ABSTRACT
In this chapter on executing the different phases of the research design, the authors discuss three issues that often cannot be observed directly and that are often not reported on in research reports. A first issue is the complex and often spiral process of the research trajectory. A second issue is the importance of discernment. What is the role of the practical theologian in (a particular phase of) the research trajectory: as a describer, an interpreter, an evaluator, or one who provides pragmatic suggestions? A third issue is the continuous reflection on normativity during the execution of the research design. The chapter addresses different layers of normativity and for each layer, the reader will be helped to be aware of normativity and to use and reflect on it during the execution and reporting phase of the research.
