The Qual Report: Exploring the Depths of Qualitative Research

In this episode, Ron speaks with Sarah Lewis about her book Practical Appreciative Inquiry and the broader shift from problem-focused thinking to strengths-based approaches in research and organizational practice. Drawing from her background in social work and positive psychology, Lewis explains how Appreciative Inquiry reframes challenges by focusing on what is already working and how those successes can be expanded. The conversation introduces key ideas such as resilience, “frustrated dreams,” and the use of peak experiences to guide meaningful change.
The discussion also turns to the evolving role of artificial intelligence in research and practice, raising important questions about how AI can support, augment, or potentially reshape qualitative inquiry. Together, they reflect on how human-centered approaches like Appreciative Inquiry can coexist with emerging technologies, emphasizing the importance of maintaining intentionality, ethics, and depth in an increasingly automated landscape.

Practical Appreciative Inquiry: A Toolkit for Applying Appreciative Inquiry to Organisational Challenges, Opportunities, and Aspirations offers readers a hands-on guide to applying strengths-based methods across a range of real-world contexts. The book integrates Appreciative Inquiry with related areas such as project management, diversity and inclusion, and organizational resilience, providing practical tools for fostering innovation, collaboration, and positive change. Readers can access the book through Wiley Online Library here.

This podcast explores the unique editorial philosophy of TheQualitative Report (TQR), focusing on the "collaborativeconversation" that occurs between authors and reviewers to improve research reporting. We dive into the "TQR brand" of review, which prioritizes politeness and helpfulness to provide authors with hope and motivation rather than just evaluation. Listeners will learn how to build a "mosaicof coherence" across their manuscripts by carefully aligning titles, abstracts, and methodologies. The episodes offer practical guidance on avoiding the "in-between" paper and using structural tools like the "five-sentence essay" for abstracts. We also discuss the importance of the "self-of-the-researcher" section to establish transparency and the three-step process for reporting results—defining the quality, providing the data, and offering the "testimony" of analysis. Our goal is to maintain a "supportive, yet firm posture" that helps qualitative research "shine" for an international audience while mentoring the next generation of academics.
This is an AI generated podcast using the TQR Ready Review Comments guide. View the TQR Ready Review Comments Document here.

In this episode, host Claude-Hélène Mayer sits down with Ronald Chenail for a thoughtful conversation about the experiences that have shaped his life and career. Ron reflects on growing up around a multi-generational dairy farm in Massachusetts and how those early lessons influenced his path into education, scholarship, administration, and family therapy.
Through Claude-Hélène’s questions, Ron shares stories from a career that unfolded organically rather than following a fixed plan. Teaching kindergarten, driving school buses, coaching football, running evening schools, and writing his first computer programs all contributed to how he came to think about people, systems, and the importance of context.
Together, they explore how family therapy reshaped not only Ron’s professional practice but also his understanding of leadership, organizations, and relationships. The conversation touches on narrative and systems thinking, the value of reframing problems, and staying open to new perspectives. The episode closes with Ron reflecting on legacy, meaning, and his hope to create spaces for reflection and healing grounded in land, history, and connection.

In this TQR Podcast episode, Co-Editor-in-Chief Dr. Ronald J. Chenail speaks with Professor Claude-Hélène Mayer, author of Positive Autoethnography: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. Together, they explore how autoethnography has evolved beyond personal narrative into a therapeutic, transformative approach rooted in anthropology, psychology, family therapy, and positive psychology. They discuss writing as a healing tool, the role of turning points in personal narratives, the interplay between cultural contexts and identity, and how autoethnography can be used with clients, students, and researchers. The conversation also highlights TQR’s upcoming special issue on Therapeutic Positive Autoethnography and related programming at the TQR 2026 Conference. Contact: TQR@nova.edu

In this podcast episode, we unravel the ramifications of employing large language models like ChatGPT to bolster qualitative research. Orchestrated through a ‘Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow’ lens, we delve into the complex mechanics of LLMs, underscore the imperative for transparency, and explore the necessity for robust evaluative frameworks to assess the quality of generated output. Highlighting the principle of augmentation over automation in research methodologies, the dialogue cultivates a perspective of embracing technological advancements as a means to enrich the tapestry of qualitative research.

Jessica Parker's and Veronica Richard's Recently Published Paper in TQR

Jessica Parker's and Veronica Richard's Pre-Conference Workshop in February 2024

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