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Writes of passage: writing up qualitative data as a threshold concept in doctoral research

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Robin Humphrey

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Abstract

Effective writing is an essential skill for all doctoral students, yet it is one that receives relatively little attention in training and supervision. This article explores extensive feedback from participants in a series of workshops for doctoral candidates engaged with writing up qualitative data. The themes arising from the data analysis are discussed in terms of the role of doctoral writing groups and the affective domain of writing. The main claim is that writing up qualitative data has been identified as a threshold concept for doctoral candidates employing qualitative analysis. Drawing on Turner’s notion of liminality, the article concludes that interdisciplinary workshops can be instrumental in helping doctoral candidates understand the role of writing, and of writing up qualitative data in particular, in their development into independent, autonomous researchers.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Humphrey R, Simpson B

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Teaching in Higher Education

Year: 2012

Volume: 17

Issue: 6

Pages: 735-746

Print publication date: 19/04/2012

ISSN (print): 1356-2517

ISSN (electronic): 1470-1294

Publisher: Routledge

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2012.678328

DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2012.678328

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