Qualitative Research: An Introduction to Methods and Designs

Autoethnographic Forms

After dinner everyone ventures to Sunset Point to take in the sunset. Sitting on top of the rocks that jut out over the horizon, they feel on top of the world. After a few moments of silence and being in the moment, the discussion starts again. “Susan and I were talking,” says Cindy. “And we're wondering, are all autoethnographies personal narratives?”

“No,” Carolyn says. “But these narratives—stories by and about authors who view themselves as the phenomenon under study and write evocative narratives specifically focused on their academic, research, and personal lives (Goodall, 2006; Tillmann, 2009)—often are the most controversial forms of autoethnography for traditional social scientists, especially if they are not accompanied ...