Narrative Research Methods

10 Questions

In narrative research, what is a common aspect that some participants recall?

Special life events or epiphanies

What type of data collection methods are primarily used in a grounded theory study?

Observation and focus group interviews

What do case study researchers focus on in their research?

Cases and their study

A case in case study research can include all of the following EXCEPT:

A large-scale national survey

Which research method focuses on the life experiences of an individual as told to the researcher?

Narrative research

What is the primary aim of researchers conducting grounded theory studies?

To generate a theory based on data from participants

'An epiphany' mentioned in narrative research refers to a participant recalling:

'A special life event'

'Case study of a person' is typically focused on the study of:

'Second language acquisition'

'Cases' in case study research can include all of the following EXCEPT:

'Public opinion polls'

What is the common feature among case study researchers?

They call the objects of their research 'cases'

Study Notes

Grounded Theory

Goal is to generate a theory that is grounded in data from participants who have experienced the process
Researchers do not begin with a theory, but rather allow relevant data to emerge from the area of study
Data is collected primarily through one-on-one interviews, focus group interviews, and participant observation

Narrative Research

Study of the life experiences of an individual as told to the researcher or found in documents and archival material
Participant recalls one or more special events (an "epiphany") in their life
Involves analyzing data to develop stories and themes, often using life chronology

Case Study

Focuses on the study of a case, which can be an individual, department, company, program, event, activity, or ongoing process
Case study researchers collect data through interviews, observations, and documents
Analyze data to develop a theory, illustrated in a figure, and generate stories about the case

Phenomenological Study

Seeks to identify, understand, and describe the commonalities of human perception and interpretation of similar experiences
Focuses on the "essence" or essential characteristic(s) of an experience
Examples of topics include the experiences of students, teachers, and nurses in specific situations
Researchers interview individuals in-depth to gain personal insights into the phenomenon being studied
Aims to understand and describe the experience as it appears to the participants