LSI 580-70
Fall 1999
CONTENTS:
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4. THE RESEARCH NOTEBOOK
The research diary is one of the most important research methods and it is very
commonly used by individuals doing action research. Keeping a research diary a
good way into research. In this unit you will learn about the research diary as
a research methodology and as a compansion to the research process. You will
design and construct your own personal research notebook and you will begin to
record observations.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DIARIES USEFUL IN RESEARCH:
A research diary builds on an everyday skill of many teachers and other
professionals, making it a simpler and more familiar than other research methods
The research diary serves as a storehouse for 1) data collected by other
research methods, 2) unstructured classroom observations, and 3) descriptions of
the context and conditions under which observations were made, an interview was
held, or data was collected.
The research diary is used to collect short memos or ideas about the research
issues, therefore linking investigative and innovative activities.
The research diary records your own personal development through research and
documents the development of perceptions and insights.
The research diary draws on a tradition--from the beginning of European
culture--of using writing to increase self-understanding.
The research notebook holds a central position in research in many disciplines,
including the form of diaries, log books, field notes, and lab books
SUMMARY:
Diaries can contain data enriched by explanatory comments and photographs and
drawings as well as written reflections, ideas and insights; and ensure that
data collection is not artificially separated from reflection and analysis.
SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITING RESEARCH DIARIES
Writing a diary is a personal matter
- every diary writer develops a style and idiosyncrasies
- the style and idiosyncrasies are an important part of making diary-writing
valuable as a research method
Diaries should be written regularly
at times that fit in with the kind of research question being investigated,
such as
- after each lesson in which a particular teaching strategy has been
implemented
- after each meeting with a 'difficult class'
- during specific times reserved for diary-writing activities
Weather the barriers to diary-writing
- difficult times can lie between establishing the habit of diary-writing and
becoming personally satisfied with the role of diary-writing
- diary-writing generally increases the quality and speed of one's own written
articulation
- collaboration with a research partner (reading diary extracts and discussing
them) can make diary-writing easier
Diary-writing is a private activity
- it is the teacher-researcher's decision what parts, if any, of the diary
should 'go public'
- privacy of the diary relaxes considerations of style, punctuation, and
self-censorship which may disturb the free flow of thoughts in a diary intended
for public access
Mechanics of keeping a research diary
choose a type of page-system that work well for you, for example
- thick spiral notebooks (of more than 40 pages)
- loose leaves that can be filed under tabbed categories
- colored sheets inserted between pages of lesson plans
- personally designed pages that are photocopied and bound into notebooks
leave a wide margin on each page, for
- recording changes, additions,
- references to other parts of diary
- analysis of diary data
- notes indicating the meaning or interpretation of entry
- coding and identifying examples to illustrate concepts
use ink for normal diary text and pencil for provisional codes or analytical
commentaries on diary entries
include in each entry:
- date of the event (and date of written entry if different)
- contextual information, such as time, location, participants, focus of
study, anything else which seems important for the research
use visual markers (paragraphs, headings, subheadings, underlinings, numbering)
to structure the text
make a running list of contents on the first or last pages of the diary to make
it easy to locate particular entries and data
include all information which helps develop a better understanding of a
situation (e.g. ideas on post-its, photographs, copies of documents and of
students' work
make clear whether an entry refers to description or to interpretation (see
'ladder of inference' next page)
include vivid description of situations where appropriate (sometimes called
'thick descriptions')
KINDS OF DIARY ENTRIES
Memos
- most frequent kind of entries in research diaries
- produced when trying to recall and write down experiences that occurred in a
specific period of time
- often provides the only possibility of collecting data without too much
investment of time and energy
Suggestions for writing memos:
- write memo as soon as possible after an event
- do not talk about the events with anybody before writing down from memory
- chronology of events is generally the best way to arrange written records
- later recalled notes can be added at the end of the chronology
- if possible, jot down catchwords and phrases during the activities you want
to record
- memory improves if time and leisure is set aside for recalling events
- memos are written primarily to describe and document events after they have
taken place
- it is important to make a clear distinction between descriptive sequences
and interpretative sequences
Descriptive Sequences
...contain accounts of activities, descriptions of events; reconstructions of
dialogues, gestures, intonation and facial expressions, portraits of
individuals--their appearance, style of talking and acting; description of a
place, facilities; as well as your own behavior as the participant
action-researcher
...details are more important than the summary; record as accurately as
possible, quotes or words, phrases typical of a person, group
Interpretative Sequences
...contain interpretations, feelings, speculations, ideas, hunches, explanations
of events, reflections on your own assumptions and prejudices, development of
theories, etc.
Three headings of interpretative equences:
- Theoretical notes (TNs)
explanations relevant to the research question or issue being investigated;
relationships between events are identified and noted for further research;
surprising or puzzling situations worth following up later are noted
- Methodological notes (MNs)
reflections on the research methods used; ideas for alternative methods and
procedures are noted; self-observations when doing research
- Planning notes (PNs)
new ideas which emerge for the improvement of practical action; alternative
courses of practical action; how to do it next time; what was forgotten this
time; what needs to be thought through more carefully
ETHICAL ISSUES RELATING TO KEEPING A DIARY
Diaries are usually private to the researcher and contain intimate accounts and
reflections.
This kind of data cannot be made public without clearance from the participants.
When diaries contain interview data or observation notes made by someone else,
clear the data immediately with the person concerned
- photocopy the relevant passage(s)
- never allow research to become covert
- first tell colleagues and children you are undertaking research
- clear any data before you refer to it or quote it publicly
FINDING A STARTING POINT
Three types of starting points for research can be garnered from notes in the
research diary:
- an interest (promising idea, developing a strength, coping with a routine
obligation)
- a difficulty (wanting to improve a difficult situation, solve a problem,
compensate for a deficiency)
- an 'unclear' situation (a positive or negative 'puzzle')
Before settling on a research focus, give consideration to several possible
starting points:
- write each consideration on a separate card
- each day for a week
- shuffle the cards
- then take the first card
- for about 3 minutes reflect on the day and think about any events which seem
relevant to the issue recorded on the card
- write down your ideas in keywords, either on the cards or in your research
diary
- then spend a minute on each of the remaining cards to think briefly about
the other issues, possibly making brief notes
CHOOSING A STARTING POINT
- Remember that action research has a developmental perspective. Check your
starting point against these questions:
- What is your focus for possible development?
- What might you want to try out?
- What might you want to change?
- Look at the starting points that you have formulated so far in light of the
following criteria and write brief notes to record for each the pluses and
minuses of adopting it as your main research focus
- Scope for action
- Does the situation come from my own field of experience?
- Can I really do something about this?
- Do I have any possibility of influencing this situation and/or taking
action?
- Or am I too dependent on other people and institutional structures?
- Would an improvement in this situation depend primarily on changing the
behavior of other people?
- Relevance
- How important is this situation to me and to my educational sense--is it
concerned with important educational values?
- Is it likely that this situation will still interest me in a few weeks'
time?
- Am I willing to invest a certain amount of energy in dealing with this
situation?
- Am I interested in this situation in order to change and improve something?
- Manageability
- Do I have the time to cope with this?
- Are there too many preparatory or related tasks to be coped with before I
can start this project?
- Will it make too many demands of me?
- When you begin research, don't choose a question which is 'too big'.
- When in doubt, opt for the small or more limited project.
- Compatibility
- How compatible would this question be with the rest of my activities if I
select it as my research focus?
- Would it involve things that I have to do anyway?
- How well does this intended research fit in with my forward planning?
- Would it be possible to build some research activities directly into my
teaching (e.g. students interviewing each other?)
- When in doubt, decide on a starting point that fits thematically with those
things that you do anyway in your teaching.
- Select the starting point that comes closes to these criteria.
- Try to document your starting point as vividly as possible in your research
diary. Formulating your starting point for research generally has as two
elements
- A short description of the situation: What happens in this situation? Who
does what? What contextual factors are especially important in understanding
this situation?
- Questions which indicate the developmental perspective: What would I like to
try out? What would I like to change/improve?
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