Situating Narrative Inquiry
This article had a great amount of complex terms and phrases. As a result, I found myself rereading the four narrative turns a second time to grasp the general concept of the article.
As soon as I started reading, I noticed the words “epistemological” and “ontological.” I was actually excited when I saw these concepts because I knew what they meant. Currently, I am taking a communication theory course where the professor has touched based on those concepts presented in the article. After reading those words, I automatically made a connection from what I have recently learned about epistemology and ontology in my communication course. From reading those words in the first paragraph, I immediately knew that this article was going to be about human interactions and communications.
The four turns were the primary focus of this article, which from my interpretation served as an introduction to the concept of narrative inquiry. In the beginning of the reading, the author stated, “Narrative inquiry begins in experience as expressed in lived and told stories” (5). By researchers working with participates, It is a way for them to live out the stories as well as retelling stories. I liked how the author worded this particular sentence. It was a sentence that immediately stuck out to me.
The first narrative turn called “Relationship of Researcher and Researched” discussed the importance of relationships that are formed during the process. This section made me realize how vital it is for the researcher to be engaged during the research process. The article explains that by using narratives as a collection of data, “Researchers became interested in what their subjects were saying. Relationships developed”(13). To be able to relive or retell a story, I believe that it is highly essential for the researchers to be interested in what they are studying and conducting.
Data collection seemed to be one of the major components of this article since the author touched upon throughout the entire reading. Specifically, in narrative turn two, it discusses the transferring of numbers to words as data. “The turn from numbers to words as data is not a general rejection of numbers but a recognition that in translating experience researchers lose the nuances of experience”(15). I agree with the author, the whole point of this type of qualitative research is providing narratives. I always have a hard time translating numerical data, I would much rather read a narrative then try to interpret various numbers. I also believe that having numbers instead of words for this type of research deficits the purpose of a narrative inquiry.
What Do Narrative Inquirers Do?
This article was much easier for me to understand than the other narrative reading. From this article, I was able to develop a deeper meaning of creating my own narrative inquiry by working within a three-dimensional space. The article states, “As narrative inquirers we work within the space not only with our participants but also with ourselves” (61). By working in the space, it makes us aware of our own lived and told stories. It also makes me realize how my own experiences and memories can all of a sudden occur to me by listening to other people’s stories.
I had a strong connection with the example of a three-dimensional space that Karen Whelan told that involved her colleague Jean. “Jean was, at first, a listener but Karen’s story evoked a memory for her” (59). The way Jean thought back to her own memories by listening to Karen’s story is really interesting. I can remember when my friends would tell me stories and I would think back to a memory that was similar to my friend’s story that they were telling me. This example provided me with a better understanding of how narrative inquirers work within their three-dimensional spaces, and how the space enfolds with the individuals that the researcher works with. As the researchers reflected on their studies, they stated, “What became clear to us was that as inquirers we meet ourselves in the past, the present, and the future” (61). I thought this line was very intriguing. By remembering current and past stories, these stories offer various plotlines for the future.
This article had a great amount of complex terms and phrases. As a result, I found myself rereading the four narrative turns a second time to grasp the general concept of the article.
As soon as I started reading, I noticed the words “epistemological” and “ontological.” I was actually excited when I saw these concepts because I knew what they meant. Currently, I am taking a communication theory course where the professor has touched based on those concepts presented in the article. After reading those words, I automatically made a connection from what I have recently learned about epistemology and ontology in my communication course. From reading those words in the first paragraph, I immediately knew that this article was going to be about human interactions and communications.
The four turns were the primary focus of this article, which from my interpretation served as an introduction to the concept of narrative inquiry. In the beginning of the reading, the author stated, “Narrative inquiry begins in experience as expressed in lived and told stories” (5). By researchers working with participates, It is a way for them to live out the stories as well as retelling stories. I liked how the author worded this particular sentence. It was a sentence that immediately stuck out to me.
The first narrative turn called “Relationship of Researcher and Researched” discussed the importance of relationships that are formed during the process. This section made me realize how vital it is for the researcher to be engaged during the research process. The article explains that by using narratives as a collection of data, “Researchers became interested in what their subjects were saying. Relationships developed”(13). To be able to relive or retell a story, I believe that it is highly essential for the researchers to be interested in what they are studying and conducting.
Data collection seemed to be one of the major components of this article since the author touched upon throughout the entire reading. Specifically, in narrative turn two, it discusses the transferring of numbers to words as data. “The turn from numbers to words as data is not a general rejection of numbers but a recognition that in translating experience researchers lose the nuances of experience”(15). I agree with the author, the whole point of this type of qualitative research is providing narratives. I always have a hard time translating numerical data, I would much rather read a narrative then try to interpret various numbers. I also believe that having numbers instead of words for this type of research deficits the purpose of a narrative inquiry.
What Do Narrative Inquirers Do?
This article was much easier for me to understand than the other narrative reading. From this article, I was able to develop a deeper meaning of creating my own narrative inquiry by working within a three-dimensional space. The article states, “As narrative inquirers we work within the space not only with our participants but also with ourselves” (61). By working in the space, it makes us aware of our own lived and told stories. It also makes me realize how my own experiences and memories can all of a sudden occur to me by listening to other people’s stories.
I had a strong connection with the example of a three-dimensional space that Karen Whelan told that involved her colleague Jean. “Jean was, at first, a listener but Karen’s story evoked a memory for her” (59). The way Jean thought back to her own memories by listening to Karen’s story is really interesting. I can remember when my friends would tell me stories and I would think back to a memory that was similar to my friend’s story that they were telling me. This example provided me with a better understanding of how narrative inquirers work within their three-dimensional spaces, and how the space enfolds with the individuals that the researcher works with. As the researchers reflected on their studies, they stated, “What became clear to us was that as inquirers we meet ourselves in the past, the present, and the future” (61). I thought this line was very intriguing. By remembering current and past stories, these stories offer various plotlines for the future.