A critical analysis of respondent quotes used as titles of qualitative research papers that are published in peer-reviewed journals

ABSTRACT

The use of respondent quotes to headline qualitative research papers is a popular literary device found in many academic journals. This practice has increased over the last four decades and now appears normalised within qualitative research writing. This article provides a critical analysis of this trend in academic writing and concomitant publishing. Content and framework analyses of 40 papers employing this literary device to summarise the respective studies identified (i) a lack of methodological rigor, (ii) incomplete analysis, (iii) an overall mis-representation of the wider qualitative dataset, and (iv) possible investigator bias associated with using respondent quotes as titles of qualitative research papers. This article questions the credibility of purposely selecting a single experience that reduces the wider collective experience into one deterministic statement. This article contends that such practice is antithetical to the principles of qualitative research. Recommendations are provided to better monitor this practice throughout the academy.

KEYWORDS:

• Qualitative research
• methodology and methods
• respondent quotes
• research titles

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors' only (and do not reflect those of any other body, institution or organisation associated with the authors).

Notes

1. These two papers could equally have been categorized as “misleading,” due to the title “appearing” to include a respondent quote in the title. However, during analysis, it became apparent that they were not respondent quotes but were not excluded in order to maintain the sample – and reflect diversity in the use of “quotes” as titles.

2. And equally valid when applied to the use of data extracts within the main text of an article and framed in the appropriate epistemological terms

Additional information

Funding

Andreas Kimergård, King’s College London, is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration South London (NIHR ARC South London) at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.