A Cross-Narrative Analysis in Biographical Inquiry – a Research Note

Many researchers argue that the analysis process of any narrative and biographical inquiry is a delicate, arduous and complex stage and requires creativity, advanced skills and the technique of the researcher. This research note, based on a research project carried out in Spain, makes a unique contribution to this debate by reflecting about the Cross-Narrative Model, whose father was Lewis (1973), introducing two concepts: Biographical Units and the Analysis Units. Furthermore, it describes the analysis process laying emphasis on the particular methodological challenges and possible benefits of using these units to build up a two-part biographical account. This research note concludes that the use of the Cross-Narrative Analysis model could be considered as a possible alternative to the on-going discussion on advancing the rigorous and resourcefulness narrative qualitative analysis endeavour.

REFERENCES:

• Bertaux, D. (1981). From Life-History Approach to the Transformation of Sociological Practice, In: D. Bertaux (ed.) Biography and Society the Life History Approach in the Social Sciences (pp. 29-47). London: Sage.
• Bolívar, A., Domingo, J. y Fernández, M. (2001). La investigación biográfico-narrativa en educación. Enfoque y metodología.[Biographical and narrative research in education. Approach and methodology]. Madrid: La Muralla.
• Cortés, A. y Medrano, C. (2007). Las historias de vida: fundamentación y metodología.
• En C. Medrano (coord.). Las historias de vida. Implicaciones educativas. [Life histories: foundations and methodology. In C. Medrano (coord.). Life histories. Educational implications]. (47-80). Buenos Aires (Argentina): Alfagrama edicions.
• Erben, M. (1998). Biography and Education. A reader. London: Falmer Press.
• Goodson, I. (2004). Historias de vida del profesorado. Problemas y posibilidades. [Studying Teachers’ lives. Problems and possibilities]. Barcelona: Octaedro.
• Herrera-Pastor, D. (2016). Aportaciones metodológicas a la investigación biográfica relacionados con el procesamiento y la organización de los datos.[ Methodological contributions to biographical research, related to the processing and organising of data]. Cuestiones pedagógicas, 25, 145-160
• Holt, A. (2010). Using the telephone for narrative interviewing: a research note, Qualitative Research 10 (1): 113-121.
• Kushner, S. (2000). Personalizing Evaluation. London: Sage.
• Lewis, O. (1973). The children of Sanchez. México: Joaquín Mortiz.
• Marinas, J.M. y Santamarina, C. (eds.) (1993). La historia oral: Métodos y experiencias.[Oral history. Methods and experiences]. Madrid: Editorial Debate.
• Pujadas Muñoz, J.J. (2002). El método biográfico: El uso de las historias de vida en ciencias sociales.[Biographical method. The use of life histories in Social Science]. Madrid: Centro de Investigaciones sociológicas.
• Rodríguez Gómez, G., Gil Flores, J. y García Jiménez, E. (1996). Metodología de la investigación cualitativa.[Qualitative research methodology].Málaga: Aljibe.
• Roberts, B. (2002). Biographical Research. Buckingham / Philadelphia: Open University Press.
• Stake, R. (2010). Qualitative Research. Studying how things work. New York/London: The Guilford Press.