Methods
Now it is time to find out through the participants own voice what the experience was like working with family papers. The method of data gathering was a written “self-report.” The advantage of self-reports is that it gives us the person’s own perspective of the experience, but it can have disadvantages such as validity problems as users can deceive themselves or others (Paulhus and Vzaire, 2007, 229). Participants were provided with a list of open-ended semi-structured interview questions after the workshop ended. The questions were a starting point for the participants self-report—something similar to an essay, so to speak.
The written self-reports were analyzed using a two-step open coding method. This method helps to develop codes to name and describe attributes for particular phenomena and is based on grounded theory methodologies developed by Anselm Strauss and Juliet Corbin. The first step involves reading the self-reports to identify various forms of information users experienced called themes. The second step identifies specific attributes within each theme of information experience by the assigning of a word, phrase, or sentence. Four themes of information experience were identified with specific attributes: external, internal, social-cultural, and new information (see Table 1).
Table 1: Forms of Information and their attributes
- What form of information did you draw upon for your inspiration?
- Did any of the collections offer you information that helped you in the creative process?
- Tell me how you came to your decision on what story or narrative you wanted to create?
- How did you build your narrative and why?
- Did you seek out additional information other than in the collections?
The written self-reports were analyzed using a two-step open coding method. This method helps to develop codes to name and describe attributes for particular phenomena and is based on grounded theory methodologies developed by Anselm Strauss and Juliet Corbin. The first step involves reading the self-reports to identify various forms of information users experienced called themes. The second step identifies specific attributes within each theme of information experience by the assigning of a word, phrase, or sentence. Four themes of information experience were identified with specific attributes: external, internal, social-cultural, and new information (see Table 1).
Table 1: Forms of Information and their attributes
Operationalizing definitions for analysis
Forms of informationEXTERNAL
|
DescriptionIndependent existence derived from documentary sources and objects
|
Attributes
1. Documentary: Contained in collections (diaries, journals, letters, receipts, medical illustrations)
2. Information journey (outside collections): books, articles, clippings, information seeking through internet 3. Knowledge sharing between student/student or archivist/student |
INTERNAL
|
Perception, cognition, affect, emotions, numinous qualities
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1. Feelings of emotion and intellect, reflection
2. Objects as links to past (tangible/symbolic) 3. Numinous (loss, mortality, death) |
SOCIOCULTURAL |
Rules/theory in a particular practice (ex. book constr., art theory)
|
1. Rules of book construction
2. Rules of composition abstract art |
CREATION
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New information through creative process
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1. Creating Pseudo collections
2. Creative writing, nonfiction/fiction, Memoirs 3. Abstract symbolism |