Autoethnography as a Recent Methodology in Applied Linguistics: A Methodological Review

Abstract

In this methodological review, I explore how recent autoethnographic studies in the field of applied linguistics have used autoethnography as a research methodology. I examine 40 autoethnographies published in peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and 2020. The findings show that a large number of the researchers employed autoethnography as “an umbrella term” without opting for a specific type of autoethnography. Second, a great majority of the autoethnographers diverted from traditional third-person academic prose, although most of them approached their stories with an analytic lens. Third, the absence or scarcity of (auto)biographical information decreased both the evocative and analytic qualities of autoethnographic studies. Lastly, the authors provided little or no justification of their methodological choices as to why they specifically opted for autoethnography rather than other qualitative methodologies. Likewise, most authors provided little or no explanation about their selection of data collection tools and procedures as well as their data analysis methods and strategies. In light of these findings, I suggest future autoethnographers familiarize themselves with the types, epistemological foundations, and methodological affordances of autoethnography so that they may find the most appropriate voice and affordances to tell their stories in their own way.

Teachers Talking About CLIL Pedagogy: Transforming Teacher Practices Through Collaborative Autoethnography

“…We opted to retain our names in presenting our data rather than pseudonyms. In addition to the retention of individual names, we were operating under the premise supported by Keleş (2022a) that the inclusion of lived experiences to encourage a better understanding of the participants in CAE offers a window for self-research and can allow the reader to make a cultural or emotional connection with the authors. Thus, we include background information intended to expose the roots of our transformations, as well as the end products.…”

“…Thus, we include background information intended to expose the roots of our transformations, as well as the end products. In addition, thought must be paid to the treatment of each member's voice (Keleş, 2022a). For this paper, the overall use of the third person avoids the dominance of one author over others.…”

“…It emerged from a variety of ethnographic terms, such as "duoethnography" (Breault, 2016, p. 777) with usually two participants jointly constructing their narratives. In an overview of autoethnographic work in applied linguistics, Keleş (2022a) noted how duoethnography places more emphasis on the dialogic nature of participant interaction, whilst CAE looks more at the collaborative, community-building aspects of narrativization. Both expressions though are anchored in the interpretivist, autoethnographic research tradition, which Bochner (2013) claimed, counters the prevailing influence of quantitative, positivistic research.…”

Mystory as an international graduate student: a socialization autoethnography

“…Many scholars converge on the idea that autoethnography is a form of qualitative research method that allows researchers to analyze their personal experiences within their sociocultural contexts (Chang, 2008;Ellis and Bochner, 2000;Keles , 2022a;Wall, 2008;Yazan and Keles , 2022). As opposed to doing research "on" the researched to understand the underlying phenomenon, autoethnographers focus on "self" destabilizing the borders between the researchers and the researched (Keles , 2022b).…”

“…Addressing this research question, I respond to Duff's (2019) call for the exploration of second language (L2) and academic discourse socialization experiences of study abroad participants with a multilevel, multilingual, and scalar approach. Doing so, I also contribute to the existing scholarship that has recently embraced autoethnography in the field of applied linguistics (Keles , 2020(Keles , , 2022a for a methodological review). The authors of most of these studies have narrated their study abroad, border crossing, language learner, language teacher and postgraduate experiences, which go beyond the borders of "home" and "abroad" (Ai, 2016;Fall, 2019;Hanci-Azizo glu, 2018;Park, 2013;Simon-Maeda, 2011;Su, 2019;Yazan, 2019).…”