The Life Story Interview, Volume 44First-person narratives are a fundamental tool of the qualitative researcher. One of the latest volumes in the Qualitative Research Methods series, The Life Story Interview provides specific suggestions and guidelines for preparing and executing a life story interview. Author Robert Atkinson, Director of the Center for the Study of Lives at the University of Southern Maine, places the life story interview into a wider research context before moving on to planning and conducting the interview. Atkinson carefully covers the classic functions of stories, the research uses of life stories, generating data from a life story, and the art and science of life story interviewing. He also thoroughly examines the potential benefits of sharing a life story, getting the information desired and questions to ask, and transcribing and interpreting the interview. To provide further support for the reader, the book concludes with a sample life story interview. As the use and study of narratives continues to grow in importance throughout the research enterprise, The Life Story Interview becomes an even-more valuable tool for qualitative researchers in all disciplines. |
Contents
The Art and Science of Life Story Interviewing | 20 |
Doing the Interview | 39 |
Interpreting the Interview | 54 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abe Saperstein another's life story approach archive Atkinson autobiography become begin better Birren Bob Hope carry Center Chapter coherent commentary connections context cultural Damn Yankee Eddie Gottlieb elders ethical ETHNOGRAPHIC experience feel first-person narratives Gergen give happened high Holy days important interactions interest interpretation issues Josselson Lieblich listening look meaning monomyth one's story open-ended pattern person telling personal narratives personal truth play possible primarily primary purpose QUALITATIVE RESEARCH questions record reflection relationship remember researcher's Robert Atkinson role sense shared social Sociolinguistic someone spiritual story form story interview story narrative story told storyteller Studs Terkel Study of Lives subjective perspective tape teller telling the story themes theoretical theory things thoughts topic traditional transcribing transcript understanding universe validity values voice whole words