Creative Research Methods – an introduction by Dr Eileen Alexander
Interest in the use of creative methods is growing across disciplines. Creative methods enable a generative - rather than extractive - way of engaging people in social science research, offer additional modes of enquiry and communication, support the success of participatory methods, and can lead to rich, nuanced, and empathetic understandings of complex contemporary questions. Creative methods can also address concerns around social injustice and can lead to arresting research outputs that generate high impact.
In this short introductory course, we will cover visual approaches to creative methods such as photography, drawing, mapping, and collage as well as creative writing and narrative approaches. We will review the transformative research frameworks that lay the ground for the use of creative methods and explore the distinction between creative methods that serve the purpose of eliciting conversation, and creative practice-based research that build towards a final creative output. The course will outline ways of approaching textual and non-textual data analysis including engaging participants in collaborative analysis of material. Finally, it will consider ways of reporting on, presenting and disseminating arts-based and visual research findings. Underlying this course is a continuous conversation on research ethics and reflexive practice. To illustrate key ideas the course draws on wide range of research examples and will engage in practical conversations around why, when, and how to use creative methods in research.
By the end of the course participants will:
- Be knowledgeable about a range of creative research methods and practices.
- Understand the value of creative methods to research and when and how to best implement creative methods.
- Understand how to approach the analysis of textual and non-textual materials generated through creative methods.
- Be aware of the various ways in which research findings developed through creative methods can be reported, presented, and disseminated.
- Be aware of the ethical issues that accompany the use of creative methods.
- Be able to defend the use of creative methods with reference to theoretical and ethical frameworks.
Session Details
Time: 10:00 - 15:00 (12:00 - 13:00 Lunch break)
Date: 21 May 2025
Mode: In person at CON 1.01 and on Zoom
(Please note that zoom link and course material will be distributed to participants once sign-up closes)
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