Member-checking is one of the key instruments ensuring the quality of qualitative research which is commonly associated with participants' approval of data accuracy (Creswell & Miller, 2000). Considering multiple drawbacks of the traditional member-checking methods, I will present an alternative technique, diagrammatic elicitation, which involves designing diagrams and encouraging individuals to comment on them (Umoquit et al., 2013).
In my talk, I will illustrate how diagrammatic elicitation was implemented in a study of Armenian EFL teacher self development and motivation (Sahakyan et al., 2018). The participants were six teachers with diverse ages, teaching experiences and socio-cultural backgrounds. The data were collected in three phases over a period of six months using semi-structured interviews, journal writing and unstructured classroom observations followed by post-observation interviews. The diagrammatic elicitation technique was used in the last phase of the data collection. Based on the thematic analysis of the data (Braun & Clarke, 2006) collected in the previous phases, for each participant I drew a diagram representing key themes and radially arranged sub-themes to capture their teacher self evolution. Then I presented the diagrams to the participants, explained how they were generated and encouraged them to read and comment on the themes, sub-themes as well as to signpost any misinterpretations. The aim of this procedure was not to merely verify information but to engage the participants in co-construction of meaning.
I argue that diagrammatic elicitation makes member-checking more participatory. It triggered more reflexive collaboration between the researcher and participants enabling the participants to actively engage in the meaning making process and provoking more reflections on the key aspects of their experiences. This elicited further contributions to the research topic offering more insights into the teachers' self evolution and factors influencing it which enhance the quality of research (Thomas, 2017). In addition, such reflections not only enabled teachers to analyse and evaluate their teaching but also empowered them and encouraged to take responsibility for their professional development.
References:
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Creswell, J.W. & Miller, D.L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory into Practice39(3), 124-130.
Sahakyan, T., Lamb, M., & Chambers, G. (2018). Language teacher motivation: From the ideal to the feasible self. In S. Mercer & A. Kostoulas (eds.), Language Teacher Psychology. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12211
Thomas, D.R. (2017). Feedback from research participants: Are member checks useful in qualitative research? Qualitative research in psychology, 14(1), 23-41. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2016.1219435
Umoquit, M., Tso, P., Varga-Atkins, T., O'Brien, M., & Wheeldon, J. (2013). Diagrammatic elicitation: Defining the use of diagrams in data collection. The Qualitative Report, 18(60), 1-12.
