Blog # 9 What is Phenomenology?
Fatima Muhammad March 30, 2020
Dr. Nelson ENG 5002 01
Blog #9
Response to:
Phenomenology Research Overview
An Introduction to Phenomenological Research
A Phenomenological Research Design Illustrated
Phenomenology is a qualitative research method. During the philosophy movement of the 20th century Edmund Gustav Albrecht Husserl, a German philosopher, established the school of phenomenology. “The historical movement of phenomenology is the philosophical tradition launched in the first half of the 20th century by Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Jean-Paul Sartre, et al.” (Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) According to the CITR, Center For Innovation in Research and Teaching, “A phenomenological study attempts to set aside biases and preconceived assumptions about human experiences, feelings, and responses to a particular situation. Therefore, phenomenology can be defined as the direct investigation and description of phenomena as consciously experienced by people living those experiences.” Unlike autoethnography, “highly personalized accounts that draw upon the experience of the author/researcher for the purpose of extending sociological understanding,” phenomenology is an accepted research method. As I read the definition of phenomenology I immediately thought of autoethnography. Both methods study personal experiences. But phenomenology studies the personal experiences of the person being researched and autoethnography studies the personal experience of the researcher. There are some researchers that believe that interpretations are placed on the results and it is essential to make the researcher a part of the research as opposed to being only an observer. Also, autoethnography is not a research method that is readily accepted, while phenomenology is accepted. Never-the-less, I began to think of ways I could use the methods of phenomenology in my research of autistic studies and poetry.
In the video, “Another Journey with Chris – Phenomenology”, Chris states that there are many different types of phenomenology. However, he will only focus on two types, hermeneutic phenomenology and transcendental phenomenology.” I found both of these methods interesting because of the type of questions that they generate. In this modern era text is used in so many ways. Such as email, text, blogs, speeches, web sites, text messages, Instagram, etc. Hermeneutic phenomenology interprets texts to explore live experiences. In this method the text would be read, then explained in a way that the reader would be able to understand the experience of the participant. For this method I would ask, “What is the student’s experience being studied through text and not through observation?” Using this method provides only the researcher’s interpretation; and that interpretation is based on his/her experience. I believe the hermeneutic method is a good start in the research process. But it would need different research methods to be added to the process. Another method that Chis explains in the video is, “transcendental phenomenology. The method focuses on people’s meaning of a lived experience of a concept or phenomenon.” For this method I would ask, “What is the experience of taking medication to balance your behavior?”
Also in the video Chris explains the processes of transcendental phenomenology:
“1.determine if this method is appropriate for your research question
2. bracketing – set aside their researcher’s biases and preconceived notions, notes discussed with colleagues
3. recruit participants, data comes from in depth interviews asking no more than 1 to 2 broad open ended questions from at least five participants,
4. data analysis –Horizonalizational …Taking the significant statements and transcripts to describe elements of experiencing the phenomenon, different themes are placed in clusters of meaning and then used to write Textual Description-imaginative variation
5. Limitations-Question- Can we really say the experience of a small number of people is what was experienced by everyone?”
I would not choose this for a research method for my research question. Because I believe that my research would be deficient if I limited myself to a certain number of questions, especially such a small number. However, there are some elements that do fit my research, but overall phenomenology would not be supportive enough.
However, phenomenology is a method that can “support or challenge policy and action by adding an interpretive dimension.” (Stan Lester) In my research I will be able to use phenomenology as a method to support the following public policy, by conducting interviews and participant observation. “The Autism Society of America advocates for federal public policies that improve the lives of children and adults with autism. These policies include early intervention, k-12 education, postsecondary education, transition services, employment, health care, and home and community-based services and supports.” For example, to support the public policy mentioned above, I would select teachers that actually work with autistic students. According to Groenewald, these steps are essential when selecting participants, “the participants should have had some experience in the phenomenon to be studied, interviews, snowballing, focuses on and group discussions. (p 46)
Other steps in phenomenological qualitative research are data-storing and field notes. These are two ways to store information. Each interview must have its own identification label. Field notes must be written without judgment. In additional there are different types of field notes. Such as, Observational notes, (ON), Theoretical notes, (TN), Methodological notes, (MN), and Analytical memos, (AM). As well explicitation of data, according to Groenewald, “explicitation implies investigation of the constituents of a phenomenon while keeping the context. And lastly, validity of the researcher, participants and the study must absolutely trust worthy so that the result of the study has value.
WORKS CITED
David Woodruff Smith, Phenomenology, Copyright © 2013 by Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/
Autism Society
https://www.autism-society.org/public-policy/
Chris - Another Journey with Chris – Phenomenology – Video, https://cirt.gcu.edu/research/developmentresources/research_ready/phenomenology/phen_overview
Stan Lester, An introduction to phenomenological research
Stan Lester Development, Taunton
Discussion Questions:
Question 1:
Transcendental Phenomenology has limitations on the number of participants and on the number of questions that can be asked in the research. In the video it questions, “Then the research is questioned, wondering if such a small number can represent the experiencing of everyone?”
My discussion question: “Why is there a limit on the number of participants and questions that can be asked during the interview if there is a need for more representation of participant experiences?
Question 2:
On the topic of validity and truthfulness - “I bracketed myself consciously in order to understand, in terms of the perspectives of the participants interviewed the phenomenon that I was studying…” (Mouton & Marais, 1990, p70)
My discussion question: How can the researcher be sure that he/she has excluded their own basis in the process of the study?
Dr. Nelson ENG 5002 01
Blog #9
Response to:
Phenomenology Research Overview
An Introduction to Phenomenological Research
A Phenomenological Research Design Illustrated
Phenomenology is a qualitative research method. During the philosophy movement of the 20th century Edmund Gustav Albrecht Husserl, a German philosopher, established the school of phenomenology. “The historical movement of phenomenology is the philosophical tradition launched in the first half of the 20th century by Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Jean-Paul Sartre, et al.” (Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) According to the CITR, Center For Innovation in Research and Teaching, “A phenomenological study attempts to set aside biases and preconceived assumptions about human experiences, feelings, and responses to a particular situation. Therefore, phenomenology can be defined as the direct investigation and description of phenomena as consciously experienced by people living those experiences.” Unlike autoethnography, “highly personalized accounts that draw upon the experience of the author/researcher for the purpose of extending sociological understanding,” phenomenology is an accepted research method. As I read the definition of phenomenology I immediately thought of autoethnography. Both methods study personal experiences. But phenomenology studies the personal experiences of the person being researched and autoethnography studies the personal experience of the researcher. There are some researchers that believe that interpretations are placed on the results and it is essential to make the researcher a part of the research as opposed to being only an observer. Also, autoethnography is not a research method that is readily accepted, while phenomenology is accepted. Never-the-less, I began to think of ways I could use the methods of phenomenology in my research of autistic studies and poetry.
In the video, “Another Journey with Chris – Phenomenology”, Chris states that there are many different types of phenomenology. However, he will only focus on two types, hermeneutic phenomenology and transcendental phenomenology.” I found both of these methods interesting because of the type of questions that they generate. In this modern era text is used in so many ways. Such as email, text, blogs, speeches, web sites, text messages, Instagram, etc. Hermeneutic phenomenology interprets texts to explore live experiences. In this method the text would be read, then explained in a way that the reader would be able to understand the experience of the participant. For this method I would ask, “What is the student’s experience being studied through text and not through observation?” Using this method provides only the researcher’s interpretation; and that interpretation is based on his/her experience. I believe the hermeneutic method is a good start in the research process. But it would need different research methods to be added to the process. Another method that Chis explains in the video is, “transcendental phenomenology. The method focuses on people’s meaning of a lived experience of a concept or phenomenon.” For this method I would ask, “What is the experience of taking medication to balance your behavior?”
Also in the video Chris explains the processes of transcendental phenomenology:
“1.determine if this method is appropriate for your research question
2. bracketing – set aside their researcher’s biases and preconceived notions, notes discussed with colleagues
3. recruit participants, data comes from in depth interviews asking no more than 1 to 2 broad open ended questions from at least five participants,
4. data analysis –Horizonalizational …Taking the significant statements and transcripts to describe elements of experiencing the phenomenon, different themes are placed in clusters of meaning and then used to write Textual Description-imaginative variation
5. Limitations-Question- Can we really say the experience of a small number of people is what was experienced by everyone?”
I would not choose this for a research method for my research question. Because I believe that my research would be deficient if I limited myself to a certain number of questions, especially such a small number. However, there are some elements that do fit my research, but overall phenomenology would not be supportive enough.
However, phenomenology is a method that can “support or challenge policy and action by adding an interpretive dimension.” (Stan Lester) In my research I will be able to use phenomenology as a method to support the following public policy, by conducting interviews and participant observation. “The Autism Society of America advocates for federal public policies that improve the lives of children and adults with autism. These policies include early intervention, k-12 education, postsecondary education, transition services, employment, health care, and home and community-based services and supports.” For example, to support the public policy mentioned above, I would select teachers that actually work with autistic students. According to Groenewald, these steps are essential when selecting participants, “the participants should have had some experience in the phenomenon to be studied, interviews, snowballing, focuses on and group discussions. (p 46)
Other steps in phenomenological qualitative research are data-storing and field notes. These are two ways to store information. Each interview must have its own identification label. Field notes must be written without judgment. In additional there are different types of field notes. Such as, Observational notes, (ON), Theoretical notes, (TN), Methodological notes, (MN), and Analytical memos, (AM). As well explicitation of data, according to Groenewald, “explicitation implies investigation of the constituents of a phenomenon while keeping the context. And lastly, validity of the researcher, participants and the study must absolutely trust worthy so that the result of the study has value.
WORKS CITED
David Woodruff Smith, Phenomenology, Copyright © 2013 by Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/
Autism Society
https://www.autism-society.org/public-policy/
Chris - Another Journey with Chris – Phenomenology – Video, https://cirt.gcu.edu/research/developmentresources/research_ready/phenomenology/phen_overview
Stan Lester, An introduction to phenomenological research
Stan Lester Development, Taunton
Discussion Questions:
Question 1:
Transcendental Phenomenology has limitations on the number of participants and on the number of questions that can be asked in the research. In the video it questions, “Then the research is questioned, wondering if such a small number can represent the experiencing of everyone?”
My discussion question: “Why is there a limit on the number of participants and questions that can be asked during the interview if there is a need for more representation of participant experiences?
Question 2:
On the topic of validity and truthfulness - “I bracketed myself consciously in order to understand, in terms of the perspectives of the participants interviewed the phenomenon that I was studying…” (Mouton & Marais, 1990, p70)
My discussion question: How can the researcher be sure that he/she has excluded their own basis in the process of the study?
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