Narrative Research Narrative Research DesignsDesigns

By Khadija-Tul-Kubra

WHAT ?WHAT ?

What is narrative research?What is narrative research?In narrative research, researchers

describe the lives of individuals, collect and tell stories about people’s lives, and write narratives of individual experiences.

It is form of qualitative research, that typically focuses on studying a single person, gathering data through the collection of stories, reporting individual experiences, and discussing the meaning of those experiences for the individual.

HOW ?HOW ?

How do you use narrative How do you use narrative designs?designs?

When individuals are willing to tell their stories (accessibility of data)

Want to report personal experiences in a particular setting

Want a close bond with participant (collaboration)

When participants want to process their stories (who owns the story)

When you have a chronology of events (Time in sequences)

PurposePurpose

◦Increased emphasis on teacher reflection

◦Emphasis placed on teacher knowledge

◦An attempt to increase understanding of central issues related to teaching and learning through the telling and retelling of participants’ stories

Types of narrative Types of narrative designs:designs:

Five characteristics on which the Five characteristics on which the type of narrative research is type of narrative research is categorizedcategorized◦Who authors the story

The researcher, or the participant

◦The scope of the narrative An entire life or a single episode

◦Who provides the “story” Teachers, students, parents, friends, etc.

Types of narrative Types of narrative designs(Continued)designs(Continued)

◦The use of theoretical or conceptual lenses that has influenced the study For example, critical or feminist

theory

◦Whether or not all of these elements are included in the one narrative (personal accounts)

Key characteristics of narrative Key characteristics of narrative designsdesignsExperiences of an individuals-

social and personal interactionsChronology of experiences- past

present and future experiencesCollecting individual stories-by

discussions, conversations, or interviews btw researcher and one individuals

Restorying-(retelling or developing a metastory) from field text

Coding for themes- coding the data of the stories into themes (insight for understanding individual experiences)

Key characteristics of narrative Key characteristics of narrative designs(continued) designs(continued)

Context or place-people involved in the story and the physical setting

Collaborations- btw researcher and storyteller such as negotiating field text

Steps in conducting narrative Steps in conducting narrative research research

Identify a phenomena that addresses an

educational problem

Purposefully select an individual

Collect stories that reflects personal

experiences

Restorying, retell the individual stories

Collaboration in all phases of research

Write the story about individual’s personal

and social experiences

Validate the accuracy of report

Narrative research Narrative research Advantages Disadvantages

Gives voice to the educators

Fake the data(narrator might not be honest)

Helps other to understand a specific phenomena

It does not have a proper set of procedures

Captures everyday familiar data

Results could not generalized

Less effort requires Subjectivity might emerge

A Consummate Teacher: A Review of A Consummate Teacher: A Review of Participant Observer: An Participant Observer: An Autobiography, by William Foote WhyteAutobiography, by William Foote WhyteLisa Alison HorvathLisa Alison Horvath

The article provides an overview of the material supplied in Participant  Observer:  An  Autobiography written by William Foote Whyte. The book recalls in rich detail the academic work of the author Through Whyte's review and description of his work over a lifetime, the book provides fascinating lessons on research methodology, career development, and the adult life cycle. A limitation of the book is that it devotes little time to discussing the private life of Whyte and the linkages between his private and public adult world.

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

ANY QUESTION?ANY QUESTION?