Quality in research as ‘‘taking an attitude of inquiry’’

Purpose – The paper aims to offer the notion of ‘‘taking an attitude of inquiry’’ as a quality process in research, enabling researchers to be aware of and articulate the complex processes of interpretation, reflection and action they engage in. The purpose is to consider this as a quality process that complements more procedural approaches. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on 25 years experience in an action research community – in which the authors have developed theory and practice in the company of colleagues – to articulate and illustrate what ‘‘taking an attitude of inquiry’’ can mean. The paper seeks to make quality practices thus developed available to a wider community of researchers. Findings – Two schema with illustrations are offered. Qualities that enable taking an attitude of inquiry are suggested: curiosity, willingness to articulate and explore purposes, humility, participation and radical empiricism. Disciplines of inquiring practice are identified as: paying attention to framing and its pliability; enabling participation to generate high quality knowing, appreciating issues of power; working with multiple ways of knowing; and engaging in, and explicating, research as an emergent process. Research limitations/implications – Research is depicted as both disciplined and alive. Researchers are invited to engage fully in self-reflective practice to enhance quality and validity. Originality/value – An articulation of a depth view of quality in self-reflective research practice which has been developed in an action research context and can be applied to research more generally.