Understanding the Auto, Ethno, and Graphy in Autoethnography

Presentation at the 2021 Georgia Educational Research Association Conference.

In this presentation, I discuss what I learned on writing autoethnography. I detail autoethnography as a qualitative method that moves beyond researcher reflection or autobiography. Autoethnographic projects use selfhood, subjectivity, and personal experience (“auto”) to describe, interpret, and represent (“graphy”) beliefs, practices, and identities of a group or culture (“ethno”). In that, I attempt to show how the auto, ethno, and graphy, can come together in a succinct way. I detail the process of vulnerability and reflection. I then discuss data collection and analysis techniques, why consent/assent is needed, outlets for publication, and advice for those that wish to write autoethnography themselves.