From data to draft: got to have a process

It started with this Tweet.

That quick comment got me thinking about something that is simple, but I have realised is so important to my research: having a process to follow. You might remember that I recently blogged about (my) secret to success in a PhD. It got the most number of hits of any of my posts. everyone knows they need to do this, but struggles with it. I suspect that is because 'making progress' is not simple, we have multiple tasks, and defining 'important' can be tricky. We need to reflect, read and talk to find a way forward. Here's an example.

In this case, I had the rather dubious task of taking my 'next steps' now that I had worked with my data (interpreted, rather than analysed feels a better fit). I had six key insights that I could audit trail back to a process of looking at the data in multiple ways. I was advised to maintain some of the momentum I had and to draft a findings and discussion chapter, knowing I'd come back to it as other chapters took shape. I had to think carefully about how to start.

In this case, in order to begin writing, I felt I needed some of the data to hand. Specifically, I wanted to group quotes in such a way that I could write thematically. I'm working with narratives, and I want to keep those voices close. Given my topic (how talk about self and talk about practices relate) I can get fairly philosophical fairly quickly, but I want to do that whilst (re) representing participants voices. My first step was to code all of my data again against those six insights. It gave me 60 pages of 11pt text. After about ten minutes of trying to put the right quotes together, I realised that it was going to be impossible. That would be 'cut and paste' from hell. No, I wanted to see them all laid out; after all, I'd used interactive 'sorting' and positioning methods in my research, and that worked so well.

 

The first thing I did was to print off those sixty pages. Then get my scissors out and cut them up. I'd didn't feel very intellectual. I then grouped them into clear plastic 'pockets' so the quotes relating to each key insight were together. I quickly realised that an initial 'sort through' was required, so I went through each 'pocket' and looked at each one in terms of it's ability to 'speak' about that particular theme. I pretty much reduced each pocket by half.



I then needed to find a way of grouping quotes within these six themes. By now, I am very familiar with all of them and their contexts, so that helped. Hours of coding, then re-coding for other things had paid off. Practically, I found that getting my highlighter pen out helped here - I could group common quotes much more quickly. Then I laid them out, and fought off the cat who became very interested in them.

Despite the process feeling a bit mechanical and 'painting by numbers' what I did next was to staple groups of quotes together. These were the potential raw materials for sub sections. When I thought about it, I realised that as I reviewed my 'data analysis' plan I had been on a multi layered and 'back and forth' process of hermeneutic discovery (see previous posts on this). I was looking at patterns. Even at this rather mechanistic stage, I realised that I was doing rather sophisticated work in judging the extent that quotes illustrated the insights I had arrived at by going through a previous process of coding, reviewing, memoing and so on. I was going back along that process, and in a way it was testing out the strength (or not) of the insights I felt I had come to. The process was mind numbing, but reassuring and illuminating at times.

I realised that there are some things you should not rush or skip. I could have pulled (from memory) some quotes to say something about the insights I'd come to - which came from a thorough process of analysis. You could say that selecting quotes was decorative, but not in this study - this is a study of narratives, and I needed that dynamic relationship between the emerging thesis and the data. This activity - going back through the process - was exactly the movement back and forth along the hermeneutic 'arc' from explanation to understanding (and back) that Ricoeur talks about in his work.

I now have a work document with quotes grouped into the six insights, and into sections within that. I will start writing and will then begin to draw on the theoretical material which will feature elsewhere. I have a process in other words, and that helps.

My 2.0 research journey (Prezi)

Engaging audiences for my research

There's nothing like settling down to write your thesis 'proper' for distracting yourself. Suddenly, all sorts of projects come to mind. This week, whilst not (yet) getting distracted from putting one of my thesis chapters together, I had some sort of mad dream about dissemination and wider popular and professional sharing of my PhD insights.

I just can't help myself - my career has always involved making things accessible to people, and I believe passionately that academics can do so much more to make their research accessible, relevant and (gasp!) interesting. That's what comes of working with children and young people for years. Combine that with an obsession with visual methods (and methodologies) and art direction, graphic design and events and you have a dangerous combination.

The daydream went something like this: I realised I had dozens and dozens of drawings produced as part of my visual methodology. If you have read previous posts, you might remember that I've used images in my work with PhD participants as they we have talked about narrative identity and its' relation to their 'social  worlds'.

These images are NOT simply illustration, they supported very real 'co-configuration' of narratives; but what I have found is that they are a way into talking about both the process and the insights around my research. Combine that with all that wonderful narrative data and some blather from me, I have the raw ingredients of an installation or event.

So; permit me to continue my fantasy if you will. I am imagining a room full of these images, along with actors' voicing sound clips of narrative from the study. Throw in a few explanatory panels and even some interactive activities...oh, and some guest speakers, good lighting and a well designed brochure and something interesting could happen. In this (wonderful) fantasy, I'm imagining inviting general, academic and professional audiences to an event/reception at which they might be intrigued to explore some ideas and insights into professional narratives of leaders within Early Childhood services.

I shared my ideas with my principal supervisor and they were well received. As it happens, my ambitions for disseminating my 'results' (that term isn't suited) fits the priorities for my University. We even have a creative partnership with the BALTIC centre for contemporary art in Newcastle, so you never know what creative collaborations I could manage?

Ultimately, it's not an event, or an installation, or even self promotion that's the point: for me, the focus is generating meaningful insight into practice and leadership development using visual and narrative methodologies. It's about showing that hermeneutics and philosophy can be practical, and it's about helping people ask new questions. I have a responsibility to engage them in that conversation, and I think I have a pretty good way in.

The secrets of making progress in (my) PhD

In the last week, I drafted out what I currently think are six key insights my data has given me into my subject. This comes off the back of monumental whinging about the process that led up to it, i.e. careful return to data sources and memoing around them. I am really pleased, even though I know that these insights will be refined perhaps out of all recognition as I understand what it is that I am trying to describe. I am meeting with my supervisors over the course of the next week and feel pleased I can talk through an 'audit trail' a process is has led me thus far. I told friends and #phdchat peers on Twitter and received typical encouragement.

One of my supervisors tells me I am making especially good progress. He's supervised lots of research students, and a fair few members of staff doing their PhD the 'wrong way round' like myself. In my institution, most new members of staff need to have their PhD before being employed. I was lucky in that I came in at the right time, from practice, and of course offered extensive professional insights (as well as academic) required on the courses I teach on. I've been told that members of staff often take longer than I am, or 'stall' in their PhD journey for various reasons. That's got me thinking about why that is, consequently, I offer my personal secrets for my own success. See if they could apply to you - or if you could advise me how to improve.

1. Be purposeful. I find that making the small steps required relies on a clear goal. The goal in my own form of (narrative) research is continually refined (not re-written); it gave me energy. losing sight of why you are doing it saps energy and motivation, so pay attention to it.

2. Keep going. As long as you are heading in the right direction - journalling and making good use of supervision help here - just being determined to keep working at it is half the battle. A huge undertaking requires chipping away at, and most of the time we might not feel like the small tasks that build important foundations.

3. Reflect and continually 'scan'. I find that I need to understand what I am doing and why - in other words, I have to understand the significance of what I am doing, even if that is transcribing or memoing. I can do so many things with my time, but I have in mind a list of potential key tasks and consider what I should be putting my effort into. I am thinking of a cook in a busy kitchen with many pots all simmering or boiling. I need to know what to stir. For me, it's about putting energies into the right thing at the right time.

4. Connect and imagine. Instead of seeing the imagination as a distraction, in my case I try to use my imagination as a way of connecting ideas. Doing a PhD involves lots of reading, working with data, journalling and so on. Our brains are great pattern making and connecting machines, so I think we should use them, and make note of 'little' insights we might have. One of my recent insights, perhaps one that will end up being my main finding came about because I paid attention to that 'small voice' when reviewing memos. What I noted initially wasn't very exciting, but it developed into something quite exciting.

5. Use the time. If, like me, your research degree is done 'part time' then it competes with the other stuff. In my case, it's a busy academic job and large family. I have found that if I am 'prepared' - for example, by carrying around the book I'm reading, or having a notebook to hand then I can use those minutes I spend waiting for a student to turn up to my tutorial, or the bus journey. Add those minutes up, I guarantee they are valuable.

6. Use technology intelligently. I don't mean spending ages on that unproductive Facebook group, but it might mean using a great app like Evernote, or getting to know the #phdchat crew in Twitter. Develop expertise in getting the right resources or support at the right time. Make sure the documents you need are accessible when you need them, be able to ask that question or share a reflection when you get it.

7. Laugh at yourself. Get your priorities right over time. I know that a PhD skews our perception of reality, but don't get so caught up in what you are doing that you over-estimate your contribution or how fascinating you are. Relationships are important. Be thankful for friends or your partner. Don't neglect your children. Be silly at least once per day.

8. Communicate your thinking. Writing - for yourself, your blog audience (hello, you two), twitter followers, the academic community via journals or peers pushes your thinking on. You are only as motivated and as insightful as your current narrative of your research, so learn to explain and challenge your thinking in everyday language. This challenges ambiguity and forces you to be clear and relevant.