“Because knowledge is not simply ‘written up’ but created through the process of inquiry, the creative research methods elucidated in this handbook are essential for meaningful practical innovations and theoretical developments." Sarah J. Tracy, Arizona State University

“What a fantastic collection – instructive, educative and inspiring in equal parts! A must-read for all involved in creative research methods. I loved the multi, inter-, and transdisciplinarity and the mix of academics across the career trajectory. Wonderful! Congratulations to the editors and authors.” Maggie O’Neill, University College Cork

“This significant, accessible collection brings together new and established voices to offer original insights to the often unseen process of creative analysis of a range of qualitative and quantitative data.” Helen Lomax, University of Huddesfield

Creative research methods for data generation have expanded over recent decades and researchers are eager to take a creative approach to data analysis. It is challenging to bring creativity into data analysis while retaining a systematic, rigorous, and ethical approach. Written by experts in the field, this handbook addresses these challenges. The chapters adapt analytical techniques in creative ways for novice and expert researchers. Existing and novel methods from analysis of quantitative data to embodied, performative, visual, written, arts-based, and collaborative analysis are featured with case examples that are transferable across disciplines. This collection offers a definitive practical guide to creative data analysis.
Les mer
Written key names in the field, this book opens up the options for creativity and innovation in data analysis while retaining a systematic, rigorous and ethical approach in line with good research practice. Featuring transferable case examples across disciplines, this is the definitive practical guide to creative data analysis.
Les mer
1. Introduction - Dawn Mannay, Alastair Roy, and Helen Kara Section 1: Creative Analysis of Quantitative Data 2. Five Survive Lockdown: Re-Visualising Survey Data as a Graphic Novella - Kate Carruthers Thomas 3. Visually Mapping the Interplay between Pandemic Interest Groups and ‘the Vulnerable’ in Newspaper Accounts, 2018–2022 - Stuart Neilson and Neil Kenny 4. Using Discourse Analysis to Inform Content Analysis: A Pragmatic, Mixed Methods Approach Exploring How the Headteacher Role is Articulated in Job Descriptions - Alexandra Morgan, Andrew James Davies, and Emmajane Milton 5. Word Clouds as Creative Data Analysis – What Can They Tell Us AboutStudent Views of Learning Something New? - Louise Gascoine, Kate Wall, And Steve Higgins Section 2: Creative Embodied Analysis 6. Analysing Creative Multimodal Data for a Scientific Audience - Jennifer S. Leigh, Jennifer R. Hiscock, Sarah Koops, Anna J. Mcconnell, Cally J.E. Haynes, Claudia Caltagirone, Marion Kieffer, Emily R. Draper, Anna G. Slater, Kristin M. Hutchins, Davita Watkins, Nathalie Busschaert, and Larissa K.S. Von Krbek 7. Object-Work as a Creative Approach to Data Analysis in Embodied Inquiry - Nicole Brown 8. A Composite Approach to Analysis for Embodied Methodology - Rachel Kurtz and Laura Mazzoli-Smith Part 3: Creative Performative Analysis 9. Rewriting in Role: Inviting Readers through Imagination - Claire Coleman 10. A Mosaic of Siblings of Cystic Fibrosis: A Creative Dramaturgical Analysis - Amie Hodges 11. Theatrical Research-Based Performance: An Analytic Method Using Theatre in an Educational Context - David Duncan Section 4: Creative Visual Analysis 12. Co-Creation of a Sensory Assemblage as Data Analysis - Melanie Roberts and Anne Collis 13. Creating Artworks From Data - Charlotte Barratt 14. Using Emoji As a Creative Tool for Data Analysis - Anuja Cabraal and Lauren Gawne Section 5: Creative Written Analysis 15. I Poems and Polyvocality: Experiences of Using a Combined Qualitative Creative Analysis Technique to Strengthen the Voices of Research Participants and Aid Reflexivity - Jacqueline Dodding and Hazel Partington 16. Composite Narratives, Developing Characters: A Method of Creative Data Analysis in Developing Public Engagement Artefacts - Lauren White, Adam Carter, and Katherine Davies 17. Beyond the Brick Wall: Transdisciplinary and Creative Research through Scholarly Personal Narrative and Lilyology - Dawn Wink Section 6: Creative Arts-Based Analysis 18. Slow Stitch: Reflexive Creative Analysis and Meaning Making - Naomi Clarke 19. The Analogue Journey Method - Karen Gray and Emma Lazenby 20. Using Creative Mapping Methods to Analyse Multimodal Data - Erin Roberts, Merryn Thomas, Karen Henwood, and Nick Pidgeon Section 7: Existing Methods Adapted in Creative Ways 21. Embracing Creativity in Familiarisation - Louise Couceiro 22. How to Be Creative When Creativity is Policed - Shehr Bano Zaidi 23. Visual Grounded Theory: A New Way of Seeing, Knowing, and Constructing Theories Grounded in Data - Jacquie Ridge 24. But is it Professional? Pairing Creative Practice and Thematic Analysis to Illustrate Organisational Culture - Kyla Tully Section 8: Analysis with Participants 25. Using Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement and Co-production to Enrich the Analysis, Interpretation, and Utilisation of Sexual Health Research - Mar Estupiñán Fdez. De Mesa, Melvina Woode Owusu, Makeda Gerressu, Gwenda Hughes, and Catherine H. Mercer 26. Creative Collaborative Data Analysis: Co-Constructing and Co-Analysing the Data Together - Jessica Mannion and the R&S (Relationships and Sexuality) Research Team 27. Perspective Narrative Analysis: Analysing Data Creatively within a Participatory Research Group - Chloe East, Feydakeen Smith, Iris, Zaynab Charafi, Zoe Fordham, Annie Champion, and Carys Jones Part 9: Pushing The Boundaries 28. Analysing the Unspoken: Finding the Richness Created in Dialogue with People who Cannot Speak - Katherine Broomfield 29. Speculative A/R/Tography - Kathryn Coleman, Sarah Healy, Abbey Macdonald, and Peter J. Cook 30. Between Two Worlds: A Shared (Shamanic) Journey of Creative Qualitative Data Analysis and Researcher Identity - Karen Hammond and Nick Fuller 31. Conclusion - Alastair Roy, Dawn Mannay, and Helen Kara
Les mer
“Because knowledge is not simply ‘written up’ but created through the process of inquiry, the creative research methods elucidated in this handbook are essential for meaningful practical innovations and theoretical developments." Sarah J. Tracy, Arizona State University
Les mer
Fills a gap as the ultimate handbook for creative data analysis; Covers the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data; Considers the strengths and limitations of each method and shows their applications and adaptations to other settings.
Les mer

Biographical note

Helen Kara is a researcher, author, teacher, and speaker specialising in research methods, particularly creative methods, and research ethics at We Research It Ltd.

Dawn Mannay is Professor of Creative Research Methodologies at Cardiff University.

Alastair Roy is Professor of Social Research at the University of Central Lancashire.