Being critical and creative in qualitative research

The notions of criticality and creativity in qualitative research are tantalising, exciting and powerful. Before we launch into this space of excitement and stretching of our imaginations, strategies and talents, however, we take a moment to ask: Why? Why are we doing research at all? What do we hope to achieve? How will we know we have succeeded? Without addressing these questions it is easy to become lost in the excitement, besotted with the creativity, perhaps for its own sake, and immersed in being creative. So first we reflect on the foundation questions before addressing the apparent topic of the chapter. In the end, we found (in writing the chapter) that this section is both critical and creative, but at a foundation level. (Note the deliberate switching of tenses - the circularity of this process and argument is a nicely intriguing one).