Open Research Online
The Open University’s repository of research publications
and other research outputs
A reflective journal as learning process and
contribution to quality and validity in interpretative
phenomenological analysis
Journal Item
How to cite:
Vicary, Sarah; Young, Alys and Hicks, Stephen (2017). A reflective journal as learning process and contribution to
quality and validity in interpretative phenomenological analysis. Qualitative Social Work, 16(4) pp. 550–565.
For guidance on citations see FAQs.
c
2016 The Authors
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Version: Accepted Manuscript
Link(s) to article on publisher’s website:
http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1177/1473325016635244
Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright
owners. For more information on Open Research Online’s data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policies
page.
oro.open.ac.uk
Open Research Online
The Open University’s repository of research publications
and other research outputs
A reflective journal as learning process and
contribution to quality and validity in interpretative
phenomenological analysis
Journal Article
How to cite:
Vicary, Sarah; Young, Alys and Hicks, Stephen (2016). A reflective journal as learning process and
contribution to quality and validity in interpretative phenomenological analysis. Qualitative Social Work
(early access).
For guidance on citations see FAQs.
c
2016 The Authors
Version: Accepted Manuscript
Link(s) to article on publisher’s website:
http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1177/1473325016635244
Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other
copyright owners. For more information on Open Research Online’s data policy on reuse of materials please
consult the policies page.
oro.open.ac.uk
!
!
!
"!
A"reflective"journal"as"learning"process"and"contribution"to"quality"and"
validity"in"Interpretative"Phenomenological"A na lysis""
#$%$&!'()$%*+!,-*.!/0123!$24!#567&62!8()9.!
Abstract"
:.(23!.6-6)564+!)0256;70%$2601.!(--1.5%$5(02.!<%0;!5&6!%6<-6)5(=6!>01%2$-!0<!$!40)50%$-!
.514625!1246%5$9(23!4$5$!$2$-*.(.!<0%!5&6!<(%.5!5(;6+!5&(.!$%5()-6!6?$;(26.!5&6!
%6-$5(02.&(7!@65A662!>01%2$-(23!$.!$!-6$%2(23!7%0)6..!A&62!1246%5$9(23!)0;7156%!
$..(.564!B1$-(5$5(=6!4$5$!$2$-*.(.!$24!6.5$@-(.&(23!B1$-(5*!$24!=$-(4(5*!(2!C256%7%65$5(=6!
D&620;620-03()$-!,2$-*.(.!ECD,FG!H&6!A%(5(23!0<!5&6!>01%2$-!(.!.&0A2!@05&!50!62$)5!
.0;6!705625($-!=$-(4(5*!)%(56%($!E6G3G!(2!7%041)(23!$2!$14(5!5%$(-F!A&(-.5!$-.0!%6)0%4(23!
$24!%6<-6)5(=6-*!7%0;75(23!5&6!7%0)6..!0<!-6$%2(23+!(256%7%65$5(02!$24!@%$)965(23+!5&1.!
6=(462)(23!5%$2.7$%62)*G!I*!1.(23!$!>01%2$-!inside&5&6!.0<5A$%6!7$)9$36!$24!$-023.(46!
5&6!.5$36.!0<!5&6!CD,+!$2$-*.(.!A(5&(2!5&6!.0<5A$%6!7$)9$36+!(5!(.!$%3164!5&$5!B1$-(5*!$24!
=$-(4(5*!@6)0;6!4*2$;()+!205!.5$5()!)02.5%1)5.G!H&6.6!)02.5%1)5.!$%6!(25(;$56-*!-(2964!
50!5&6!%6.6$%)&6%J-6$%2(23J7%0)6..!$24!76%;(5!$!)%(5()$-!.5$2)6!50!@6!5$962G!
This"is"an"Author"Accepted"Version"of"a"manuscript"published"in"Qualitative)Social)
Work"(2016)."Copyright"Sage."
!
!
!
K!
Keywords"
L6$%2(23!7%0)6..+!%6<-6)5(=6!>01%2$-+!B1$-(5*!$24!=$-(4(5*+!)0;7156%!$..(.564!B1$-(5$5(=6!
4$5$!$2$-*.(.+!(256%7%65$5(=6!7&620;620-03()$-!$2$-*.(.!ECD,F!
!
Introduction"
C256%7%65$5(=6!D&620;620-03()$-!,2$-*.(.!ECD,F+!$.!$!B1$-(5$5(=6!%6.6$%)&!$77%0$)&!
(2(5($564!$24!46=6-0764!7%(;$%(-*!(2!5&6!<(6-4!0<!&6$-5&!7.*)&0-03*!E#;(5&+!"MMNO!#;(5&!
65!$-G+!KPPMF+!&$.!$55%$)564!.(32(<()$25!46@$56!$@015!A&$5!;(3&5!)02.5(5156!B1$-(5*!$24!
=$-(4(5*!A(5&(2!(5.!;65&040-03()$-!<%$;6A0%9!EQ&$;@6%-$(2+!KP""O!#&$A+!KP""O!#;(5&!
KP""$O!#;(5&!KP""@O!H040%0=$+!KP""FG!C256%6.5!(2!B1$-(5*!$24!=$-(4(5*!&$.!)625%64!02!$--!
.5$36.!(2!5&6!%6.6$%)&!7%0)6..O!.$;7-6!(4625(<()$5(02+!4$5$!)0--6)5(02+!4$5$!$2$-*.(.!
E(256%7%65$5(02F!$24!%67%6.625$5(02!(2!7%(25!EI%0)9(!65!$-G+!KPPNO!R66!KP""O!L$%9(2!65!$-G!
KPPNFG!,5!(..16!(.!A&65&6%!$24!&0A!)%(56%($!;(3&5!@6!46=6-0764!7$%5()1-$%!50!CD,!0%!
A&65&6%!5&6!46@$56.!5&$5!4(.)1..!B1$-(5*!$24!=$-(4(5*!%6;$(2!5&6!.$;6!$.!<0%!$--!
B1$-(5$5(=6!%6.6$%)&!;65&040-03(6.!ER1@$!$24!L(2)0-2+!KPPSO!L(2)0-2!$24!R1@$!"MTSO!
#6$-6!$24!#(-=6%;$2!"MMUO!V0@.02+!KPPKO!V0-<6!KPPNFG!H&(.!$%5()-6!<0)1..6.!02!&0A!$!
.514625!5$)9-64!5&6!(..16!0<!B1$-(5*!$24!=$-(4(5*!(2!CD,!4$5$!$2$-*.(.!A&(-6!)$%%*(23!015!
$2!CD,!7%0>6)5!<0%!5&6!<(%.5!5(;6!$.!7$%5!0<!$!D&WG!C5!6?$;(26.!5&6!$)5(=(5*!0<!>01%2$-(23+!
!
!
!
X!
E(G6G!5&6!1.6!0<!$!%6<-6)5(=6!%6.6$%)&6%J)%6$564!%631-$%!A%(5562!-03F!$.!$!-6$%2(23!7%0)6..!
A&62!1246%5$9(23!4$5$!$2$-*.(.G!!#76)(<()$--*!@*!1.(23!$!>01%2$-!inside&$!4$5$!
;$2$36;625!)0;7156%!.0<5A$%6!7$)9$36!E(2!5&(.!)$.6!Y#V!Z=(=0!"PF!$24!$-023.(46!5&6!
.5$36.!0<!5&6!CD,!$2$-*.(.+!$-.0!A(5&(2!5&6!.0<5A$%6!7$)9$36+!A6!$%316!5&$5!B1$-(5*!$24!
=$-(4(5*!@6)0;6!4*2$;()+!205!.5$5()+!)02.5%1)5.!(25(;$56-*!-(2964!50!5&6!%6.6$%)&6%J
-6$%2(23J7%0)6..G!![6!6?$;(26!5&6!6?5625!50!A&()&!>01%2$-(23!62$)5.!)%(56%($!@*!A&()&!
\B1$-(5*]!;(3&5!@6!46<(264!$24!%6)032(.64G![6!.&0A!&0A!(5.!7%0)6..!$.!.514625!
-6$%2(23!500-!;6.&6.!A(5&!5&6!401@-6!&6%;62615()+!6..625($-!50!5&6!CD,!$77%0$)&+!
A&(-.5!&0-4(23!(5!17!50!)%(5()$-!6?$;(2$5(02G!^?)6%75.!<%0;!5&6!%6.6$%)&6%].!>01%2$-!
7%6.62564!(2!(5$-().!$%6!1.64!5&%013&015!50!(--1.5%$56G!
!
Quality"and"validity"in"data"analysis"
Z1;6%01.!$15&0%.!$556;75!50!7%041)6!)%(56%($!<0%!$..6..(23!5&6!B1$-(5*!$24!=$-(4(5*!0<!
B1$-(5$5(=6!%6.6$%)&!@05&!3626%()$--*!E8$;;6%.-6*+!KPPTF!$24!$)%0..!$!%$236!0<!
4(.)(7-(26.!.1)&!$.!.0)($-!A0%9!EI$%1.)&!65!$-G!KPP"F+!21%.(23!EV0-<6+!KPPNF!$24!
7.*)&0-03*!E/$%4-6*+!KPPPFG!8$;;6%.-6*].!7%_)(.!46<(26.!$!)025%$.5(23!.76)5%1;O!$5!
5&6!026!624!$!<(2(56!.65!0<!0@.6%=$@-6!$24!12(=6%.$-!(24()$50%.!$24!$5!5&6!05&6%!$!-(.5!0<!
)02.(46%$5(02.!$3%664!(2!-0)$-!)(%)1;.5$2)6.G!8$;;6%.-6*].!0A2!7%6<6%62)6!<0%!