Providing practical guidance based on real-life examples, this book shows researchers different forms and ways of keeping a research journal and how to get the most out of journaling.
Appealing to postgraduate students, new and experienced researchers, the book:
• provides a theoretical grounding and information about knowledge and sensory systems and reflexivity;
• presents a practical exploration of what a journal looks like and when and how to record entries;
• includes helpful end-of-chapter exercises and online resources.
Providing valuable food for thought and examples to experiment with, the book highlights the different forms of research journals and entries so that readers can find what works for them. Giving researchers licence to do things differently, the book encourages and enables readers to develop their own sense of researcher identity and voice.
3 1 Introducing research journals Chapter aims • To introduce the context of research journalling. • To provide the aims and purposes of research journals. • To define research journalling for the scope of this book. Introduction Within the social sciences, anyone who has ever undertaken or been involved in research, or who has attended courses and workshops on research methods, will have been told about maintaining a research log, journal or diary. Research methods handbooks also mention logs, journals or diaries (see, for example, Hatch, 2002; Hahn, 2008
95 7 Considerations of research journalling Chapter aims • To demonstrate how research journalling is a valid research activity. • To consider ethical issues and where to find support for solving ethical matters. • To present research journalling as a teaching tool. Introduction Journalling, like any kind of sense-making, does not happen in a vacuum, but is shaped by our context and circumstances. For example, the choices we make regarding the materials we use for journalling may be dictated by the disciplinary conventions within which we find ourselves
