Department of Psychosocial Studies
Birkbeck, University of London
Research Methods 1 Module 2009-10
(30 credits, PSSL027S7)
Module Co-ordinator: Dr. Margarita Palacios
Email: m.palacios@bbk.ac.uk
Please remember to bring this handbook with you to ALL Research Methods
Teaching Sessions
Handbook Contents
Welcome ............................................................................................................................ 2
Staff Team.......................................................................................................................... 3
Teaching and Learning.................................................................................................... 4
Timetable of Teaching Sessions ..................................................................................... 5
General Aims & Objectives of the Research Methods Module ................................. 6
General learning outcomes ......................................................................................... 6
Specific learning outcomes ......................................................................................... 6
Assessment: Research Proposal (3000 words) ............................................................. 7
Guidelines for the Research Proposal ....................................................................... 7
Ethics Forms.................................................................................................................... 10
Submitting an Ethics Form ....................................................................................... 10
General Recommended Reading ................................................................................. 11
Course Outline................................................................................................................ 13
Appendix ......................................................................................................................... 26
1
Welcome
Welcome to the Department of Psychosocial Studies. This Research Methods 1
module is designed for students studying on a range of our collaborative courses,
including MSc Family and Systemic Psychotherapy and MSc Conflict Resolution
and Mediation Studies (with the Institute of Family Therapy); MSc
Psychodynamics of Human Development (with the British Association for
Psychotherapists); and MSc Group Analysis (with the Institute of Group
Analysis).
The module consists of eight sessions, spread over the first academic year of your
MSc. It is designed to provide you with a skills and knowledge base in
qualitative research to enable you to successfully undertake a piece of
supervised research (either empirical or theoretical) in your second year. In
addition to providing you with the necessary tools for undertaking a piece of
research, it aims at fostering a mode of critical inquiry characteristic of
qualitative approaches to researching human subjects and their worlds.
It is a course requirement that you attend at least 80% of the module in order to
pass.
The sessions take place at Birkbeck once a month on Monday evenings, from
6.00-8.30pm.
Please always check the timetable below for teaching rooms, as these may
change from month to month.
2
Staff Team
The Research Methods Module co-ordinator is Dr. Margarita Palacios.
She can be contacted on m.palacios@bbk.ac.uk or on 020 3073 8016.
The Postgraduate Administrator is Dr. Reina van der Wiel. She can be contacted
on r.vanderwiel@bbk.ac.uk or on 020 7079 0775. The Department of Psychosocial
Studies Office is Room 353, 3rd Floor, Birkbeck Main Building, Malet Street,
London, WC1. The department e-mail address is psychosocial-studies@bbk.ac.uk
and the main office number is 020 3073 8045.
The module Teaching Assistant is Girish Jivaji (Monday evenings). Girish can be
contacted on g.jivaji@bbk.ac.uk, or directly in room 313 of the Main Building,
Malet Street.
The subject librarian is Wendy Lynwood. She can be contacted on
w.lynwood@bbk.ac.uk, or you can ask to speak to her in person in the Birkbeck
library.
You can also contact the Birkbeck Programme Director of your individual
courses with any queries you might have about the Research Methods Module.
The Research Methods Module is taught by staff members of the Department of
Psychosocial Studies. This year they include Professor Stephen Frosh, Dr. Lisa
Baraitser, Dr. Margarita Palacios, Dr. Amber Jacobs, and Dr. Keith Kahn-Harris.
Girish Jivaji will also join us, and will be teaching as well as supporting the
student group throughout the course. Please see the Department of Psychosocial
Studies website (http://www.bbk.ac.uk/sps) for staff profiles and research
interests.
3
Teaching and Learning
Each class will consist of an hour-long lecture or presentation, followed by a
break, and then a further hour-long workshop. The workshops may include large
and small group discussion, practical or experiential exercises to allow you a
chance to try out aspects of your learning, and presentations to each other.
Each lecturer will design their own individual session, but it is likely that you
will be required to prepare for the session in advance by doing some required
reading.
Electronic copies of set reading may be circulated to you by email in advance by
the teaching assistants, or photocopies of articles may be given out at the end of
the session so that you can prepare for the next one. One complete copy of all the
required or essential reading for the module will be held in the Birkbeck library.
You need to contact Wendy Lynwood, the Psychosocial Studies Librarian if you
are having any difficulties accessing course material.
You may also be asked to do other forms of preparation for the session – gather
materials to use during the workshops, prepare a small-group exercise or
presentation, write some notes on the set reading to present to your colleagues,
and most importantly, bring your ongoing and developing thoughts and ideas
about your research topic to the sessions.
4
Timetable of Teaching Sessions
Please note the rooms are sometimes subject to change and you should always
check the website for the latest information.
Date, Time & Place
Mon 5th October 2009,
6.00-8.30pm,
UCL Medical Sciences H O
Schild Pharmacology LT*
Mon 2nd November 2009,
6.00-8.30pm,
MAL 509
Mon 30th November 2009,
6.00-8.30pm
UCL Med
Mon 11th January 2010,
6.00-8.30pm
UCL Med
Mon 8th February 2010, 6.008.30pm.
CLO 101
Mon 8th March 2010,
6.00-8.30pm,
UCL Med
Mon 26th April 2010
6.00-8.30pm
Room tbc
Mon 10th May 2010
6.00-8.30pm,
Room tbc
Tutor
Session Title
Dr. Margarita Palacios Introduction to research and the
Girish Jivaji
research process: Planning and
designing research projects
Girish Jivaji
Conducting and writing a
literature review
Dr. Lisa Baraitser
Theoretical research 1:
Approaches to constructing a
theoretical dissertation.
Theoretical research 2
Dr. Amber Jacobs
Dr. Keith Kahn-Harris Analytic methods 1: Discourse
analysis
Girish Jivaji
Analytic methods 2: Narrative
analysis
Prof. Stephen Frosh
Analytic methods 3: Psychosocial
methods in qualitative research
Dr. Margarita Palacios Research ethics, and writing a
Girish Jivaji
research proposal
* A map can be found on http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maps/ucl-maps/map2_hi_res.
5
General Aims & Objectives of the Research Methods Module
 To introduce students to empirical (qualitative) and theoretical approaches to
research in the psychosocial field.
 To enable students to develop a critical understanding of the theoretical and
epistemological issues which inform qualitative research, design and data
collection, and theoretical exploration in the psychosocial field.
 To help students develop a skills and knowledge base to generate, analyze
and manage different types of qualitative data
 To provide practical guidance and opportunities to engage with empirical
(qualitative) and theoretical approaches
 To encourage critical reading and analysis of published research in the fields
of psychosocial and psychotherapeutic theory and practice
 To support students in the development of independent learning
General learning outcomes
By the end of the research module, students should be able to:
 Demonstrate an understanding of empirical (qualitative) and theoretical
approaches to research, evidenced through the development of their own
research proposal; and
 Demonstrate a capacity to critically appraise published research.
Specific learning outcomes
By the end of the research module, students will have:
 Gained knowledge about a variety of strategies for doing empirical
(qualitative) and theoretical research
 Have a critical appreciation of the appropriateness of particular methods to
different research problems
 Have developed skills in the planning, designing and practical application of
different methods
 Understand the issues regarding sampling in qualitative research, and
understand different strategies for generating and managing qualitative data
 Have an understanding of different ways of analysing qualitative data and
how this is informed by different theoretical orientations
 Have an understanding of how theoretical research proceeds
 Understand the distinctive contributions and limitations of both qualitative
and theoretical research
 Understand the importance of reflexivity, standpoint, ethical issues and the
criteria for judging research quality.
6
Assessment: Research Proposal (3000 words)
Due Date: Tuesday 15th June 2010.
Your research proposal must be submitted electronically on Blackboard via
Turnitin (where it will be checked for plagiarism and word count) by 5.00pm
on the 15th June 2010, along with a completed ethics form for students
undertaking empirical research. Additionally, one hard copy (of both the
research proposal and ethics form, if applicable), accompanied by the
Academic Declaration form, must be submitted by the same time and date to
Dr. Reina van der Wiel in the Department of Psychosocial Studies office (room
353, 3rd floor, Malet Street).
The Research Methods 1 module is assessed by a 3000 word research proposal,
describing in detail a piece of empirical or theoretical research that you plan to
undertake in Year Two. Students will be working on their research proposal
throughout the module and will need to discuss their planned research with staff
at their training institute (IFT, BAP, IGA).
Students will choose between an empirical and theoretical project. Those who are
planning to undertake empirical research will submit a draft ethics form with the
research proposal. If they pass the Research Methods 1 module, this can be used
as the basis for their application for ethical approval of their empirical research
project at the beginning of Year Two.
Guidelines for the Research Proposal
The research proposal should include the following:
Empirical Research
Title: Provisional title for the proposed study.
Background: A brief background statement outlining the aims of the study and
clearly stating the research question(s). This section should include a paragraph
indicating an awareness of the relevant literature (no more than 300 words).
Finally you should provide information on your chosen approach (theoretical or
empirical) and why it is appropriate for the research question.
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Design: This section should provide a full description of how you are going to
carry out the study. For an empirical study you will need to include a description
of the method of data collection (e.g. interviews, focus groups, diaries etc), as
well as any equipment you may need, including how you plan to resource this.
Participants: Empirical researchers need to include a section on how many
participants you are planning to involve. The answer to this question is related to
the aims of your research (e.g. do you want to focus on a single participant’s
experiences or do you want to find out something more general about a
group/population) and the pragmatic restrictions you are working under.
However, as a general rule, you should be aiming for no more than 6 participants.
In this section, you should include information on criteria for inclusion and how
you are going to realistically recruit participants within the time-frame of your
course.
Analysis: How is the data to be analyzed (e.g. narrative analysis, discourse
analysis etc)? Give a brief justification for the chosen method of analysis.
Timetable: A timetable for undertaking the research and completing the
dissertation in year two.
Theoretical Research
Title: Provisional title for the proposed research.
Background: A brief background statement outlining the aims of the study and
clearly stating the research question(s). This section should include a paragraph
outlining the rationale for the research, what fuels your interest in it, and its
importance and relevance to your area of study.
Literature review: It is likely that the literature review in a theoretical
dissertation will be more extensive and in-depth than in an empirical
dissertation. This section should identify areas of the literature relevant to your
theoretical exploration, explaining the scope of the literature you will be looking
at, as well as identifying any gaps or weaknesses in the literature that your study
may seek to address.
Main argument: This section should set out the main directions of your
argument or line of enquiry as you understand it so far. It should describe the
themes, concepts or ideas that you wish to work on, and the directions you
intend to take them. It should also indicate what supporting material you may
use to illustrate or back up your argument: for example, this could be case
8
studies drawn from your own clinical or working practice, systematic use of
personal observation, or other existing empirical or theoretical literature.
Timetable: A timetable for undertaking the study and completing the
dissertation.
9
Ethics Forms
Members of the Department of Psychosocial Studies (staff, undergraduate and
postgraduate students) are expected to observe the code of conduct and ethical
principles laid down by either the British Psychological Society or the British
Sociological Society when conducting research.
All research and all teaching exercises involving human participants and
conducted under the auspices of the Department of Psychosocial Studies must be
approved by the Department of Psychosocial Studies Ethics Committee. This is
the case irrespective of where the investigation is carried out or whether some
other institution has given ethical approval.
Submitting an Ethics Form
There is a copy of the ethics form at the end of this handbook. Further copies can
be downloaded from the Department of Psychosocial Studies website
(http://www.bbk.ac.uk/sps/our_courses/ethics_committee).
Please use black ink or type onto the form. A completed ethics form should be
included when you submit your research proposal if you are planning on
undertaking an empirical research project.
10
General Recommended Reading
There are a wealth of useful books on qualitative research methodologies and
epistemologies in Birkbeck library, and we strongly recommend that you browse
the library shelves, and familiarize yourselves with one or two general books.
Some examples of books you might find helpful are listed below.
Books
Burr, V. (1995) An Introduction to Social Constructionism London: Routledge
Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005) (eds). Handbook of Qualitative Research (3rd
edition). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
May, T. (2002) Qualitative Research in Action. London: Sage.
Smith, J. A. (2003). Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide. London: Sage.
Silverman, D. (2000) Doing Qualitative Research: A Practical Handbook. London:
Sage.
Willig, C. (2001) Introduction to Qualitative Research in Psychology. Buckingham:
Open University
Journals
There are a range of journals publishing qualitative and theoretical research
across the psychosocial field. Here are a few examples, but you will also have
your own subject-specific journals that you will want to consult.
Annual Review of Critical Psychology
Qualitative Inquiry
Qualitative Research
Qualitative Research in Psychology
Narrative Inquiry
International Journal of Social Science Research Methodology
Forum: Qualitative Social Research
http://qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs-e/
The Qualitative Report http://www.nova.educ/ssss/QR
Related Websites
British Sociological Association (www.britsoc.co.uk)
British Psychological Society (www.bps.org.uk )
CAQDAS Networking Project: http://caqdas.soc.surrey.ac.uk
Discourse Unit at Manchester Metropolitan University
(http://www.discourseunit.com/)
QSR Nvivo www.qsrinternational.com
11
Qualidata: www.esds.ac.uk/qualidata
Social Science Information Gateway (www.sosig.ac.uk)
Social Research Association (www.sra.org.uk)
The qualidata website (www.essex.ac.uk/qualidata) gives details on:
confidentiality, informed consent, copy right, the interviewing of children,
guidelines for social researchers, advice on archiving, legal and ethical issues of
interviewing.
12
Course Outline
Session 1: Introduction to Research and the Research Process:
Planning and Designing Research Projects
Aims: This session will provide an introduction to both empirical and theoretical
research. The aim is to get you thinking about what research is, its relevance, and
its uses and functions in your area of study. It also aims to get you started on
thinking about potential topics for a dissertation to be carried out in the second
year of your course: what sorts of research questions you might be interested in;
their suitability; any ethical issues they might raise and how they might be
addressed; an area of theory that you think is particularly underdeveloped and
that you want to explore further.
This session will also introduce you to the research process including the role of
theory in the research cycle, planning and designing research projects, generating
specific and relevant research questions, sampling and recruiting, data collection,
analysis of data and interpretation, writing up, and the use of pilot studies. As
well as describing the whole research cycle, the session will focus in particular on
planning and design, and the generation of relevant research questions.
This session aims to:
 Raise issues about research as an everyday as well as an academic activity
 Raise issues about the politics of research – who does it, who pays for it, who
uses it
 Describe the shift from positivist and post-positivist research paradigms to
post-modern or new-paradigm inquiry
 Introduce the notion of the research cycle
 Explore standpoint, reflexivity and power
 Explore the nature of qualitative knowledge and explanation
 the meaning of a qualitative approach to psycho-social inquiry
 the general processes of research, from initial idea through to delivery
 the principles of planning and designing research projects
 how to generate relevant and specific research questions
13
Learning outcomes: After attending the session and doing the relevant reading
students will be able to:
 Offer a broad definition of research
 Demonstrate an understanding of the uses and relevance of research in their
field of study
 Demonstrate an understanding of standpoint and reflexivity in the research
process
 plan and design their own small project
 formulate some research questions
 understand the meaning and use of standards for conducting qualitative
research and apply these standards in their own research as well as in the
assessment of other people’s research
Recommended Reading
Burr, V. (2003), Social Constructionism. London: Routledge.
Denzin, N. and Y.S. Lincoln. (2003) The Landscape of Qualitative Research: theories
and issues. London: Sage.
Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005), Introduction: The Discipline and Practice of
Qualitative Research, In The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research (3rd ed.),
Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.) Thousand Oaks: Sage. (pp. 1-42)
Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing
among five approaches (2nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (Ch. 1-4, 6-8)
Marshall, C. and Rossman, G. (2006) Designing qualitative research (4th Ed).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage (Ch. 1-5)
14
Session 2: Conducting and Writing a Literature Review
Aims: This session aims to deepen your understanding of the next stages of the
research process by introducing you to conducting and writing a literature
review in the area of your research. In addition, this session will include
information on how to get the most out of Birkbeck library.
The session aims to:
 Inform students of the practice of literature searches and critical reading and
reviewing of academic literature.
 Engage students in a dialogue about the meaning of ‘being critical’ in an
academic context.
Learning Outcomes
After attending the session and doing the relevant reading, students will be able
to:
 Conduct a literature review for an MSc research project.
 Understand of the meaning and use of critical thinking and apply it to their
own reading and research.
 Be familiar with the practice of using literature as source material in writing,
whether as references or as quotes.
 Understand how references to literature should be made in one’s writing and
how to construct a bibliography.
Essential Reading
Burke, C. (2005) Comparing qualitative research methods methodologies for
systemic research: the use of grounded theory, discourse analysis and narrative
analysis in Journal of Family Therapy Vol. 27, pp.237-262
Recommended Reading
Hart, C (1998) Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research
Imagination. London: Sage
Girden, E. (2001) Evaluating Research Articles from Start to Finish. London: Sage.
Greenhalgh, T. (1997). How to Read a Paper. The Basics of Evidence Based medicine.
London: BMJ Publishing Group.
15
Session 3: Theoretical Research 1:
Approaches to Constructing a Theoretical Dissertation
Aims: This session augments the previous session on theoretical research by
focusing on how students might actually ‘do’ theoretical work, as well as
subsequently write it up in the form of a theoretical dissertation. If empirical
research consists of a series of cycles of activity that unfold through the processes
of formulating research questions, reviewing literature, collecting and analysing
data, and evaluating ‘results’ in relation to the literature originally reviewed,
then what parallel cycles of practice might we perform when doing theoretical
research? Like empirical research, ‘doing theory’ is also likely to proceed through
formulating research questions and reviewing existing literature, but it responds
both analytically and rhetorically to its ‘data’. Central to theoretical research is
the capacity to analyze, interrogate, and critically assess ideas, concepts and
arguments made in existing texts, and then, moving beyond description, its main
procedure is to create an argument. An argument entails being precise, concise
and persuasive, evidencing your points in relation to the texts involved, and can
also entail illustrating points with additional textual material or existing
empirical data. This additional material can include case-study, clinical vignettes,
auto-biography, and creative and artistic material. This session introduces you to
the idea of undertaking a theoretical dissertation as applied to your area of
interest, as well as the use case-study and auto-ethnography as ways of
illustrating your theoretical arguments.
The session aims to:
 Introduce the notion of ‘doing theory’
 Introduce the role of theory in empirical-qualitative research
 Introduce students to the variety of means available for writing theoretical
dissertations
 Introduce the idea of thinking theory and experience together
Learning Outcomes
After attending the session and doing the relevant reading students will be able
to:
 Identify some of the main approaches and procedures involved in doing
theoretical research
 Critically analyze a theoretical paper in systemic or psychoanalytic theory
 Identify a potential theoretical research project
16
Essential Reading
Lecture:
Gergen, K.J., Zielke, B. (2006) Theory in Action. Theory & Psychology,16: 299-309.
Workshop:
Hollway, W. (2006) Paradox in the Pursuit of a Critical Theorization of the
Development of Self in Family Relationships Theory & Psychology 2006 16:
465-482.
Recommended Reading
Law, J. (2004) After Method: Mess in social science research. Oxon: Routledge.
Burman, E. (2005) Engendering Culture in Psychology. Theory & Psychology,15:
527-548.
Ellis, C., & Bochner, A. P. (2000) Autoethnography, personal narrative,
reflexivity: Researcher as subject. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.),
Handbook of Qualitative Research (2nd ed., pp 733-768). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Richardson, L. (2000) Writing: A method of inquiry. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S.
Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (2nd ed., pp 923-948).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Stam, H.J. (1991) Theory & Psychology: The Re-Emergence of Theory in
Psychology, Theory & Psychology,1: 5-11.
Tierney, W. G. (2000) Undaunted courage: Life history and the postmodern
challenge. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative
Research (2nd ed., pp 537-553). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Yin, R. (2003) Case Study Research: Design and Methods (3rd Edition). London: Sage.
17
Session 4: Theoretical Research 2
Aims: Theorizing consists of bringing together and synthesizing concepts or
ideas, interpreting, analysing and taking a critical stance towards them, and
identifying patterned relationships between them. It can produce a coherent
account of a subject or it can argue for a particular point of view. Unlike
empirical research, the aim is not to collect new data, but to work within existing
bodies of knowledge in order to clarify, critique, and re-interpret concepts and
generate new theoretical constructs, as well as identify gaps in our current
understanding of a subject. Theoretical research proceeds both rhetorically and
analytically through developing, sustaining and backing up arguments with
illustrative material or existing empirical data. This can include both case-study,
and auto-ethnography. Both systemic and psychoanalytic thinking, for instance,
are underpinned by a set of theoretical ideas that are constantly changing and
evolving in relation to systemic and psychoanalytic practice. This session
introduces you to the idea of undertaking a theoretical dissertation as applied to
your area of interest, and the use of case study and auto-ethnography as ways of
illustrating your theoretical arguments.
Learning outcomes: After attending the session and doing the relevant reading
students will be able to:
 Identify some of the main approaches and procedures involved in doing
theoretical research.
 Critically analyze a theoretical paper in systemic or psychoanalytic theory.
 Identify a potential theoretical research project.
Recommended Reading
Burman, E. (2005) Engendering Culture in Psychology. Theory & Psychology,15:
527-548.
Burr, V. (1995), An Introduction to Social Constructionism. Routledge: London.
Gergen, K.J., Zielke, B. (2006) Theory in Action. Theory & Psychology,16: 299-309.
Hollway, W. (2006) Paradox in the Pursuit of a Critical Theorization of the
Development of Self in Family Relationships Theory & Psychology 2006 16:
465-482.
Jarvis, M. (2000), Theoretical Approaches in Psychology. Routledge: London.
Kukla, A. (2001), Methods of Theoretical Psychology. MIT: Cambridge MA.
Stam, H.J. (1991) Theory & Psychology: The Re-Emergence of Theory in
Psychology, Theory & Psychology,1: 5-11.
Yin, R. (2003) Case Study Research: Design and Methods (3rd Edition). London: Sage.
18
Session 5: Analytic Methods 1:
Discourse Analysis
Aims: The various forms of Discourse Analysis focus on language as a social
performance. Discourse analysts are concerned with what people are ‘doing’ in
their conversations, and how the discourses they draw on and position
themselves in constitute the social and psychological life of individuals. The
session will aim to introduce students to the ontology and epistemology of
discursive research. In particular the lecture will cover two approaches to
discourse analysis. The first is Potter and Wetherell’s (1987) social psychological
approach that focuses on discourse in the context of interpersonal interaction and
the second is Foucault’s approach that focuses on the social and political subject
embedded in discourse. Students will be given the opportunity to carry out both
forms of analysis during the session.
Learning outcomes: After attending the session and doing the relevant reading
students will be able to:
 Design and conduct a piece of discursive research.
 Analyse empirical material using the two discourse analytic frameworks.
 Evaluate another piece of discursive research.
Recommended Reading
Burke, C. (2005) Comparing qualitative research methods methodologies for
systemic research: the use of grounded theory, discourse analysis and
narrative analysis in Journal of Family Therapy Vol. 27, pp.237-262
Burr, V. (1995) An Introduction to Social Constructionism London: Routledge
Parker, I. (2005) Qualitative Psychology: Introducing Radical Research Milton
Keynes: OUP (Chapter on Discourse)
Potter, J. and Wetherell, M. (1987) Discourse and social psychology: beyond attitudes
and behaviour London: Sage
Wetherell, M., Taylor, S., and Yates, S.J. (2001) Discourse as Data: a guide for
analysis London: Sage (in association with Open University Press)
Willig (2001) Introducing qualitative research in psychology: adventures in theory and
method Buckingham: Open University
19
Additional Reading
Coyle, A. (2000) (2nd Ed) Discourse Analysis in Research Methods in Psychology
London: Sage
Emerson, P. and Frosh, S. (2004) Critical Narrative Analysis in Psychology
Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan
Rabinow, P.and Rose, N. (2003) The Essential Foucault: Selections from the Essential
Works of Foucault, 1954-1984 New York: New Press
20
Session 6: Analytic Methods 2:
Narrative Analysis
Aims: This session will introduce the central idea in Narrative Analysis of the
importance of language in constructing reality. This approach sees language as
social action rather than a neutral way of describing a pre-existing situation, the
idea being that we cannot look outside ‘talk’ to ‘real events’.
Narrative Analysis asks the question ‘how do people construct stories to make
sense of their experiences?’ Various forms of narrative analysis have been
developed as ways to analyse what people say about themselves, their
experiences and the worlds they live in. The session will aim to introduce
students to the ontology and epistemology of narrative research. We will cover
topics such as the ‘linguistic turn’ in the social sciences, the nature of narrative
and the methods we use to design a piece of narrative research as well as analyse
research material from a narrative perspective.
Learning outcomes: After attending the session and doing the relevant reading
students will be able to:
 Design and conduct a piece of narrative research.
 Analyse empirical material using various narrative analysis frameworks.
 Evaluate another piece of narrative research.
Essential Reading
Lecture:
Murray, M. (2003) Narrative Psychology. In J. Smith (ed) Qualitative Psychology.
London: Sage
Workshop:
Extract from Chapter 2 of Emerson, P. and Frosh, S. (2004) Critical Narrative
Analysis in Psychology Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan
This will be given out during session 5 Discourse Analysis
21
Recommended Reading
General overview texts
Andrews, M., Squire, C., Tamboukou, M. (eds.) (2008) Doing Narrative Research.
London: Sage
Bruner, J. (1990) Acts of Meaning Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press
Burke, C. (2005) Comparing qualitative research methods methodologies for
systemic research: the use of grounded theory, discourse analysis and
narrative analysis in Journal of Family Therapy Vol. 27, pp.237-262
Emerson, P. and Frosh, S. (2004) Critical Narrative Analysis in Psychology
Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan (Esp. Chapters 1 and 2)
Mishler, E.G. (1986) Research interviewing: Context and Narrative Cambridge and
London: Harvard University Press (Chapter 4: Language, Meaning and
Narrative Analysis)
Parker, I. (2005) Qualitative Psychology: Introducing Radical Research Milton
Keynes: OUP (Chapter on Narrative)
Riessman, C.K. (2008) Narrative Methods for the Human Sciences London: Sage
Additional reading, including some approaches to the use of Narrative ideas in
Psychotherapy and Conflict Resolution
Freedman, J. and Combs, G. (1996) Narrative therapy: the social construction of
preferred realities New York London: Norton
Hurwitz, B., Greenhalgh, T. and Skultans, V. (2004) Narrative research in health and
illness. Malden, Mass: BMJ Books
Winslade, J. and Monk, G. (2001) Narrative mediation: a new approach to conflict
resolution San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass
Useful Resources
There is a very useful website run by the University of East London at
www.uel.ac.uk/cnr/, especially the forthcoming papers link that has a number
of papers on Narrative Analysis.
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Session 7: Analytic Methods 3:
Psychosocial Methods in Qualitative Research
This seminar focuses on the issue of ‘reflexivity’ as it pertains to qualitative
research, drawing especially on ways in which psychoanalytic theory and
psychoanalytic interpretive practices have been employed in psychosocial
research studies. It looks particularly at how subjectivity is constituted
reflexively, which amongst other things means that it is saturated with the
assumptions of ‘psychoanalytic culture’, as well as the practical issues of
considering reflexivity in research. Along the way, it offers an outline of the
problematics of ‘interpretation’ in research contexts, and considers the claim that
psychoanalytically informed strategies can add ‘depth’ or ‘meaning’ to what is
made available by other discursive and narrative approaches. Systemic notions
of context and reflexivity will also be drawn on for their relevance to the research
context.
Aims
 To introduce students to debates surrounding the employment of
psychoanalytic ideas and methods in psychosocial research.
 To provide a clear account of the incentives for, and problems with,
combining psychoanalytic and narrative/discursive perspectives.
 To provide examples of the use of psychoanalytic ideas in research of this
kind.
 To consider issues of interpretation and reflexivity as they arise from
psychoanalytically informed psychosocial research.
 To consider questions of the transferability of research ‘paradigms’ across
settings, using the case of psychoanalysis performed outside the ‘clinic’ as an
example.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the seminar students should have:
 Some understanding of basic notions linking psychoanalysis and
psychosocial research.
 Awareness of major British research in this area.
 Understanding of alternative methods for deploying psychoanalytic ideas in
psychosocial research settings.
 An enhanced capacity to consider critically the advantages and limitations of
deploying psychoanalytic perspectives in psychosocial research.
23
Essential Reading
Saville Young, L. and Frosh, S. (2009/10) “And where were your brothers in all
this?”: A Psychosocial Approach to Texts on ‘Brothering’ Qualitative
Research, forthcoming
Recommended Reading
Burck, C. (2005) Comparing qualitative research methodologies for systemic
research: the use of grounded theory, discourse analysis and narrative
analysis Journal of Family Therapy, 27, 237–262
*Clarke, S. (2002) Learning from Experience: Psycho-Social Research Methods in
the Social Sciences, Qualitative Research, Vol. 2 (2): 173-194
*Frosh, S. (2007) Disintegrating Qualitative Research Theory and Psychology, 17,
635–653
*Frosh, S. and Baraitser, L. (2008) Psychoanalysis and Psychosocial Studies.
Psychoanalysis, Culture and Society Vol 13 (4) pp 346-365
Frosh, S. and Young, L. (2008) Psychoanalytic Approaches to Qualitative
Psychology. In C. Willig and W. Stainton-Rogers, The Sage Handbook of
Qualitative Research in Psychology London: Sage.
Hollway, W. and T. Jefferson (2001) `Free Association, Narrative Analysis and
the Defended Subject: the case of Ivy’. Narrative Inquiry 11(1):1-120.
*Hollway, W. and Jefferson, T. (2005) Panic and perjury: A psychosocial
exploration of agency British Journal of Social Psychology, 44, 147–163
*Parker, I. (2005a) Lacanian Discourse Analysis in Psychology: Seven Theoretical
Elements Theory and Psychology, 15, 163 – 182.
*Parker, I. (2005b) Qualitative Psychology: Introducing Radical Research
Maidenhead: Open University Press (Chapter 8)
Roseneil, S. (2006) `The Ambivalences of Angel’s “Arrangement”: a psycho-social
lens on the contemporary condition of personal life’. The Sociological
Review, 54:4, 2006:846-868.
*Wetherell, M. (2005) Unconscious conflict or everyday accountability? British
Journal of Social Psychology, 44, 169–173
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Lecture 8: Research Ethics and Writing a Research Proposal
Aims: By the time you have this session, you should have some idea of the
topic/question you want to investigate for your dissertation. If you decide to
carry out an empirical investigation you will require ethical approval from the
School of Psychosocial Study’s Ethics Committee. Therefore this session aims to
make you aware of ethical issues and guidelines when conducting a piece of
empirical research. These include informed consent, confidentiality,
safeguarding of participants, sensitivity and duty of care. In addition, you will be
given specific guidance on what does/does not constitute an ethical piece of
research. This session aims to help you through the process of writing your
research proposal, completing an ethics form (if required) and answering any
queries you might have at this stage. The session will provide you with the
opportunity to share their research ideas with colleagues and staff and to think
about how you might work these ideas into a research project that is suitable for
an MSc dissertation.
Learning outcomes: After attending the session and doing the relevant reading
students will be able to:
 Understand the ethical principles involved in designing and carrying out a
piece of empirical research.
 Complete a Birkbeck ethics application satisfactorily.
 Write an appropriate dissertation proposal for an MSc research project.
Recommended Reading
Banyard, P. and Flanagan, C. (2005). Ethical Issues and Guidelines in Psychology.
London: Routledge.
Denzin, N.K., Giardina, M.D. (eds) (2007) Ethical futures in qualitative research:
Decolonizing the politics of knowledge. Left Coast Press: Walnut Creek.
Homan, R. (1991) The Ethics of Social Research. London: Sage.
Krathwohl, D.R., and Smith, N.L. (2005) How to prepare a dissertation proposal:
Suggestions for students in Education and the Social and Behavioural Sciences.
Syracuse University Press
.
25
Appendix
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL STUDIES
BIRKBECK, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
PROPOSAL TO CONDUCT RESEARCH INVOLVING ADULTS (over 16yrs)
SUBMISSION TO DEPARTMENT ETHICS COMMITTEE
Do you have the right form?
There are 2 different forms. Answer each bullet point. Are you doing:
 Research with minors? (under 16 yrs) YES/NO If Yes, fill in ‘minors’ form on
website
 Other research?
YES/NO If Yes, complete this form
Is this application ROUTINE / NON ROUTINE?
You (or your supervisor if you are a student) must delete either Routine/Non-Routine,
as appropriate. If the proposed study is so close to a previous one which received
ethics approval that no new ethical issue arises, the application is ‘Routine’. It is filed in
the School but not assessed by the committee. If the proposed study raises ethical
issues for which the researcher/supervisor has not had previous approval, the
application is ‘Non-Routine’ & must be considered by the ethics committee. If you
don’t delete one of these categories, the form will be returned to you.
Expand sections for answers as necessary. Do not remove any questions – you must
answer them all.
1. Name of investigator: _______________________________________________________
2. Status (e.g. lecturer, researcher, Phd student, undergraduate): ____________________
3. Name of supervisor (if investigator is student): _________________________________
____________________________________
4. Course/Programme (if student): ______________________________________________
5. Contact address for investigator: _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
26
6. Telephone number: _______________
Email: _____________________________
Mobile: ___________________
7. Date of Application: _______________________
Proposed starting date:_______________________
8. Reference Number(s) of any previous related applications: ______________________
9. Is any other Ethical Committee involved:
YES/NO
If YES, give details of committee, stage of process/decision, enclosing any relevant
documentation: ______________________________________________________________
10. Title of study (15 words max): _______________________________________________
11. Aims/objectives of the study (20 words max): _________________________________
12. How will participants be selected? ___________________________________________
13. Any inclusion/exclusion criteria? ____________________________________________
14. Where will the study be conducted? _________________________________________
15. Briefly describe what participating in the study will involve. (Max 1 page)
27
16. Equipment/facilities to be used (if not included in answer to 15). Please provide
details of questionnaires, interview schedules etc, & attach copies if they are not
standard ones. Comment on content area of questionnaires, could any questions cause
distress? How is this justified?
Attachment? YES/NO
17. How will you find/access potential participants? (Include copy of any relevant
documentation e.g. letter to manager, advert, notice to go on notice board.)
Attachment? YES/NO
18. Potential participants must give free and informed consent. You need to provide
relevant information about your study in an information sheet or note for participants.
This needs to explain confidentiality and right to withdraw. Please modify the
template information sheet at the end of the form so it is appropriate for your study,
include it with your application, and tick one entry here to explain here how you will
use it:
Compulsory Attachment
 Information sheet distributed to each participant
 Information sheet displayed on screen for all participants
 Information included in header of questionnaire
 Other (specify)
19. Participants must sign a consent form to indicate consent. They must sign two
copies – they keep one, you keep the other. Please modify the consent form at the end
of this application form so it fits your study. The only exception to this is if you do not
meet your participants because you send a questionnaire through the post to
participants or they respond to an online questionnaire, in which case their completion
of the questionnaire signals consent. How will you obtain consent?


Signed consent form attached to end of this application form
Postal or online questionnaire study
28
20. It is important that you respect the confidentiality of your participants. You should
only record identifying information if necessary and wherever possible it should be
kept separate from the data. Possible ways of doing this are: data is coded and the key
linking the code and the participant’s identity is kept in a separate locked cabinet from
the data. All data with identifying information must be kept in a locked cabinet.
Particular care needs to be taken with interviews. Names should be changed on
transcripts and tapes locked up. Please describe here how you will maintain the
participants’ confidentiality in this particular study?
21. Does the study involve:
(a) Unpleasant stimuli or unpleasant situations?
YES/NO
(b) Invasive procedures?
YES/NO
(c) Deprivation or restriction (e.g., food, water, sleep)?
YES/NO
(d) Drug administration?
YES/NO
(e) Any procedure which could cause harm to the participant?
YES/NO
(f) Any groups of participants whose physical/mental health could be put at risk?
YES/NO
(g) Actively misleading or deceiving the participants?
YES/NO
(h) Withholding information about the nature or outcome of the study?
YES/NO
(i) Any inducement or payment to take part in the study
YES/NO
(j) Any procedure that might inadvertently cause distress to the participant? YES/NO
(For in-depth interviews, the answer to 21j is always YES)
Give details of any item in 21 marked YES and outline how you will ensure the
participant’s well being. If the nature of the topic or the way you are collecting data
means there is the possibility of a participant becoming distressed, you need to have
information about support services available to offer to the participant in the unlikely
event that they do indeed become very upset. Outline this here.
29
22. If you feel the proposed investigation raises other ethical issues please outline them
here.
23. I consider my study conforms with the expectations of ethical psychological
research: YES/ NO
SIGNATURE of investigator
Date
_________________________________
__________________________
If this is a student project, the supervisor must read the application
carefully, and answer the following questions and sign below.
I have read the application and/or discussed its ethical implications with the student
and confirm that in my view all ethical issues have been addressed:
YES/ NO
I consider the application routine because it does not raise ethical issues beyond those
of a study which has already received school ethics approval:
YES/ NO
I consider the application non-routine and believe it needs to be assessed by the ethics
committee:
YES/ NO
SIGNATURE of supervisor
Date
_________________________________
______________________
30
Completed forms should be put in the pigeon hole of the Department
Administrator plus an electronic copy should be sent to the Chair of the
Ethics Committee.
Researcher should keep a copy of the form for your files.
Template information sheet and consent form
** These should be completed/modified so they fit your own study**
Sample information sheet
Department of Psychosocial Studies
BIRKBECK
University of London
Malet Street,
London WC1E 7HX
020 3073 8045
Title of Study: Women’s experiences of shame
Name of researcher: xxxx. xxxxx
The study is being done as part of my xxx degree in the Department of
Psychosocial Studies, Birkbeck, University of London. The study has received
ethical approval.
This study wants to explore women’s experiences of shame.
If you agree to participate you will agree a convenient time and place for me to
interview you for about an hour. You are free to stop the interview and
withdraw at any time.
A code will be attached to your data so it remains totally anonymous.
The analysis of our interview will be written up in a report of the study for my
degree. You will not be identifiable in the write up or any publication which
might ensue.
The study is supervised by _________________ who may be contacted at the
above address and telephone number.
31
Sample consent form
(Remove this section if you are conducting a postal or online questionnaire
which doesn’t need consent form.)
Title of Study: Women’s experiences of shame
Name of researcher xxxxx xxxxxxxx
I have been informed about the nature of this study and willingly consent to take
part in it.
I understand that the content of the interview will be kept confidential.
I understand that I may withdraw from the study at any time.
I am over 16 years of age.
Name _________________________________________________________________
Signed ________________________________________________________________
Date __________________________________________________________________
There should be two signed copies, one for participant, one for researcher.
32