Serialising the Research Journey: A Reflexive Tool for Transparency in Case Study Research

Case study research rarely unfolds in a neat, linear fashion, yet published accounts often obscure the contingent and iterative nature of inquiry behind polished narratives. We introduce the serialisation sheet as a practical and epistemologically flexible tool for bracketing key episodes as research unfolds. By making interpretive shifts and methodological decisions visible, the tool supports reflexivity, transparency, and rigour without constraining emergent designs. We illustrate its use through a retrospective ( Manufacturing Consent ) and a contemporary study ( Restaurant Alchemist ). Designed for doctoral researchers and supervisors, the serialisation sheet is not a checklist but a reflexive companion to accounting for evolving inquiry.