PD26-16 Crafting Autoethnography: From Personal Experience to Scholarly Insight

Session Type: Professional Development Course

Abstract

This interactive course provides a foundational introduction to autoethnography, a powerful qualitative research method in which researchers study their own lives to produce scholarly insights for their fields. Participants will learn autoethnography’s core definition, explore its four major types (Evocative, Analytic, Critical, Performance/Arts-Based), and discuss when and when not to use it. The course will delve into crucial ethical considerations and quality criteria, ensuring a robust and responsible approach to autoethnographic inquiry. Through hands-on activities, participants will gain practical strategies for identifying compelling topics, formulating central research questions, generating diverse forms of 'data' (like memories and sensory experiences), transforming this data into meaningful analysis, and crafting engaging narratives using expressive writing techniques. No pre-course assignments are required.

Sub Unit

• Professional Development and Training Committee