- Title
- Balance in writing a life : some issues in biography
- Creator
- Hamilton, Helen
- Date
- 2020
- Type
- Text; Journal article
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/177070
- Identifier
- vital:15221
- Identifier
-
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2020.07.001
- Identifier
- ISBN:1322-7696 (ISSN)
- Abstract
- Background: Biographers aim to create a balanced interpretation of an individual life, both in the narrative of the life and the portrayal of the circumstances in which it was lived. Problem and method: Factors that may distort balance in the account of a life are identified in a review of selected literature of experienced biographers. Findings: Biographical evidence, the biographer's relationship with the protagonist and ethical and privacy matters and are discussed in relation to the quality, adequacy and accessibility of records; maintaining distance from the protagonist; keeping the life in perspective; selecting an appropriate approach and dealing with private or intimate matters. Conclusion: Partiality in the form of prejudice or bias and inaccuracy to the point of being untruthful, are threats to creating a balanced narrative. The credibility of a biography depends upon its honesty. © 2020
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V.
- Relation
- Collegian Vol. 27, no. 6 (2020), p. 585-588
- Rights
- All metadata describing materials held in, or linked to, the repository is freely available under a CC0 licence
- Rights
- Crown Copyright © 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Australian College of Nursing Ltd.
- Rights
- Open Access
- Subject
- 1110 Nursing; Biography; Ethics; Evidence; Privacy
- Full Text
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