Author(s): Ozlem Isik

Abstract: Qualitative research examines individuals’ social, cultural, and psychological life experiences by listening to their stories in their own words, and it accepts the existence of multiple realities shaped by lived experiences. This article explores the role of personal narratives within qualitative research, highlighting the function of these stories both as a method of data collection and as a form of knowledge production. It also explains how qualitative research, based on key theoretical approaches such as phenomenology, constructivism and hermeneutics, helps to illuminate the subjective dimensions of identity, emotion, and memory. Furthermore, the researcher is positioned as someone who participates in the process with positionality and simultaneously takes on the role of a reflexive agent. Utilising methods such as in-depth interviews, participant observation, thematic and narrative analysis, this paper demonstrates that qualitative research is beyond numerical generalisations and focuses on understanding human stories. Real-life stories are at the heart of qualitative research because they hold emotions, meanings, and perspectives that cannot be captured by numbers alone. These stories reveal how individuals make sense of their world, offering deep insight into their identities, struggles, and growth. For instance, the story of a Middle Eastern woman learning English in London is not just about learning a language; it is about her identity, fear, pride, and resilience in a new cultural environment. Many studies focus on what people say, but they often miss something deeper: the story itself. This paper fills that gap by showing that meaning is not just found in the content, but in the storytelling process, where both the participant and the researcher shape the understanding together.

Keywords: Qualitative Research, Personal Narratives, Identity, Reflexivity, Storytelling

Article Info: Received: 15 May 2025; Received in revised form: 08 Jun 2025; Accepted: 13 Jun 2025; Available online: 19 Jun 2025

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.103.90