ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 introduces different forms of arts-based research designs, including literacy, performative arts, audio–visual arts, and mixed-methods of various forms of art. Collage-making is used as an example to illustrate the research preparation process. There are three usages of collage-making in research: collage-making as a reflective process, as a form of elicitation, and as a way of conceptualising ideas. Following the collage-making, interviews are conducted to elicit research participants’ lived experiences and feelings about a particular phenomenon. This constitutes the visual-narrative inquiry.
As part of the research preparation, ethical issues should be taken into consideration by researchers. Procedural ethics involves research committee review, approval of ethics forms as well as research participants’ informed consent. Examples of a research invitation and a participant’s informed consent form are provided. Situational ethics refers to researchers making ethical judgements and choices during the research process. In this chapter, two situational ethics issues are discussed: effectively engaging children and young persons in arts-based research, and the ownership and usage of copyright.
