Three Dilemmas of Qualitative Research

Possibilities of Qualitative Psychology through 'Re-Description Method'.

Abstract

In conducting qualitative research, especially in the field professional practitioners work, researchers encounter at least three kinds of dilemmas; dilemma of ignorance, description, and collaboration with practitioners. In the present study, we focus upon the third dilemma. In qualitative filed research, since collaborative relationships between practitioners and researchers underlie the core of research process, dilemma in collaboration must be settled. We propose a new research methodology, 'Re-description method,' to address it. In the re-description method, researchers examine central concepts on which practitioners base for their practice. In examining a concept, we record practitioners' descriptive language but with paraphrasing the exact words that practitioners use to describe the central concept. This procedure enables researchers to identify what constitutes the central concept, which leads to revision of a theoretical framework.