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Synthesizing Indicators of Quality across Traditions of Narrative Research Methods

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Conference

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Baltimore , Maryland

Publication Date

June 25, 2023

Start Date

June 25, 2023

End Date

June 28, 2023

Conference Session

Research Methodologies – Session 2

Tagged Division

Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM)

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

19

DOI

10.18260/1-2--44394

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/44394

Download Count

125

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Paper Authors

biography

Kanembe Shanachilubwa Pennsylvania State University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0001-8903-7405

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Fourth-year doctoral student at Pennsylvania State University in the mechanical engineering department. Member of the Engineering Cognitive Research Laboratory (ECRL). Current research topics include graduate student well-being and socialization.

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biography

Catherine G. P. Berdanier Pennsylvania State University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-3271-4836

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Catherine G.P. Berdanier is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry from The University of South Dakota, her M.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering and her PhD in Engineering Education from Purdue University. Her research expertise lies in characterizing graduate-level attrition, persistence, and career trajectories; engineering writing and communication; and methodological development.

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Abstract

The purpose of this methods paper is to describe and discuss one of the main indicators of quality in narrative analysis, which is the process of narrative smoothing. Narrative analysis refers to a qualitative and highly interpretive research method that involves the creation of representative stories using data obtained from participants, usually in the form of interviews. Narrative analysis differs from other qualitative research methods in its indicators of quality as it does not seek to produce repeatable claims, because the goal is to capture participants’ stories. The strength of a narrative analysis resides in the process of narrative smoothing for which there is limited specific guidance in the literature. Narrative smoothing refers to the process by which a researcher discerns what elements of a participant's experience to use when crafting the narrative. This paper seeks to supplement existing frameworks for assessing quality in educational research by discussing several ways in which research questions, theory, and priorities can influence the process of narrative smoothing. From this methodological discussion, this paper proposes a procedure for future researchers to use when narrative smoothing. Furthermore, and demonstrates how the selection of a smoothing frame should be influenced by research objectives and is essential for adhering to, communicating, and assessing the quality implementation of this interpretive technique.

Shanachilubwa, K., & Berdanier, C. G. P. (2023, June), Synthesizing Indicators of Quality across Traditions of Narrative Research Methods Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--44394

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