Collecting methods
Stories exist in different formats. They may be written, audio, visual or spoken. As such, your method for collecting stories may be determined by the format(s) it exists in and the purpose of your project. For instance, if you intend to gather a wide range of personal stories and anecdotes from local communities then hosting workshops or community gatherings may be a useful method. Alternatively, if gathering historical stories underpinned by research is relevant then archival work may be required.
Potential story collecting methods include:
- Interviews
- Community workshops
- Photo elicitation
- Archives
- Digital story gathering
- Exploring
Further reading
Which method(s) is best for you and why? What are the resource requirements?
Each story collection method will require different time, skills and resource commitments. If you are considering different methods, we encourage you to consider the following questions to assess the feasibility of each.
Questions to answer
- What skills and resources are required for this method? Is this feasible?
- Do you have the time to dedicate to this method?
- Do you require financial resources?
- How easy is it to access the resources needed to make this method successful?
- Is travel required? Is this feasible?