title: Bracketing as a skill in conducting unstructured qualitative interviews.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of bracketing as a skill in unstructured qualitative research interviews.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Researchers affect the qualitative research process. Bracketing in descriptive phenomenology entails researchers setting aside their pre-understanding and acting non-judgementally. In interpretative phenomenology, previous knowledge is used intentionally to create new understanding.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search of bracketing in phenomenology and qualitative research.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a methodology paper examining the researchers' impact in creating data in creating data in qualitative research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-knowledge, sensitivity and reflexivity of the researcher enable bracketing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Skilled and experienced researchers are needed to use bracketing in unstructured qualitative research interviews.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bracketing adds scientific rigour and validity to any qualitative study.
authors.affiliation: Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Minna Anneli
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sorsa
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kiikkala
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Åstedt-Kurki
mesh_terms: D007407:Interviews as Topic; D011361:Professional Competence
keywords: Bracketing; phenomenology; qualitative interview; reflexivity; researcher’s role; unstructured interview