Visualising the Ephemeral ‘Noticings’ of Children’s Assent and Participation During Research

Abstract

This submission explores how graphic illustrations revisualise aspects of data to offer insights into the relational and co-constructed negotiation of children’s ethical decision-making. Specifically, it focuses on how Ben, a 5-year-old participant, negotiates his ideas of participation within the complexities of the research space. I consider how graphic illustrations generate and articulate impressions of children as capable research participants; suggesting graphic illustrations as a tool to interrogate and disseminate further understanding of children as social actors in research. These graphic illustrations draw the audience into the process of visualising children’s multimodal languages, illustrating the ephemeral ‘noticings’ of ethics ‘in-the-moment’, contributing to a better understanding of children’s participation and assent in social research.