sources of data in the study.
4. What are some ethical concerns in reflective research?
5. What strategies can one use to overcome ethical issues in reflective research?

References

Chenail, R. J. (2011). Ten Steps for Conceptualizing and Conducting Qualitative Research Studies in a Pragmatically Curious Manner. The Qualitative Report, 16(6), 1715-1732. Retrieved from https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol16/iss6/13

Fook, J. (2007). Reflective Practice and Critical Reflection. In J. Lishman (Ed.), Handbook for Practice Learning in Social Work and Social Care, Second Edition: Knowledge and Theory. (pp. 363-75). Jessica Kingsley.

Jasper, M.A. (2005). Using reflective writing within research. Journal of Research in Nursing 10 (3). Pp. 247-260.

Morley, C. (2008). Critical reflection as a research methodology. In Knowing Differently: Arts-Based and Collaborative Research. Editors: P. Liamputtong, J. Rumbold, pp. 265-280. Nova Science Publishers, Inc.