Reflexive Practice

Tag entries by phase (data collection, coding, writing) so you can trace evolution.

Positionality statement components

A strong statement often includes: social identities relevant to the setting; prior experience with the topic; power relations with participants; ethical stakes; how you mitigated bias (debriefing, triangulation, member checks where appropriate); limits of self-knowledge.

Avoid performative confession; emphasize analytic consequences.

Finlay’s reflexive strategies (overview)

Linda Finlay catalogued multiple reflexive moves used across interpretive traditions—e.g., monitoring intersubjective dynamics, bracketing (where phenomenologically aligned), and questioning ostensibly “neutral” descriptions. Pick strategies that fit your paradigm; do not paste phenomenological bracketing into GT without justification.

Glaser: reflexivity vs theoretical sensitivity

Glaser emphasizes theoretical sensitivity earned through analytic practice and broad reading, warning against over-insertion of the researcher’s story as if it were participant data. Reflexivity in GT should discipline forcing and narcissistic narrative, not replace constant comparison with self-analysis.

Ongoing reflexive practice (habits)

• Schedule post-interview memos before the next task.
• Review code definitions when you notice emotional charge around certain themes.
• Use peer debriefing to externalize blind spots.
• When writing discussion sections, ask: for whom is this conclusion plausible, and what counter-story exists in the data?

Reporting reflexivity

Include a concise reflexivity subsection or appendix in dissertations/articles; link reflexive insights to methodological decisions (why sampling shifted, why a category was split).

Checklist

• Journal maintained; entries tied to decisions and surprises.
• Positionality articulated with analytic implications.
• Paradigm-appropriate reflexive strategies chosen.
• GT: reflexivity supports openness; does not substitute for comparison.
• Peer or mentor dialogue used to counter self-deception.

References (starting points)

• Finlay, L. (2002). “Outing” the researcher: The provenance, principles, and practice of reflexivity. Qualitative Health Research.
• Berger, R. (2015). Now I see it, now I don’t: Researcher’s position and reflexivity in qualitative research. Qualitative Research.
• Glaser, B. G. Theoretical Sensitivity — on sensitivity without autobiographical takeover.