https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794117728411 Qualitative Research 1–20 © The Author(s) 2017 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1468794117728411 journals.sagepub.com/home/qrj Q R Advancing rigour in solicited diary research Crystal Victoria Filep University of Otago, New Zealand Sarah Turner McGill University, Canada Noelani Eidse McGill University, Canada Michelle Thompson-Fawcett University of Otago, New Zealand Sean Fitzsimons University of Otago, New Zealand Abstract Solicited diaries/journals are increasingly popular as an innovative qualitative method in the social sciences for better understanding people’s everyday lived experiences. In this article we create a framework for maintaining rigour while using such diaries. First, we systematically evaluate 43 research papers focusing on the method, drawing on Baxter and Eyles’ (1997) seminal evaluation of rigour in qualitative human geography research. We ascertain that significant improvements could be made to procedures for obtaining and analysing diary content. Second, we develop a framework to encourage rigour in diary research. We test our framework by evaluating research conducted by two of our authors who employed solicited diaries with street vendors in Vietnam. We propose that our analysis and framework can help social scientists improve the rigour of solicited diaries as a research method, and provide a model for enhancing rigour in other emerging qualitative approaches. Keywords journaling, qualitative methods, rigour, solicited diaries Corresponding author: Crystal Victoria Filep, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand. Email: crystal.filep@dcc.govt.nz 728411QRJ 0 0 10.1177/1468794117728411Qualitative ResearchFilep et al. research-article 2017 Article