This document provides an overview of Paula Fitzgerald's qualitative research methods study on the experiences of ballet dancers. The study uses an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach with 17 current and former ballet dancers. As a former ballet dancer herself, Fitzgerald acknowledges the importance of reflexivity in her role as an insider researcher. She discusses topics like recruiting dancer participants, collecting data through participant-led photography, and ensuring her personal experiences do not overshadow participants' accounts. Fitzgerald also reviews literature on reflexivity and insider research. The document emphasizes that the researcher's role and position can change, so ongoing reflexive practice is important throughout the research process.

1. Paula Fitzgerald, MSc MCIPD AFHEA
Supervisor: Dr Katrina Pritchard
Qualitative Research Methods in Action Day
Department of Organizational Psychology
23 May 2017
©Paula Fitzgerald. All Rights Reserved. ©Jack Devant. All Rights Reserved.
Front cover photo reproduced by kind permission from the author for academic purposes.

2. ¡ Introduction
¡ Background to my study
¡ My role and positioning
¡ Reflexivity – a whistle-stop tour
§ Examples from my study
¡ Observations from the academic literature on
‘insider accounts’
¡ Concluding thoughts

3. 3© All rights reserved. Behind the scenes photography by kind permission of anonymised participants. Do not copy or reproduce without prior permission.

4. ¡ Choosing a topic
¡ Methodology
§ IPA inspired approach (Smith, Flowers and Larkin, 2009)
¡ Recruiting participants
§ No.17 – male and female ballet dancers (new entrants,
established dancers, and recently transitioned)
§ Snowball via acquaintanceship network (Braun and Clarke,
2013)
§ All potential participants had been informed upfront that I
had a primary career in ballet (Hellawell, 2006)

5. ¡ My role and positioning as researcher
§ Insider, outsider, the space between (Hayfield and Huxley, 2015;
Corbin Dwyer and Buckle, 2009; Bonner and Tolhurst, 2002;
Kanuha, 2000)
¡ Data collection
§ The role of ‘participant-led’ photography (Rose, 2016; Warren,
2009; Harper, 2002)
§ When some aspects of interview accounts overlap with personal
experience (Janzen, 2016; Johnson, 2009; Haynes, 2006)

6. ¡ In search of a definition…(Probst and Berenson, 2014;
Alvesson et al, 2008; Finlay and Gough, 2003; Wilkinson,
1998; Woolgar, 1988)
¡ Working definition: A skill that we develop and an ability to
notice our responses in the world around us (Etherington,
2004, p. 19); with an awareness that the researcher and
the object of study affect each other mutually and
continually in the research process (Hayes, 2006, p. 208).
It is also about “the researcher’s own reactions to the
study, their position [..] in the study, and the relationships
encountered” (Hollaway and Biley, 2011, p. 971).

7. ¡ A debated area of qualitative research:
§ Intentional or unintentional ‘inward turn’ may lead the
researcher to replacing the researched as the the
object of inquiry (Weick, 2002)
§ A practice that can be helpful, informative, therapeutic,
can help deliver further insights to the inquiry
(Whiteman et al, 2009; Sparkes, 2007; Haynes, 2006)
¡ Examples from my data

8. © Photography reproduced by kind permission from the participant for academic purposes only. Not for further reproduction without permission.
Question: [Do you have] Any regrets?
Answer: [silence]..eerrm…..[silence] I don’t know if it's a
regret or something like..[…] I wished I had a little
bit more help to get me up there, eerm…maybe
better prepared….or you know to really…work hard
or something. I have been a hard worker, but
always with ‘lateral vision’ so may be someone
should have just gone “OK, narrow your vision a
little bit and let’s work hard for a year or
something…”
I WISHED there was someone that went “YOU
[work] WITH ME an hour every day…I am going to
make you look better so you don’t worry about
these issues about your legs, or your feet…or your
whatever! blahblahblah…” So you do not worry
about your height because you are going to
SMASH it all! you know…that thing. But you
know, it’s all about self-growth too, so that’s why it
is not a regret but..I do think…aarrrgh! may be I
should have looked for someone that …you
know…would you help me?

9. 9
Participant No. 2 - Photo ©Eric Richmond
Participant No. 2 - Photo ©Richard Battye
© Photography reproduced by kind permission from the authors and the participant for academic purposes only. Not for further reproduction without their permission.
Q: There was something that you said […] that really struck a
chord with me, and it was that you were standing there with your
airline pilot uniform but you were still…
A: Oh, yeah. Now that was weird. I was still a dancer unzipped
into another suit….

10. § Qualitative research is an embodied experience, it is likely
that researchers will be both intellectually enriched and
emotionally affected (Gilbert, 2001).
§ More research in this field will add value to the qualitative
researcher’s experience (Dickson-Swift et al, 2009)
§ Effects of the researched on the researcher as an insider…
▪ Haynes (2006) - A therapeutic journey?
▪ The impact of combining a full-time professional career in accountancy with
the demands of motherhood.
▪ Johnson (2009) - The role of self and emotion within qualitative
sensitive research: a reflective account.
▪ What it means to young, non-metropolitan women to experience familial
breast cancer in the wake of her having lost her own Mother to the disease.

11. § Deploying ‘active listening’ to the participants’
accounts and then actively draw a distinction between
what they are saying, feeling, and what I may have
encountered myself;
§ By actively looking for a range of different meanings,
the essence of their account is more easily ‘exposed’
and understanding of their account is greatly
enhanced (not easy!);
§ Keep an audit trail that links themes and findings to
the data (Smith, Flowers and Larkin, 2009);
§ Note on ethics…

12. ¡ The positioning of the researcher is much more nuanced
and permeable than I originally anticipated;
¡ The role can mutate during the research process. That
can have implications for the planning, participant
recruitment, data collection, analysis, and overall
findings;
¡ Reflexive practice takes place before, during and after
the research process.
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13. Thank you for listening!
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14. How can researchers incorporate reflexive practices as an active
component of their research process:
¡ Skill: reflexive practice needs to be applied properly and getting
experienced help is recommended, if in doubt ask your supervisor;
¡ Awareness: the wellbeing of the participants is paramount, but also of
one’s self, and the context in which the research is to take place;
¡ Mutual and continual influence: this is iterative and subject to mutation
during the process and over time. Be alert for subtle changes in the
dynamics, your participants and yourself. When you observe an
unexpected situation developing, discuss this with your supervisor sooner
rather than later, and;
¡ Monitor your own [researcher’s] reactions in the process: it will not only
have an impact on your handling of the participants’ accounts but could
potentially have a damaging impact on you as the researcher.
Based on: Hollaway and Biley (2011); Haynes (2006) and Etherington (2004).

15. ¡ At the planning stage, take a critical approach and engage actively with the role, positioning, and
reflexive practice requirements for the research. Consider carefully: the research topic, the
research methodology to be deployed; and the sensitivity of the material to be addressed;
¡ Keep a detailed journal even if it does feel very time consuming. Record, not only the events
occurring, but also how you ‘feel’ about what is happening, and how that is influencing your study;
¡ Supervision is akin to a working relationship rather than a counseling process. Every day
issues, and some overlapping emotions, are likely to be the subject of conversation in as much the
same way as one would do in a regular job. More acute issues should be identified and
addressed by professional support resources that are appropriately equipped to deal with those
complexities;
¡ Emotional debriefing is something that should be considered where researchers are dealing with
sensitive topics. Sensitivity is subjective, and not always detectable as I experienced in my case.
Whilst issues surrounding career transitioning may not be perceived in the same light as dealing
with some health or social care issues, depending on the context and circumstances it may be;
¡ If things get too challenging, do not try to tough-it-out. Seek professional counsel and support
right away. Do not let things go too far before getting help;
¡ Revisit the role, positioning statement, and your reflexive practice regularly to ensure that it
remains relevant and, where necessary, adjusted to circumstances as you develop and grow
through your research journey.
Based on: Johnson (2009) and Etherington (2004).

16. ¡ Alvesson, M., Hardy, C., and Harley, B. (2008). Reflecting on reflexivity: reflexive textual practices in organization and
management theory. Journal of Management Studies, 45(3), pp.: 480-501.
¡ Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2013). Successful qualitative research: a practical guide for beginners. Sage: London.
¡ Bonner, A., and Tolhurst, G. (2002). Insider-outsider perspectives of participant observation. Nurse Research, 9(4),
pp.: 7-19.
¡ Corbyn-Dwyer, S. and Buckle, J.L. (2009). The space between: on being an insider-outsider in qualitative research.
International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 8, pp.: 54-63.
¡ Coupland, C. (2014). Organising masculine bodies in rugby league football: Groomed to fail. Organization, 22(6), pp.:
793-809.
¡ Dickson-Swift, V., James, E.L., Kippen, S., Liamputtong, P. (2009). Researching sensitive topics: qualitative research
as emotion work. Qualitative Research, 9, pp.: 61-79.
¡ Etherington, K. (2004). Becoming a Reflexive Researcher: Using Our Selves in Research. Jessica Kingsley
Publishers: London and Philadelphia.
¡ Finlay, L. and Gough, B. eds (2003). Reflexivity: A practical guide for researchers in healthcare and social sciences.
1st edition. Blackwell Science Ltd.: Oxford.
¡ Gilbert, K.R. (ed) (2001). The Emotional Nature of Qualitative Research. London: CRC.
¡ Harper, D. (2002). Talking about pictures: A case for photo elicitation. Visual Studies, 17(1), pp. 13-26.
¡ Janzen, K. (2016). Into the Depths of Reflexivity and Back Again – When Research Mirrors Personal Experience: a
personal journey into the spaces of liminality. The Qualitative Report, 21 (8), pp. 1495-1512.
¡ Johnson, N. (2009) The role of self and emotion within qualitative sensitive research: a reflective account. Enquire,
2(2), pp.: 191-214.
¡ Haynes, K. (2006). A Therapeutic Journey? Reflections on the effects of research on researcher and participants.
Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management, 1(3), pp.: 204-221.
¡ Hayfield, N. and Huxley, C. (2015). Insider and Outsider Perspectives: Reflections on Researcher Identities in
Research with Lesbian and Bisexual Women. 16

17. ¡ Hellawell, D. (2006) Inside-out: analysis of the insider-outsider concept as a heuritstic device to develop reflexivity in
students doing qualitative research. Teaching in Higher Education,11,pp.: 483-94.
¡ Holloway, I. and Biley, F.C. (2011). Being a qualitative researcher. Qualitative Health Research, 21(7), 968-975.
¡ Kanuha, V.K. (2000). Being native versus “going native”: conducting social work research as an insider. Social Work,
45, pp.: 439-447.
¡ Probst, B. and Berenson, L. (2014). The double arrow: how qualitative social work researchers use reflexivity.
Qualitative Social Work, 13(6), pp.: 813-827.
¡ Rose, G. (2016). Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials. London: Sage.
¡ Smith, J.A., Flowers, P., Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research.
London, UK: Sage.
¡ Smith, J.A., Osborn, M. (2008). Interpretative phenomenological analysis. In J. A. Smith ed. Qualitative Psychology: A
Practical Guide to Methods. London: Sage.
¡ Sparkes, A.C. (2007). Embodiment, academics and the audit culture: a story seeking consideration. Qualitative
Research, 7(4), pp. 521-50.
¡ Warren, S. (2009). ‘Visual Methods in Organizational Research’ in A. Bryman and D. Buchanan (eds) Handbook of
Organizational Research Methods, Sage: London, pp. 566-582.
¡ Whiteman, G., Muller, T. and Johnson, J. (2009). Strong Emotions at Work. Qualitative Research in Organisations
and Management, 4 (1), pp.: 46-61.
¡ Weick, K. (2002). Essai: real-time reflexivity: prods to reflection. Organisational Studies, 23 (6), pp.: 893-8.
¡ Wilkinson, S. (1998). The role of reflexivity in feminist psychology, Women’s Studies International Forum, 11 (5), pp.
493-502.
¡ Woolgar, S. (1988). Reflexivity is the ethnographer of the text. Knowledge and Reflexivity: New Frontiers in the
Sociology of Knowledge. Sage: London.
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18. THE END
¡ Twitter: @ladyfalkland (opinions are my own!)
¡ Email: pfitzg01@mail.bbk.ac.uk
¡ Linkedln: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/paulamfitzgerald
¡ Blog: http://www.tourenpointe.wordpress.com
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