Narrative Storytelling, Creative Flow and Designing a Methodology in Practice-based Research

Abstract

This article focuses on my practice-based research which employs the artefact-exegesis model to write my novel, Kristal and Marg, exploring the impact of volunteering. It addresses approaches to methodology design for practice-based research, and the place for theory, practice and reflective evaluation within. It also focuses on creativity and flow and approaches to directing the creative process in practice-based research.

Informed by my own experience in industry and community immersed in volunteering and altruism, my practice-based research looks at capturing the impact of volunteerism through narrative storytelling. This article focuses on what practice-based research allows for that traditional research methods do not, specifically when measuring and exploring the impact of volunteering. The way researchers have measured the impact of volunteerism in the past has varied and the impact of volunteering continues to prove difficult to measure. Attempting to measure the value of volunteering hours in economic terms can be useful, but does it tell the full story? Through practice-based creative research, I have written a novel which attempts to fill the research gaps by telling the real stories of the impact of volunteering.