Transparent research

Abstract

Transparent research is a strategy in which the subjects of ethnographic research are fully involved in designing the research project, collecting the data, and analyzing results. Transparent research is a variety of action research in that inquiry is designed to serve the needs of the people studied. However, it is also scholarly research intended to serve disciplinary goals. An advantage of this approach is that theoretical and practical knowledge gained by practitioners that would not otherwise be known by academic scholars is incorporated into research results. This article develops the idea of transparent research by presenting two case studies. One concerns the emergency medicine department of a medium-sized community hospital. The other concerns a congregational development project, developed in partnership with an Episcopal diocese, and focused on a single congregation.