Approaches to reflexivity in qualitative research.

Introduction Reflexivity is a curious term with various meanings. Finding a definition of reflexivity that demonstrates what it means and how it is achieved is difficult (Colbourne and Sque 2004). Moreover, writings on reflexivity have not been transparent in terms of the difficulties, practicalities and methods of the process (Mauthner and Doucet 2003). Nevertheless, it is argued that an attempt be made to gain ‘some kind of intellectual handle’ on reflexivity in order to make use of it as a guiding standard (Freshwater and Rolfe 2001). The role of reflexivity in the many and varied qualitative methodologies is significant. It is therefore a concept of particular relevance to nursing as qualitative methodologies play a principal function in nursing enquiry. Reflexivity assumes a pivotal role in feminist research (King 1994). It is also paramount in participatory action research (Robertson 2000), ethnographies, and hermeneutic and post-structural approaches (Koch and Harrington 1998). Furthermore, it plays an integral part in medical case study research reflexivity epistemological critical feminist ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ k e y w o rd s