A narrative in search of a methodology

Abstract

Purpose: Research papers present us with the summaries of scholars' work; what we readers do not see are the struggles behind the decision to choose one methodology over another. Design and Methods: A student's mental health portfolio contained a narrative that led to an exploration of the most appropriate methodology for a projected study of clinical anecdotes told by nurses who work in mental health settings to undergraduates and new recruits about mental health nursing. This paper describes the process of struggle, beginning with the student's account, before posing a number of questions needing answers before the choice of the most appropriate methodology. Findings: We argue, after discussing the case for the use of literary analysis, discourse analysis, symbolic interactionism, hermeneutics, and narrative research, that case study research is the methodology of choice. Practice Implications: Case study is frequently used in educational research and is sufficiently flexible to allow for an exploration of the phenomenon.