Once Upon a Time: The Power of Story in Research

Abstract: This paper explores the role of stories in research in a variety of methodological, cultural and geographical contexts. Stories are rich in texture, real in their descriptions of events and experiences and are often more accessible than traditional academic approaches to knowledge. Research that is understandable and relevant to our lives can be readily interpreted. Thus, it can provide an effective educational tool for creating and disseminating knowledge and translating knowledge into practice. Through the collecting and sharing of the stories of our various research participants we have gained deeper insights into their lived experience than we may have with other data collection technologies