The use of email interviewing as a qualitative method of inquiry in educational research

Nalita James

doi:10.1080/01411920701657074

Abstract

This article argues for the potential that email interviewing has as a qualitative method in educational research. The article draws on research that uses email as a way of generating online narratives in order to understand how academics construct their identities. In doing so, the article considers the challenges that email interviewing poses for researchers who might wish to use the method as a way of studying and understanding academics' lives, particularly the nature of ‘presentation’ and ‘performance’ that takes place with/in email narratives. Nonetheless, despite these challenges, the article concludes by recognising the possibilities the method has for increasing reflexivity by providing both the time and space for academics to construct, reflect upon and learn from their stories of experience.

Highlights

The growth of information and communication technologies (ICT) in qualitative research have opened up new opportunities for researchers to examine how traditional research methods can be adopted for effective online research (Jones 1999, Johns et al 2004)
Such studies demonstrate the way in which qualitative researchers have developed their technological skills to work online with a variety of methods and practices such as focus groups, chat rooms and conferences to explore online experiences and behaviour in the virtual world (O‟Connor and Madge 2001, Eichorn 2001, Williams and Robson 2004)
The study has provided evidence that where research focuses on understanding the creation of academic identities in their voice, email interviewing can at the very least generate narratives that represent their constructed lives, thinking and reflections of their experiences as well as „...give meaning to their lives and capture these meanings in written, narrative...forms‟ (Denzin and Lincoln 1994, p.10)

Summary

Introduction

The growth of information and communication technologies (ICT) in qualitative research have opened up new opportunities for researchers to examine how traditional research methods can be adopted for effective online research (Jones 1999, Johns et al 2004). It explores the challenges that email interviewing poses for researchers who might wish to use the method as a way of studying academics‟ lives, the nature and management of „presentation‟ online and the „performance‟ that takes place with/in email narratives. Despite these dilemmas, the paper concludes by recognising the methodological contribution that email interviewing can make to studying academics‟ lives and the way in which it can increase reflexivity by providing both the time and space for academics to construct, reflect upon and learn from their stories of experience

The Construction of Identity through Narrative

Using Email Interviewing to Construct Online Narratives

Conclusion