Avoiding Bias and Developing Focus in Qualitative Research

Setting aside our biases Bracketing, also called phenomenological reduction or “the epoché”, is extremely important. Bracketing means setting aside all our usual, "natural" assumptions about a phenomenon. Practically speaking, this means we must put aside our biases, prejudices, theories, philosophies, religions, even common sense, and accept a phenomenon for what it is. The following three exercises will help you to develop focus and to set aside your biases or preconceptions so that you can pay attention to what your data are telling you.

Exercise 1: Observing a phenomenon 1. Intuiting: Experience or recall a phenomenon. "Hold" it in your awareness, or live in it, be involved in it. Dwell in or on it. 2. Analyzing: Try looking for the following…. –the pieces, parts, in the spatial sense; –the episodes and sequences, in the temporal sense; –the qualities and dimensions of the phenomenon. –settings, environments, surroundings; –the prerequisites and consequences in time; –the perspectives or approaches one can take. –cores or foci and fringes or horizons; –the appearing and disappearing of the phenomena; –the clarity of the phenomenon. 3. Describing: Write it down. Write it as if the reader had never had the experience. Guide them through your intuiting and analyzing.

Exercise 2: Bracketing Your Biases First, make a list of your characteristics: 1. your gender; 2. your age; 3. your ethnic or national identification; 4. your religion or philosophy of life; 5. your political party or orientation; 6. your favourite psychological theory. Add four more characteristics: words or phrases that are descriptive of you as an individual.

Bracketing (cont.) 1. List ways in which your characteristics might bias you in your efforts at research interviewing or observation. 2. Then write how you might counteract these biases. 3. And then write how these efforts to counteract your biases might themselves lead to other biases!

Exercise 3: Intensive Focus Exercise Describe a sensual experience…. Describe the experience of eating a dried cranberry. Don't just use your recollection: Actually eat some, slowly, savouring the experience. See if you can get a paragraph or so of description. Take about 10 minutes. Then share your description with others.