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A Reflexive Method for Validating the Results of Qualitative Analysis

Received: 7 June 2018    Accepted: 5 September 2018    Published: 15 October 2018
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Abstract

One of the central arguments of Pierre Bourdieu is that social science researchers should reflect not only on the research object but also on the subject. How to achieve this? This question also relates to the calls for the operationalisation of reflexivity. This study addresses this research question. The aim of this study is to present a method for operationalising reflexivity. The study is an empirical study of an agricultural marketing board in India. The board controls over two hundred market yards of the state. These yards are specialized wholesale commodity markets where the agricultural commodities are traded. The major stakeholders in the trade are farmers, government officers, traders, and private vendors. The board implemented an agricultural marketing information system project that intended to interconnect the yards by modern day information technology. The data for the study are collected in form of semi-structured interviews with these stakeholder groups. The study uses a qualitative methodology based on the constant comparison method. Using this method a set of constructs is identified. These constructs are scrutinised through the lenses of reflexivity. Finally, a framework is presented that can guide the operationalisation of reflexivity. The five step framework compares the empirical data from the field with the data about the researcher. The framework helps in establishing the validity of research results as the same research methods are applied to both the research phenomenon as well as the researcher. The paper contributes to the discussion on the operationalisation of reflexivity.

Published in Social Sciences (Volume 7, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ss.20180705.14
Page(s) 223-232
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Reflexivity, Bourdieu, Trust, ICT, Validity

References
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    Ranjan Vaidya. (2018). A Reflexive Method for Validating the Results of Qualitative Analysis. Social Sciences, 7(5), 223-232. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20180705.14

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    ACS Style

    Ranjan Vaidya. A Reflexive Method for Validating the Results of Qualitative Analysis. Soc. Sci. 2018, 7(5), 223-232. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20180705.14

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    AMA Style

    Ranjan Vaidya. A Reflexive Method for Validating the Results of Qualitative Analysis. Soc Sci. 2018;7(5):223-232. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20180705.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ss.20180705.14,
      author = {Ranjan Vaidya},
      title = {A Reflexive Method for Validating the Results of Qualitative Analysis},
      journal = {Social Sciences},
      volume = {7},
      number = {5},
      pages = {223-232},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20180705.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20180705.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20180705.14},
      abstract = {One of the central arguments of Pierre Bourdieu is that social science researchers should reflect not only on the research object but also on the subject. How to achieve this? This question also relates to the calls for the operationalisation of reflexivity. This study addresses this research question. The aim of this study is to present a method for operationalising reflexivity. The study is an empirical study of an agricultural marketing board in India. The board controls over two hundred market yards of the state. These yards are specialized wholesale commodity markets where the agricultural commodities are traded. The major stakeholders in the trade are farmers, government officers, traders, and private vendors. The board implemented an agricultural marketing information system project that intended to interconnect the yards by modern day information technology. The data for the study are collected in form of semi-structured interviews with these stakeholder groups. The study uses a qualitative methodology based on the constant comparison method. Using this method a set of constructs is identified. These constructs are scrutinised through the lenses of reflexivity. Finally, a framework is presented that can guide the operationalisation of reflexivity. The five step framework compares the empirical data from the field with the data about the researcher. The framework helps in establishing the validity of research results as the same research methods are applied to both the research phenomenon as well as the researcher. The paper contributes to the discussion on the operationalisation of reflexivity.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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    Y1  - 2018/10/15
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20180705.14
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    JO  - Social Sciences
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    AB  - One of the central arguments of Pierre Bourdieu is that social science researchers should reflect not only on the research object but also on the subject. How to achieve this? This question also relates to the calls for the operationalisation of reflexivity. This study addresses this research question. The aim of this study is to present a method for operationalising reflexivity. The study is an empirical study of an agricultural marketing board in India. The board controls over two hundred market yards of the state. These yards are specialized wholesale commodity markets where the agricultural commodities are traded. The major stakeholders in the trade are farmers, government officers, traders, and private vendors. The board implemented an agricultural marketing information system project that intended to interconnect the yards by modern day information technology. The data for the study are collected in form of semi-structured interviews with these stakeholder groups. The study uses a qualitative methodology based on the constant comparison method. Using this method a set of constructs is identified. These constructs are scrutinised through the lenses of reflexivity. Finally, a framework is presented that can guide the operationalisation of reflexivity. The five step framework compares the empirical data from the field with the data about the researcher. The framework helps in establishing the validity of research results as the same research methods are applied to both the research phenomenon as well as the researcher. The paper contributes to the discussion on the operationalisation of reflexivity.
    VL  - 7
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  • Digital Strategy & Architecture, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

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