Perspectives on Cultivating a Qualitative Researcher's Identity

This chapter problematizes the notion of methodological rigor in qualitative research through an examination of what it means to cultivate an identity as a qualitative researcher. Through a string of narratives, each author explores texts, methods, and experiences that inspired their work as qualitative researchers and fostered their scholarly identities. Themes of writing about the self as researcher, reflexive inquiry to develop a researcher identity, writing as a tool to hone one's understanding, and the role of trauma in qualitative research are discussed.

Men’s Perceptions of a Gender-Tailored eHealth Program Targeting Physical and Mental Health: Qualitative Findings from the SHED-IT Recharge Trial

Despite increasing rates of co-morbid depression and obesity, few interventions target both conditions simultaneously, particularly in men. The SHED-IT: Recharge trial, conducted in 125 men with depressive symptoms and overweight or obesity, tested the efficacy of a gender-tailored eHealth program with integrated mental health support. The aims of this study were to examine the perceptions of men who received the SHED-IT: Recharge intervention in relation to recruitment, satisfaction with the program, and suggestions to improve the program. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted in a random sub-sample, stratified by baseline depression and weight status (n = 19, mean (SD) age 49.6 years (11.6), PHQ−9 score 9.0 (3.7), BMI 32.5 kg/m2 (4.6)). Transcripts were analyzed using an inductive process by an independent qualitative researcher. Four themes emerged, namely, (i) specific circumstances determined men’s motivation to enroll, (ii) unique opportunity to implement sustained physical and mental health changes compared to previous experiences, (iii) salience of the program elements, and (iv) further opportunities that build accountability could help maintain focus. Gender-tailored, self-directed lifestyle interventions incorporating mental health support are acceptable and satisfying for men experiencing depressive symptoms. These findings provide important insights for future self-guided lifestyle interventions for men with poor physical and mental health.

Qualitative Open Science – Pain Points and Perspectives

Adopting some practical elements of open science – a movement whose goal is to make scientific research available for everyone – presents unique chal- lenges for qualitative researchers, particularly when it comes to data sharing. In this article, we discuss the issue of open qualitative data, arguing that while concerns about ethics and loss of data quality are legitimate, they do not pose so great a problem as to preclude qualitative researchers from ef- fectively practicing open science. We describe the cost-benefit balance that each qualitative researcher takes into account as they choose whether or not to share their data, and highlight the fact that qualitative research practice lends itself to transparency and integrity by its reliance on reflexivity, and other practices such as member checking and using multiple coders. We con- clude with a reminder to readers that fruitful open science does not require for one to engage in all possible practices for a given study; only those which are appropriate and feasible.

Good listening: A key element in establishing quality in qualitative research

What is “good” qualitative research? Considerable literature articulates criteria for quality in qualitative research. Common to all these criteria is the understanding that the data gathering process, often interviews, is central in assessing research quality. Studies have highlighted the preparation of the interview guide, appropriate ways to ask questions, and especially the interaction between interviewer and interviewee. To a lesser extent, qualitative scholars mention the importance of the interviewer’s listening abilities in obtaining the interviewee’s cooperation. Based on results of listening studies in the fields of psychology and organizational behavior, we argue that good listening is crucial for assessing the quality of qualitative research, yet remains a blind spot in qualitative data gathering. Drawing on our experience as qualitative researcher and listening researcher, we present practices for enhancing good listening in qualitative research, thereby enabling researchers to calibrate themselves as research instruments and obtain richer data.

A meditative enquiry into presence: Unmaking the autoethnographic self

The article consists of two parts, Introduction and/or Conclusion and a Meditative Enquiry, to be read in any order, if indeed we do ‘read’ meditative enquiry. Meditative enquiry here concerns the meditative writing and/or reading of this article on presence. The enquiry is divided into numerous subheadings that encourage a slow and circular, rather than linear, narrative, and a participative reading approach, in which each section aims to return to, or arrive in, the present moment. The materiality of our presence is continuous, whether or not we are conscious of being in the present. The article also enacts resistance to, or an apparent inability of conscious awareness to arrive in, and stay with, what is happening in this moment. Implications are, firstly, the unmaking of: a qualitative researcher-participant’s ‘Self’; and the autoethnographic self within writing as creative practice. Secondly, validating a dual contribution of meditation to philosophy and writing on presence.

Ethical dilemmas embedded in performing fieldwork with nurses in the ICU

Background: Background: In general, qualitative research design often involves merging together various data collection strategies, and researcher’s may need to be prepared to spend longer periods in the field to pursue data collection opportunities that were not foreseen. Furthermore, nurse researchers performing qualitative research among patients and their relatives often experience unforeseen ethical dilemmas. Aim: This paper aimed to explore aspects of ethical dilemmas related to qualitative nursing research among patients and their relatives in the intensive care unit (ICU). Research design: This paper is based on a qualitative researcher’s personal experience during a hermeneutic phenomenological study involving close observation and in-depth interviews with 11 intensive care nurses. Data were collected at two ICUs in two Norwegian university hospitals. Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the Norwegian Social Science Data Services (NSD). The Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics (REK) granted dispensation to the project regarding health personnels confidentiality of the patients who were present during the observation (2012/622-4). Findings: Close observation with nurses in the ICU requires the researcher to balance being a qualitative researcher, an ICU nurse and a sensitive fellow human being open to the suffering of the other—that is, being embodied, engaged and affected by sensitive situations and simultaneously constantly stepping back and reflecting on the meaning of those situations. Conclusions: The qualitative researcher’s ethical awareness also entails knowing and acknowledging his or her own vulnerability, which becomes apparent in the researcher-participant relationship and settings in which being a fellow human always overrules the researcher’s role in ethical dilemmas.

INTER-Encyclopedia: Grounded Theory. Oral History

In the continuation of our constant heading “INTER-encyclopedia”, such terms as grounded theory and oral history are offered here, which are most significant for a qualitative researcher. Initially, the general formulation of the term is given, then a description of its place in the history of the method, then its methodological justification, and at the end — the technique of implementing the method and examples of use.

Implementation of Motor Vehicle Whitening Program in the Technical Implementation Unit of Local Revenue Management (UPT PPD) Medan Selatan in 2018

National development is the government's effort in realizing the welfare of the people and the state, starting from increasing the standard of living of the community to improving the system for implementing state activities. National development is expected to be evenly distributed throughout the country, both centralized development and development in regions whose power is controlled by the regional government. Phenomenon In the Medan City area, motor vehicle tax is one type of regional tax collected by the Regional Revenue Service of the Province of North Sumatra through the Samsat Joint Office as one of the potential sources of tax revenue, where the Samsat Joint Office has an advantage in the number of vehicle taxpayers who continues to increase every year. From this phenomenon, should there be an increase in the ownership of motorized vehicles with a BK number (tax object) in the area of Medan City, it will have a positive impact on any increase in the amount of motor vehicle tax revenue at the Samsat Joint Office. But in fact, overall motor vehicle tax revenue at the Samsat Joint Office has not been fully realized easily, from the description above, researchers are interested in formulating the problem How to implement the 2018 motor vehicle tax bleaching program in the Regional Revenue Management Technical Implementation Unit (UPT PPD) Medan South and What are the obstacles to motor vehicle tax collection in 2018 in the Regional Revenue Management Technical Implementation Unit (UPT PPD) in South Medan. This type of research used in this study is a qualitative researcher.