RECONCEPTUALIZING RIGOUR - THE CASE FOR REFLEXIVITY

This paper is a critical review of recent discussions of rigour in nur sing research. We will argue that 'borrowing' evaluation criteria from one paradigm of inquiry and applying them to another is problematic. We attempt to map the 'rigour' field and add a dimension to the existi ng debate about rigour and qualitative research through inclusion of r eflexivity guided by philosophical hermeneutics. We describe reflexivi ty and appeal to writers to incorporate a reflexive account into their research product by sign posting to readers 'what is going on' while researching. We contend that researchers bring to the research product , data generated, a range of literature, a positioning of this literat ure, a positioning of oneself, and moral socio-political contexts. We suggest that reflexive research is characterized by ongoing self-criti que and self-appraisal and that the research product can be given shap e by the politics of location and positioning. We emphasize that in th e creation of a text (the research product) it is desirable that the r esearcher be a skilled writer. Finally we claim that if the research p roduct is well sign posted, the readers will be able to travel easily through the worlds of the participants and makers of the text (the res earchers) and decide for themselves whether the text is believable or plausible (our terms for rigour).