To What Extent Should Qualitative Inquiry Be Scientific? Notes From and Inspired by an Unscripted Panel Presentation

The components of The Qualitative Report - TQR learning community – including the journal, the conference, and the NSU qualitative research graduate certificate – provide multiple opportunities for scholars to connect and collaborate. This paper is an extension of a moderated panel presentation from TQR 2021 in which we aimed to provide an organic demonstration of how we, as members of the TQR community, aimed to learn from each other through a process of personal construction of understanding, followed by social re-construction of our understanding of the same phenomenon in response to others’ responses. To prepare for the session, five members of the TQR learning community independently developed responses to the question: “To what extent should qualitative inquiry be scientific?” Prior to the conference session, panel members and an invited moderator held periodic virtual meetings to negotiate aspects of the upcoming presentation. This paper consists of re-presented panelist and moderator reflections, comments, and responses, re-ordered to create an engaging narrative that shares commonalities and contrasts revealed through the process of reflection. We begin the multiple dialogue with excerpts which illustrate participants’ reflections to their invitations to participate, continue with excerpts to show thoughts and transitions at key points of the presentation preparation process, and ending with new questions inspired by involvement in this collaborative process.