A Narrative Approach to Qualitative Inquiry

Abstract

1. Michelle Butina, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM[⇑][1] 1. University of Kentucky, College of Health Sciences, Lexington, KY 1. Address for Correspondence: Michelle Butina, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, Assistant Professor and Program Director, Medical Laboratory Science, University of Kentucky, College of Health Sciences, 900 South Limestone Street, CTW Bldg. Rm. 126E, Lexington, KY 40536-0200, (859) 218-0852, Michelle.Butina{at}uky.edu 1. Provide an example of when narrative inquiry would be the most appropriate qualitative research approach. 2. Identify the activities involved in data collection. 3. Define and describe narrative thematic data analysis. 4. Discuss data verification and validation strategies used in qualitative research approaches. INTRODUCTION When selecting a research design, such as quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods, Patton (2002) suggested reflecting on the purpose of the inquiry and the types of answers you seek.1 Qualitative methods allow the researcher to study issues in depth with data collection often occurring through open-ended questions permitting “one to understand and capture the points of view of other people without predetermining those points of view through prior selection of questionnaire categories”.1 Results include a wealth of detailed information about a small number of people; therefore, leading to an increase in the depth of understanding of these select individuals. As Creswell (2013) stated, “Those undertaking qualitative studies have a baffling number of choices of approaches”.2 Qualitative approaches of inquiry are diverse and can be numerous depending upon how they are classified as some classification schemes include 20 plus approaches.2 Regardless of how they are classified, the traditional 5 approaches are represented, in some fashion, in all classification schemes. These include case studies, ethnography, grounded theory, narrative, and phenomenology. This article will provide the reader with a better understanding of narrative approach or narrative inquiry. Narrative inquiry is the approach of which I have the most knowledge and the most experience with as it was the approach I selected for my doctoral research study. Narrative inquiry is a form of qualitative research in which the stories themselves become the raw data.3 This approach has been used in many disciplines to learn more about the culture, historical experiences, identity, and lifestyle… 1. Provide an example of when narrative inquiry would be the most appropriate qualitative research approach. 2. Identify the activities involved in data collection. 3. Define and describe narrative thematic data analysis. 4. Discuss data verification and validation strategies used in qualitative research approaches. [1]: #corresp-1