Narrative Research

Where to begin

Start with the mind map “Narrative research” for an overview of definitions, approaches, and the analysis of narratives. It also lists forms such as biography, autobiography, life history, and oral history. Use those branches to see how the resource groups different ways of examining experience.

Then look at “Narrative Research”. It describes a narrative as a recounting of events arranged into a sequence. Reading the two maps together gives you a starting point for thinking about stories as research material.

Explore approaches and experience

“Reflections on the Narrative Research Approach” connects the approach with studies, educational practice, and educational experience. The “Narrative Research Approach” mind map presents it as a frame of reference, a way of reflecting during inquiry, a research method, and a mode of representing a study.

For a closer look at personal accounts, explore the mind map on narrative studies. It focuses on how individuals make sense of their experiences through stories and personal accounts. “The importance of oral history” considers whose stories oral history can give voice to.

Use flashcards and mind maps together

The flashcard deck “Qualitative research in applied linguistics” includes narrative inquiry as an approach to qualitative research. Read the cards alongside a mind map and note the ideas they share. You can return to the map when a card raises a term or connection you want to study again.

There are no quizzes listed on this page. If you use a quiz alongside these resources, review a map first, then use the questions to check what you can recall. Return to the relevant branches when you want to look at an idea again.

Place the topic in its unit

Narrative Research is a section of the Qualitative Research unit in Research methods and academic skills. The listed resources connect narrative inquiry to qualitative research through their attention to stories, personal accounts, and experiences. Choose a mind map and follow its branches as a starting point.