The 'transfer grid': A qualitative interview tool to more fully understand the transfer student trajectory

Transfer students navigating the path from an associate's degree granting institution to a bachelor's degree granting institution have unique and complex trajectories.In this paper we introduce a qualitative artifact, called the 'transfer grid', to allow researchers to better understand and explore these transfer student narratives.This tool makes visible a more complete narrative of the transfer student experience.Through mapping important moments before and during this transition, we provide researchers a method to: (1) support relationship building between the interviewer and participant; ( 2) discover what the participant sees as important to their transfer trajectory; and (3) generate a rich narrative with which to ground findings in context itself.