Auto/biography, personal testimony and epiphany moments: a case study in research-informed teaching

Abstract This article examines an example of how academic research may inform how we teach. In this case study, we look at the use of auto/biography as a method in the sociological study of crime. Goodey’s (2000) use of a “biographical continuum? to identify “epiphanal moments? in the life course was adopted by one of the authors of this paper for his PhD research on the experiences of war veterans. This was later adapted for use with first-year criminology students as part of their preparation for an essay assignment on identity formation which required them to utilise their own auto/biographical accounts. Despite the well-documented tension between research and teaching in universities, it is argued that our teaching can be enhanced by the appropriate use of research methods and findings.