A regular written record of your own decisions, doubts and reactions during the research, kept as evidence.
- +Fits Feminist Epistemology, Phenomenological Epistemology, Pragmatist Epistemology
- –Tension with Positivist Epistemology
Key thinkers: Jenny Moon, Gillie Bolton, Donald Schön
The longer story
A reflective journal turns the researcher into data. You're documenting your thinking, responses, doubts, discoveries. It's not diary-keeping—it's systematic reflection on the research process. How did that interview make you feel? What assumptions did you bring? What are you noticing about your own practice? The journal provides material for reflexivity, tracks how your understanding develops, catches insights before they disappear. For practice-based research especially, the journal links what you're making to what you're learning.