In the quest for a better reflexive research practice and to respond to the challenge of expanding on an education research repertoire, the authors consider "situational analysis," proposed as a post-modern approach to grounded theory using maps. Originally situating their research projects within a social constructivist theoretical frame, the authors apply situational analysis to a qualitative study on how new joiners to an academic community come to understand the local assessment processes and the meaning of associated criteria and standards in higher education. They conclude that, although situational analysis offers important research prompts which can lead to an enhanced reflexive research practice for the educational researcher, they struggle to reconcile its postmodern approach in some of its elements with a commitment to a reflexivity agenda in the way that they have come to understand it.