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Oliver Ford
Professor Gibson
Research 201_D14
April 27, 2024
Article Analysis: Humanities Assignment Lasting Impact of Study Abroad Experiences: A
Collaborative Autoethnography
Abstract
Study abroad programs have long been used to research language and culture. Despite the
great deal of research on the study abroad field, a minimal amount have focused on the lasting
impact on the participants. The focus of this article is on two former study abroad participants
who are actively pursuing multicultural education as well as involvement in teaching acquisition
of secondary language. This project reviewed literature in the area of study abroad, using the
information gathered to determine the effectiveness of an autoethnography approach. The
researchers utilized theory based open coding to analyze their data comprised of emails and
reflective narratives. From the data analyzed four main themes were distinguished: language and
culture; academics; identity; and lasting impact. In closing the researchers reflect by comparing
personal experiences, the lasting impact that their time abroad had on them, and the implications
of their research. This research was effective in understanding collaborative autoethnography as
well as the lasting impact of study abroad on its participants.
The study abroad program is an important and special way for students to get immersed
into another culture for the purpose of doing lingual and cultural studies. Without this program
students would miss a unvaluable opportunity to learn from differing cultures. Due to the
effectiveness of this program, it is important to determine the effect it has on its participants. The
article “Lasting Impact of Study Abroad Experiences: A Collaborative Autoethnography” by
authors Nathalie Rothschild and Jordana Garbati seeks to learn the lasting impact the study
abroad program has on its participants while also determining the effectiveness of collaborative
autoethnography.
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This article was written by two former study abroad participants, Rothschild and Garbati.
Because of their personal experience these researchers came together to study collaborative
autoethnography and the lifelong effects of the study abroad program. The study’s purpose was
to answer these queries, shedding some light into the lesser explored parts of the study abroad
program. The thesis according to the authors sought to answer their question: “How have our
respective study abroad experiences influenced our initial interest in, and continued involvement
with, French as a second language (FSL) education?” (Garbati, et al. 4). This article used
grounded theory methodology to decipher its data. This theory is a qualitative research method
that creates theories grounded in the reality of the research context.
This study relied on a qualitative research method. The research was complete based on
personal experience from the two researchers. Collaborative autoethnography which is a large
part of this study is itself a qualitative research method. The authors define collaborative
autoethnography as “a qualitative research method in which researchers work in community to
collect their autobiographical materials and to analyze and interpret their data collectively"
(Garbati, et al. 4). The research design of this article was the rhetorical paradigm explained by
Hark. As a humanities article the rhetorical paradigm is evident throughout. In the study the two
authors partake in personal reflection on their experience as study abroad students and later
pursing French as a second language. The use of rhetoric is clearly seen in parts of the author’s
design and to make their communication easier to understand.
The article “Lasting Impact of Study Abroad Experiences: A Collaborative
Autoethnography” concludes with the thesis being proven. The goal of this study was to learn
about the lasting effects of study abroad on its participants. Using collaborative autoethnography
the researchers were able to achieve this goal. Thus, the study can be viewed as a success. The
authors wrote this in their conclusion “Reflecting on our time abroad has proven to be extremely
rewarding. Having the opportunity to discuss and compare our stories has validated our
experiences as we realize that while they are unique, they are also shared” (Garbati, et al. 16).
The main limitation of this article was that the research was done on the two researchers. The
authors recommended further study of this topic with a larger group of participants. The authors
wrote “Our experiences, for example, could be compared to the experiences of others who took
part more recently in French study abroad programs” (Garbati, et al. 16).
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Humanities and the sciences are both very important fields. After completing article
analysis on both subjects there are several similarities and differences. One major difference
between the humanities and sciences article is the researched method used. The Sciences article
utilized a quantitative method while this humanities article used a qualitative method. This
difference in method makes sense due to the differing way the studies were conducted and the
way the results were recorded. Another way the articles differ is in their design. The science
article tested a large group of university students using written forms. The humanities article,
however, was based on the personal experience of the two researchers. The design clearly is
different in these two articles and impacts the overall way the research is completed. A final
difference between the articles is the number of limitations present. While the humanities article
did have minor limitations it pales in comparison to the amount in the sciences article.
The conclusions reached in the two articles were also different. The sciences article
concluded with a failed thesis. The data gathered in that study was not enough to comply with
the thesis thus causing it to fail. The sciences article had many limitations which were
responsible for the lack of clear data collected. The humanities article, however, resulted in a
proved thesis. This article was able to determine all the information it was intended for, which
led to its success.
The article “Lasting Impact of Study Abroad Experiences: A Collaborative
Autoethnography” proved to be a successful study. The two researchers were able to determine
the lasting effects of the study abroad program on both individuals and groups by using
collaborative autoethnography. The study abroad program remains an invaluable tool for
exploring other cultures and learning new languages and practices. With the information
gathered in this study we can better understand how study abroad affects its participants and
possibly how to make it even better.
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Works Cited
Garbati, Jordana F., and Nathalie Rothschild. “Lasting Impact of Study Abroad Experiences: A
Collaborative Autoethnography.”BForum: Qualitative Social Research / Qualitative
Sozialforschung, vol. 17, no. 2, May 2016, pp. 1–18.BEBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=114704830&site=ehost-
live&scope=site.
Hark, K., (2019).BResearch across the disciplines: An introduction,!(second ed.). Kendall Hunt
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