Cul-de-sacs and narrative data analysis: a less than straightforward journey
Location
1047
Format Type
Event
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
January 2018
End Date
January 2018
Abstract
This presentation will focus on the methodological journey I took as a novice narrative inquirer, with its concomitant meanderings and delights as well as its frustrations and cul-de-sacs. In particular I aim to describe the initially overwhelming process of how I moved from collecting ‘data’ to constructing the actual narratives of five postgraduate international students, as well as significant challenges that I faced in this somewhat elusive narrative data analysis process. Polkinghorne (1995) distinguished between two types of narrative inquiry: 1) analysis of narratives, research where stories are used as data, and 2) narrative analysis, where storytelling is a means of analysing data and presenting findings. My journey led me down the latter path and I hope to show that despite its complexities and its fluidity, narrative research methods add colour and emotion to research and can effectively be used in HE contexts both in the UK and elsewhere.
Cul-de-sacs and narrative data analysis: a less than straightforward journey
1047
This presentation will focus on the methodological journey I took as a novice narrative inquirer, with its concomitant meanderings and delights as well as its frustrations and cul-de-sacs. In particular I aim to describe the initially overwhelming process of how I moved from collecting ‘data’ to constructing the actual narratives of five postgraduate international students, as well as significant challenges that I faced in this somewhat elusive narrative data analysis process. Polkinghorne (1995) distinguished between two types of narrative inquiry: 1) analysis of narratives, research where stories are used as data, and 2) narrative analysis, where storytelling is a means of analysing data and presenting findings. My journey led me down the latter path and I hope to show that despite its complexities and its fluidity, narrative research methods add colour and emotion to research and can effectively be used in HE contexts both in the UK and elsewhere.
Comments
Breakout Session G