At the first national workshop, women needed to get to know each other, understand the research design, and learn about reflection as a research tool. They could then go back to their programs to plan their woman-positive activities, set goals and objectives, and begin developing a description of their community, their program, and their activity. During this stage, they would clarify their particular focus within women and literacy.

During the first visit from Betty-Ann or Frances this focus was most often framed as a question to help women describe their woman-positive activity. Women could use the first interview to identify questions they might answer through their reflective writing and discussion with others.

At the second workshop, women needed to discuss issues arising from the different activities and to work out how they might document these issues. Women could then go back to their programs to collect information, reflect on their experience, and begin documenting it. During this stage, they would move to a more systematic interpretation of what was happening because of their woman- positive activity.

During the second visit from a coordinating researcher, this interpretation was used to decide on the formal documentation women would develop. The second interview also started women thinking about many of the questions that structured the collaborative analysis.

At the third workshop, women needed to work on a collaborative analysis and set of recommendations. Following that workshop, they would work through a six month process of developing final documentation. There would be time for women to begin thinking about what they might want to question next.

Betty-Ann based her validity practices on four methods outlined by feminist researcher Patti Lather (1991). Her design includes a variety of activities that provide for triangulation, to establish the trustworthiness of the data; systematized reflexivity, to ensure construct validity; recycling description, analysis and conclusions to interviewee for face validity; and many possible degrees of catalytic validity.

The ethical considerations were met by extensive work around informed consent, confidentiality, the right to stop the tape recorder or limit the transcription of tapes, the right to withdraw or negotiate participation in the project, the right to participate in an extensive feedback process, and the opportunity to participate in pairs.