Consider whose experiences are included, whose are missing, and how the story represents them.
Consider who is represented
Ask whose perspective is central to the story and whose is absent. Treat people as more than a case description. Give interviewees a clear explanation of the subject and intended use of the conversation without promising control you cannot provide.
Avoid unnecessary exposure
Consider whether an identifying detail is needed to explain the story. Check that quotations preserve the speaker’s meaning. Do not assume that one person can authorize the sharing of someone else’s experience or private information.
Questions to carry with you
- Whose perspective have I not sought?
- Is this identifying detail necessary?
- Does the quotation reflect the surrounding conversation?
One manageable next step
Review one paragraph for unnecessary identifying details and for language that reduces a person to a label.