Exploring Identity

 Exploring Identity

            The article is about an exploratory research that focuses on six qualitative researchers whose initial aim was to find out who they were as qualitative researchers and how they came to how they identified themselves as such. The methodology used was autoethnography, where the researchers filled out answers to two questions: who they were as a qualitative researcher and how they came to identify as qualitative researchers. Several discussions were done online, as the researchers reviewed each other’s responses to the questions. In the process of seeking to understand who they were, the researchers realized that this narrowed down to what they do as qualitative researchers. From their experiences, several common themes appeared, and these were compressed to six major themes: building epistemology, as an art or craft, qualitative research as a social bridge, why qualitative research need legitimating and stewards of people’s lives (Roger et al., 2018).

The role of a researcher in qualitative research is that of a subjective observer. Thus the researcher has a relation to the researched. A qualitative researcher has to closely interact with the participants while collecting information to bring out their assumptions. They are further required to reflect on the data based on their perception thoroughly. At this point, the researcher’s introspection, a factor that is often overlooked, comes into play. The researcher’s introspection plays a significant role in determining the conclusion of the analyzed information. Due to differences in outlooks, what one perceives as the truth, different qualitative researchers engaging in the same study can make different conclusions. It is thus crucial for a researcher to understand who they are. By focusing on introspection, a qualitative researcher will be able to know their identity, which continuously develops and reevaluated based on the environment under study. In this case, a qualitative researcher was established to be made of different characters and dictated by various factors. This then led the research to evolve further into finding out what qualitative researchers do.

The article displays the information needed to understand the reason for the research. It begins with a summary of the research problem. It is clearly explained that the identity of a qualitative researcher is not usually considered as a factor in the outcome of the research. A chronological of events that led to the study is told. The participants, six researchers, Dr. K. Roger, Dr. T. Bone, Dr. T. Heinonen, Dr. K. Schwartz, Dr. J. Slater, and Mr. S. Thakrar are part of the Qualitative Research Group that focuses on creating a link between qualitative research and actual world occurrences. During one of their seminars, the group discussed qualitative research and identity. The group found that they were all interested in finding out why they chose to become qualitative researchers, despite their different backgrounds and the fact that quantitative research is often preferred over qualitative research. The methodology incorporated was autoethnography. Each researcher had to reflect using questions and write down the professional journey that led to them identifying as qualitative researchers. The whole research was solely qualitative as the researchers provided their experiences in writing, and at different stages, everyone analyzed the responses. The article explains the systematic procedure in which the research was conducted, making it replicable. Comparisons and contrasts were used, giving rise to new questions that were reflected on and could be reflected on in future studies. The works of other researchers were also recognized if used at any stage.

During discussions, the researchers realized they barely knew anything about their identity as qualitative researchers. They thus set out to find answers to two research questions, who they were as a qualitative researcher and how they came to that understanding (Rogers et al., 2018). While analyzing their responses, the researchers realized that these questions were answered by what they do. Six themes emerged, narrowing down what constitutes being a qualitative researcher: making or doing proper research, the need for legitimating in qualitative research, steward of people’s lived experiences, as an art or craft, building epistemology and qualitative research as a social bridge (Rogers et al., 2018).

The themes represented what qualitative researchers do and their appreciation for what they do. Qualitative research involves building epistemology, where fully understanding the unknown and how to interpret it is the end goal. It aims at understanding individual views of the world and not just a set average. Qualitative research further involves fully exploring the depths of unique experiences, allowing others to experience it too. As art or craft, qualitative research goes beyond the interview process, where qualitative researchers do not just report their findings but seek to incorporate creativity in the collection and interpretation of data. The strengths of qualitative research are often overlooked hence the need to legitimize it (Rogers et al., 2018). Researchers thus need to figure out who they are and what they stand for in a uniform voice. Excellent social skills are required when undertaking qualitative research. The researcher needs to encourage participants to communicate openly and reveal their take on specific experiences. Finally, qualitative studies bare the duty of accurately representing the experiences of the participants.

The research methodology was able to bring out definite conclusions from the research questions that were initially used. The process used was systematic and allowed for replication by different researchers. The article is instrumental to public-sector leaders as it reveals the influence a qualitative researcher has on the collection and analysis of data. Qualitative research can inform more about the views of people about their daily experiences; hence is highly valuable in the public sector. It is essential to choose qualitative researchers who understand their role and have an unbiased view.