Qualitative Wisdom Inspired by Fiction
Hello Qualitative Mind,
I recently read a couple of books, The Dutch House (a novel) and The Choice (a memoir), that had a strong theme in common. Both authors talked about our ability to look at past events and start seeing them differently, with a new perspective, because we know what we know now, in the present. Now, in the present, we’re people that we weren't in the past and we didn’t know what we didn't know back then.
Complex?! Yes, but read it again and let it sink in.
This notion made me think about qualitative research {in the sense of choosing your worldview, your paradigm or, perhaps, the theories that will guide your work}. I think that very often when we're writing a proposal or starting a graduate program, it's absolutely daunting and hard to choose a paradigm {let alone to understand what our ontology and epistemology are}. We struggle to understand those concepts and even more to name them in our research.
However, as we go through the research process, we gain a level of maturity and new understanding. This level of understanding allows us to look back at those things (our worldview, ontology, epistemology, positionality) with fresher, more mature and more knowledgeable eyes. What I want to say with this whole story about books and looking at past events, is that in qualitative research it's never too late to define or change your paradigm and/or theoretical framework - even if you are already analyzing your data or writing your results and discussion.
It’s acceptable to change. You’re allowed to change your mind in a research process that is meant to be iterative. I think this is also a consequence of being responsive and of engaging in the practice of reflexivity. We could also call it the growing pains of qualitative research.
Recently, a member of the Quali Q community asked me if she could use a certain theoretical framework to frame her discussion and writing and the answer was yes. You just have to remember that you still need to have robust rationale and sufficient details in the description of your methods. In other words, how you did your research matters regardless of the theory that you're using to inform your qualitative work. Using a well-established theoretical framework is super valuable, but it does not eliminate the need for thoroughly outlined methods.
You need to substantiate your qualitative writing by explaining how you did your research, how you sampled and recruited participants, how you collected your data, how you analyzed and interpreted the results. Theory helps, and is much needed, but it’s not enough to make your qualitative research mic-drop-worthy.
Like much else in life, there is not one simple answer, one magic pill. Impactful, useful and publishable qualitative health research is a result of everything that happens between design and writing.
Talk soon,
Maira