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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

Published on: February 16, 2011

Exploring sensitive topics in assessment research through vignette-based interviewing.

Sylvia Joshua Western¹, Jane Hislop², David Hope²

¹Clinical Education, Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. S.Western-J@sms.ed.ac.uk.

BMC Medical Education

|July 7, 2026

Summary

Vignette-based interviewing offers a novel, ethical approach to explore sensitive topics in Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) research. This method enhances data validity and provides rich insights into complex assessment issues.

Keywords:

Assessment Data collection Medical education OSCE Qualitative research Sensitive topics Vignettes

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Area of Science:

Medical Education Research
Assessment Methodology
Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

Assessment research frequently involves sensitive data, posing reputation risks and ethical challenges.
Eliciting emotionally charged experiences while ensuring participant psychological safety is difficult.
Vignettes, used in medical education, are newly applied to sensitive assessment topics like Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs).

Purpose of the Study:

To systematically develop and validate vignette-based interviewing for exploring sensitive OSCE topics, such as test-wiseness.
To evaluate the methodological and ethical value of this approach for generating insights in OSCE research.

Main Methods:

A five-phase model was used for vignette construction, validation, and deployment.
Vignettes were integrated with semi-structured interviews, incorporating feedback and adaptation.
Thirteen interviews were conducted with diverse participants, including students, doctors, and educators involved in OSCEs.

Main Results:

The vignette-based interviewing method demonstrated effectiveness through themes of plausibility, dialogicality, flexibility, and narrativity.
Vignette data strengthened interview validity and provided insights into sensitive OSCE topics.
A social constructionist approach highlighted the elicitation of shared beliefs, social norms, and power relations.

Conclusions:

Vignette-based interviewing is an ethically sound and rich method for investigating difficult-to-access topics in assessment research.
Careful alignment of methods with research design, reflexivity, and transparency are crucial for vignette adoption.