By Dean Crouse, Nicole Lazier, and Joe Tong University of British Columbia

1. D e a n C r o u s e | N i c o l e L a z i e r | J o e To n g

2.  Narrative research inquiry is a group of approaches that rely on the written or
spoken words or visual representation of individuals.
 These approaches emphasize the lives of individuals as told through stories.
 The emphasis in these approaches is on the story and often the epiphany
 Narrative can be both a method and the phenomenon under study
(Lichtman, 2013 p.95)
http://books.google.ca/books?id=bg-
r3sW1PH0C&lpg=PR1&ots=dvjRfDvbYm&dq=qualitative%20research%20in%20education%3A%20a%20user's%20guide&lr&pg=PA95#v=
onepage&q=qualitative%20research%20in%20education:%20a%20user's%20guide&f=false

3.  Study of the experiences of a single individual
embracing stories of the life and exploring the learned
significance of those individual experiences.
This is the basic linear approach, but in most cases one
will be creating an aggregate of narratives each bearing
on the others.

4.  “Narrative methods can be considered “real world
measures” that are appropriate when “real life
problems” are investigated”
(Lieblich et al., 1998 p.5)

5.  Epistemology looks at the validation of knowledge (i.e.
fact as opposed to opinion)
 The question arises as to the accuracy of the story
looked at objectively even though it must be viewed in
its socio-cultural context
 The narrative gives one‟s individual view to be
accessed on its merits. That is validation is possible –
only possible – by corroboration from another
narrative.

6.  Narrative research is set out by the validation of the
audience (to be validated).
 Narrative research is a useful part of the social
science investigation, but may not stand alone being
used for evidence and support for the conclusions of a
report. Whether or not it is a part of a great
presentation or whether it is a stand alone piece of
research, it has to be accepted on its own merits as
individual experience and the interpretation of thereof.

7.  people who are writing down experiences of others as
narratives; and the narrators themselves, the
informants.
 educators, psychologists, psychotherapists, anthropol
ogists and other professions and researchers who are
looking to examine culture and wanting to gather
qualitative data around peoples' experiences

8.  the narrative, i.e. a story, or aggregate of such about
life experiences, and desirably their meaning to the
narrator. It may be presumed to be true, but: “The
„truths‟ sought by narrative researchers are „narrative
truths,‟ not „historical truths‟(Spence, 1982).”
(Polkinghorne, 2007, p. 9)

9.  “We think that narratives are a means not only to
report action research but also to provide a
fundamental connection for action research and
narrative inquiry.”
(Heikkinen, et al., 2012)

10.  depends on circumstances; preferably in a
comfortable environment, because the feelings of the
person telling the story have to be validated and
honoured (i.e. happy).

11.  …incorporates first person accounts in story
form, biography, autobiography, life, history, oral
history, autoethnography, pathography, discourse
analysis, or life narratives.
(Lichtman, 2013 p.95)
http://books.google.ca/books?id=bg-
r3sW1PH0C&lpg=PR1&ots=dvjRfDvbYm&dq=qualitative%20research%20in%20education%3
A%20a%20user's%20guide&lr&pg=PA95#v=onepage&q=qualitative%20research%20in%20e
ducation:%20a%20user's%20guide&f=false

12.  “A number of data collection methods can be used, as the
researcher and the research subjects work together in this
collaborative dialogic relation-ship. Data can be in the form of
field notes; journal re- cords; interview transcripts; one‟s own
and other‟s observations; storytelling; letter writing; autobio-
graphical writing; documents such as school and class
plans, newsletters, and other texts, such as rules and
principles; and pictures (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990). To this
list, I would add video recordings, as these are also useful data
in narrative research.”
 “both the re- searcher‟s and the research subject‟s points of
view in the research report.”
(Moen, XXXX, p.6)

13. (Heikkinen, et al., 2012)

14.  Collaboration
 Gives “voice” to Educators
 Helps others understand topics
 Captures everyday familiar data
 More immediate (personal) to the investigation

15.  Participants may “fake the data”: the narrator might not be honest, and deliberately (or unfortunately
likely, involuntarily) give their subjective view.
 From the researcher‟s point of view, the use and usability of the narrative(s) as evidenced statement(s) on a
topic depend on his / her own evaluation which involves the likelihood of personal opinion. Nevertheless, this
has to be justified for the audience.
 “no comprehensive models systematically mapping the variety of existing methods of reading narratives”
(Lieblich, et al., 1998, p. 6).
 “While some types of qualitative analysis have a standard set of procedures, narrative research does not”
(Riessman, 1993, p. 54).
 One of the weaknesses of studying narratives is that the text is by its own nature linguistically subjective. i.e.
difficult to quantitatively access in an objective manner since it is subjective i.e. personally meaningful.

16. Clandinin, Jean D., “Developing Rhythm in Teaching: The Narrative Study
of Beginning Teacher’s Personal Practical Knowledge of Classrooms”.
Curriculum Inquiry, 19, 2 (1989) 121- 140
 This article examines how a first year teacher develops his teaching practice
and practical knowledge through his experiences. An analysis of the novice
teachers‟ construction of the classroom and reconstruction are examined with
the analysis provided from the author‟s perspective and narrative accounts of
the teacher involved within the study.
Parker, Darlene C. “Writing and becoming a teacher: Teacher candidates
literacy narratives over four years” Teaching and Teacher Education.
26, (2010) 1249-1260
 This study examines the written narratives of 30 pre-service teacher
candidates in relation to their formation of teaching knowledge, personal
experienced during their pre-service training, and personal stories related to
their teaching practicum, training, learning, theory and practice over a course
of 5 years.

17. Clandinin, Jean D., Connelly, Michael F., He, Ming F. “Teachers’ personal
practical knowledge on the professional knowledge landscape” Teaching and
Teacher Education. 13, 7. (1997) 665-674
 Within this study a case study of a pre-service teacher is used to highlight a
methodology for gathering qualitative data about teachers‟ personal practice
knowledge related to their professional knowledge and practice. A variety of
strategies to complete narrative inquiry studies in relation to this topic are outlined
with examples provided using a case study of Ming Fang He and her teacher
participants.
Houle, Sonia T., “Not Making the Grade: A Narrative Inquiry into Timmy’s
Experiences with Mandated Curriculum” In Education. 16, 2.
(2010)http://ineducation.ca/article/not-making-grade-narrative-inquiry-timmy-s-
experiences-mandated-curriculum
 The research in this article examines the experience of a grade 1 student, his
parents and his teachers in relation to his completion of course
curriculum, curriculum making and the student‟s experience with the curriculum at
home and within his school environment. Field notes from the classroom and
transcripts of conversations were used to collect the data during the course of this
research study.

18. Cladinin, Jean D. and Connelly, Michael F. Narrative Inquiry: Experience
and story in qualitative research. Jossey-Bass. San Francisco. 2000
 In this resource, Cladinin and Connelly offer the researcher a detailed
overview of Narrative Inquiry and how it is used within education and social
science research. They offer strategies that the researcher can use when
conducting this type of research and examples of narrative research is
presented to further clarify the process of narrative inquiry.
Cladinin, Jean D. Handbook of narrative inquiry: mapping a methodology.
Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks. 2007
 This resource provides the reader with detailed about narrative inquiry from a
variety of perspectives. The reader is introduced to narrative inquiry from a
historical context as well as examples of narrative inquiry taking place. A
variety of contributors contribute to the chapters within this resource providing
the reader with a wide range of perspectives in regard to narrative inquiry and
how it is conducted.

19. Webster, L and Mertova, P. Using Narrative Inquiry
as a research method: An Introduction to Using
Critical Event Narrative Analysis in Research in
Learning and Teaching. Routeledge. New York .
2007
 This resource explains not only narrative research
and provides examples of narrative research in
practice, it also provides the reader with an
explanation about how critical events can be
examined using narrative research and as well as
providing the reader with a framework for conducting
narrative research.

20. Colorado State University:
http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/observe/com3a2.cfm
 This website contains a brief overview of what narrative research is and how it is
used. This is a website that can help define what this research process involves;
although it is not as in depth a definition as is provided within the book resources
provided above.
Reilly T and Hawe. P. Reseraching Practice: The Methodological Case for
Narrative Inquiry. 2004. http://her.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/2/226.full
 This resource summarizes a study conducted within the world of health promotion
using narrative methods to gain an understanding about the aspects of practice
within this field. The purpose of narrative methods are examined as well as the
case study presented provides the reader with a case study that illustrates how
these methods are used.

21.  Heikkinen, H.L., Huttunen, R., Syrjala, L., Pesonen, J. (2012). Action research and narrative
inquiry: fice principles for validation revisited. Educational Action Research, 20(1), 5-21.
 Lieblich, A., Tuval-Mashiach, Rivka, and Zilber, Tamar. (1998). Narrative Research:
reading, analysis, and interpretation (Vol. 47). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
 Lichtman, M. (2013). Qualitative research in education: a user’s guide (3rd edition). Thousand
Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
 Moen
 Polkinghorne Donald E., Validity in Narrative Research - Qualitative Inquiry May 2007 vol. 13 no.
4 471-486.
 Riessman, 1993, p. 54
 Spence, D. P. (1982). Narrative truth and historical truth. New York: Norton.