Abstract:
The experience of post-graduate research involves engagement, struggle and growth. There are many roles that can be played within it, such as apprentice, fieldworker, pilgrim and pioneer. Different degrees of complexity, depth and autonomy are revealed in these roles.
The journey of post-graduate research is a quest to become. I t involves actions and places, helpers and hinderers. At times, there is uncertainty, danger and fear. There are things to embrace and to resist. There are many choices to be made.
Post-graduate research can be both a frightening and transformative experience. It brings with it the potential to paralyse and to liberate us. It can, at times, be so overwhelming, it renders us silent. Sometimes, it can help us find our deepest and most powerful voice.
These are some of the findings emerging from a current research project, which is exploring the personal and emotional experiences of becoming a researcher. We have been working on this project for about nine months now. As our project has evolved, we have also become interested in the ways in which our different perspectives and methodological approaches can be woven together to create a multi-layered perspective of the phenomenon we are researching.
When we conducted a focus group with the research participants, we presented our findings through these three different lenses. From the feedback from the participants, and from own experience as presenters, we realised we had created a multi-layered tapestry of perspectives which acknowledged multiple realities and which reflected and illuminated the rich texture of the original data.
The journey of post-graduate research is a quest to become. I t involves actions and places, helpers and hinderers. At times, there is uncertainty, danger and fear. There are things to embrace and to resist. There are many choices to be made.
Post-graduate research can be both a frightening and transformative experience. It brings with it the potential to paralyse and to liberate us. It can, at times, be so overwhelming, it renders us silent. Sometimes, it can help us find our deepest and most powerful voice.
These are some of the findings emerging from a current research project, which is exploring the personal and emotional experiences of becoming a researcher. We have been working on this project for about nine months now. As our project has evolved, we have also become interested in the ways in which our different perspectives and methodological approaches can be woven together to create a multi-layered perspective of the phenomenon we are researching.
When we conducted a focus group with the research participants, we presented our findings through these three different lenses. From the feedback from the participants, and from own experience as presenters, we realised we had created a multi-layered tapestry of perspectives which acknowledged multiple realities and which reflected and illuminated the rich texture of the original data.