What is innovative in research methods?

Melanie Nind4 March 2015

Structure

1. The nature of methodological innovation

2. Three case studies

3. Conclusions

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NCRM is tasked to increase the quality and range of methodological approaches used by UK social scientists through a programme of training and capacity building, and with driving forward methodological development and innovation through its own research programme.

NCRM Context

The nature of methodological innovation

NCRM Narrative literature review (2009-10)• Social sciences’ bibliographic databases searched for ‘method’ or

‘qualitative’. 14 journals identified.

• Journal contents searched using innovat*, new, novel and emerg* in the title or abstract.

• Authors’ self-definition of innovation, through the use of ‘novel’, ‘new’, ‘innovative’ or ‘innovation’

• Filtered for relevance (n=57)

• Categorised by area/topic

• Categorised by type of claim [Inception/Adaptation/Adoption]

Findings

Seven topics were identified:Creative methods

Online and e-research

Software tools

Focus group methods

Mixed methods

Narrative methods

Other

Findings: innovation type

• Authors rarely defined what they meant by innovation• Their narratives suggested three categories of claims:

– Inception (n=32)– Adaptation (n=6)– Adoption (n=19)

• Closer analysis of ‘innovation’ at inception level revealed over-claiming

• Majority of ‘innovations’ involve adapting methods or transferring & adapting methods from other disciplines

What defines innovation?

• It should be rooted in genuine attempt to improve some aspect of the research process (not just gimmickry or innovation for innovation sake)

• It is driven by complex social relations• It can comprise developments to established methods as

well as new methods

(Travers, 2009; Coffey and Taylor, 2008; Xenitidou and Gilbert, 2012)

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Differences in definitions

• Applying only to new methods or methodologies or advances or developments of established methods (see Taylor & Coffey, 2008)

• Taken up by the wider social science community (Taylor & Coffey, 2008; Wiles et al) or not yet filtered through to the mainstream (Xenitidou & Gilbert, 2009, 2012)

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Inclusive education’s challenges

• which movement?• which criteria?• continua, journeys or

states?• all or nothing?• where to start?

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Examples

• ‘Some innovations disappear as innovative methods because they have become part of the researcher’s standard repertoire’ (Williams & Vogt 2011), e.g, structural equation modelling, multi-level modelling, case study, grounded theory, CAQDAS are now normalised)

• But still under rapid development so when does innovation really end?

What drives innovation in methods?• Value placed on innovation by research councils,

funders, journal editors & reviewers, REF etc: NCRM!(‘the imperative to innovate is often at the expense of well-founded research’ Coffey 2011 argues)

• Emergence of complex new social situations, developments in disciplines, and resulting research questions

• ‘Flourishing of naturalistic, humanistic and mixed approaches’ (Williams & Vogt 2011): culture of pluralism

• Affordances of new technologies• Filling methods gaps and responding to ethical concerns

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What are the concerns?

• ‘celebrated and abhorred in seemingly equal measure’ (Coffey 2011)

• Reductionism (Housley & James Smith 2011) e.g. in walking interviews, walking & talking coupling reduces narrative & spatial analysis; in autoethnography, collapse of inquiry from social to individual

• Mindless pursuit of the new (Travers 2009)

Three case studies

The CasesOnline/Virtual ethnography … Netnography

Robert Kozinets

Child-led research … Children as Researchers Mary Kellett

Creative methods … Lego Serious Play David Gauntlett

Our case study methods

interviews with developer of the

method/approach

interviews with users, reviewers, commentators,

appliers

review of academic

response to innovations

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Thematic analysis

1. Timeliness – why this, why now

2. Distinctiveness

3. Contribution to the substantive area, discipline or methods

4. Process of breakthrough, acceptance and uptake

5. Potential future

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Netnography (Robert Kozinets)

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Changed World Development of internet/social media;Easier access to social worlds

Cultural Shift The way in which human beings form culture & community changed because of technology

Necessity Adapt research methods/techniques to online context

Opportunity To access/utilise new forms of cultural data; explore new social environment; overcome methodological problems; data overload

Ethical Issues Anonymity; consent; access; guidelines; procedures

Creative Methods (David Gauntlett)

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Changed World Interest in identity; participatory methods.

Cultural Shift Increasing interest in new methodologies/research innovation; richer/deeper understandings

Necessity Problem: language-based methods – participants expected to have formed opinions/generate instant responses/different capacities to articulate; questions reliability/validity of findings

Opportunity Generate richer/more valid & reliable data; ‘what people really think’; utilise quick/reflective process

Ethical Issues Accessibility of language; research experience; power relations – generating/interpreting data

Child-led Research (Mary Kellett)

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Changed World Global uptake in children’s rights (UNCRC); participation agenda

Cultural Shift Governments/populations more receptive to children’s rights/agency than ever before in history.

Necessity To give children a valid research voice not mediated by adults; encourage/support children’s agency

Opportunity New forms of knowledge; deeper understandings of children’s lives/perspectives; insider-perspective on childhood

Ethical Issues Adult agendas/exploitation of children for their own ends; how child-led research should be evaluated/critiqued

Findings: a developmental process

• Organic process: ‘I didn’t set out to invent method’ (RK); ‘accidental discovery’ (DG)

• Support and encouragement – ‘big names’; senior colleagues; established professors; academic champions: ‘you should definitely keep doing that’ (RK); ‘empowering professor’ (MK)

• A journey – from ‘abyss of cynicism’ (MK) to ‘academic legitimation’ (RK); addressing critiques; theoretical bolstering; promotion/dissemination – web sites (being ‘out there’)

Findings: Constituting the innovation• Coining a distinctive name• Set of procedures to be followed/clear procedural

guidelines (RK); stage-process (DG); specific training programme (MK)

• Books (training manuals)• Teaching method to students; business clients (RK)• Comprehensive training programme for children and

adults (MK)• Workshops: Learn about the process by doing the

process (DG)

Conclusions

What makes an innovation?

Primary conditions• Dissatisfaction with existing

methods/approach• Identification of new phenomena• Opportunity to develop something new• Innovation must address ‘need’

(individual/social science)• Innovation must be

feasible/workable/accessible

Secondary Conditions• Marketing of innovation – publications,

training, web sites etc.• Evaluation – response/received• Academic legitimacy• Uptake• Duration

What makes an innovation?

Are our cases innovations?• ‘New’ (and to a degree) distinctive

approaches• Address specific methodological issue• Evidence of uptake/acceptance/legitimacy

BUT• Claims to distinctiveness a problem

(similar approaches)• Unique attributes hard to assess• Durability unknowable

For more detail see

• Nind, M., Wiles, R.A., Bengry-Howell, A. & Grow, G.P. (2013) Methodological Innovation and Research Ethics: Forces in tension or forces in harmony? Qualitative Research 13(6) 650–667.

• Wiles, R.A., Bengry-Howell, A., Nind, M. & Crow, G. (2013) But is it innovation? The development of novel methodological approaches in qualitative research, Methodological Innovation Online 8(1), 18-33.

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PS http://kozinets.net/about

• In 2007, he started the blog Brandthroposophy as an experiment in mass communicating research results and research-driven ideas with a wider global public. The blog caught on quickly. Backed by Kozinets’ Twitter account (kozinets), and LinkedIn profile, Brandthroposophy has captured a loyal global audience of professional researchers, marketers, students, and others interested in cutting edge ideas about social media, marketing, and consumer culture thought. He feels sincere gratitude for and affiliation with his worldwide audience.

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