Excerpts from a reflective diary as a novice qualitative researcher

Reflexivity is the process of examining oneself as a researcher and the research relationship. It involves self-reflection of personal assumptions and preconceptions, and how these will potentially affect research decisions, at all stages in the research process and is of particular importance for a novice researcher (Peddle, 2021). It includes actively examining and reflecting on the research relationship between myself as the researcher and the participants, and how the dynamics of this relationship may affect the research process (Gabriel, 2015). Reflexivity involves self-reflection by the researcher, at all stages of the research process to demonstrate the trustworthiness of their methodology and findings (Berger, 2015, Dodgson, 2019). A recommended approach is by recording a reflective diary throughout the research process (Finlay and Gough, 2003, Reid et al, 2018, Nadin and Cassell, 2006). My reflective diary was a notebook that I used to write down my thoughts when each interview, and the focus group were complete. Reflections on the overall encounter were noted, what issues if any were identified, such as practical issues with the interview schedule, equipment issues and generally how I felt the interview went. I included comments relating to how I had experienced the interview process, especially with the early interviews where I noted my observations as a researcher. This dataset would be of interest to novice researchers engaging in data collection of individual interviews and focus groups within the research fields of social science, nursing, midwifery and education.