The Potential Role of Comics in Teaching Qualitative Research Methods

This article argues that comics have a potentially positive role to play in supporting the teaching of qualitative research methods in higher education. It tells the story of the creation and use of a short pedagogical comic. We begin with a brief review of the literature around the use of comics in teaching. Then we offer two first-person accounts. Independent researcher Helen Kara narrates her creation of Conversation with a Purpose, designed as a resource to support the teaching of qualitative interviewing. It contains the story of a student’s first real-world interview, with some deliberately ambiguous aspects, and some discussion questions. Then Jenni Brooks, a senior lecturer in sociology at Sheffield Hallam University, outlines her use of the comic in teaching undergraduate sociology students. Each author offers a brief reflection on her experience. We conclude that the use of comics has the potential to bridge the gap between classroom and practice for inexperienced qualitative researchers, and we encourage further research in this area.