Phenomenological Research Paper Example

Phenomenological research

Phenomenological research is the type of research mainly focused on the experience that people go through with regard to some phenomenon, as well as detailing on how one can interpret such experience. It is a study whose main objective is in attempting to understand and interpret people’s perspectives, perceptions and understandings of a specific situation, which in this case is the situation of growing up without a father and the effects such an experience may have on the individual. When conducting a qualitative research such as on the topic of the effects of growing up without a father, one of the best ways to go may be in conducting interviews, as far as the study is concerned. When interviewing people who have gone through a similar situation such as the one in subject, they can be said to have conducted a phenomenological research. It is basically attempting to understand the essence of a phenomenon through looking at what people who have gone through that phenomenon have to say about it. In this case, the phenomenon is of the long-term effects of an absent father. Of course, the phenomenon can be any other experience that people have gone through or witnessed, such as, for instance, experiencing a war or even being enlisted on the dean’s list. It can be almost anything. The paper will be a phenomenological research on the lasting effects of an absent father, with the thesis statement that people who grow up without a father, regardless of gender, have a whole different experience in their growth as compared to those who have grown with one.

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Qualitative Research and Phenomenological Design

In order to fully understand how to use a phenomenological design in looking at the topic of research, which is the lasting effects of growing up without a father, it is better to first understand what is meant by conducting a qualitative research. By definition, a qualitative research refers to a process of enquiry that is essentially based on particular methodological practices and traditions that look into a human or social problem. For the case of the give area of study, conducting a qualitative research on it would mean building a holistic, complex picture, analyzing the words, reports, as well as detailing the views of informants and conducting the study in a natural setting. A qualitative research seeks to answer difficult questions on why things happen, in a descriptive and explanatory manner, and often applied in beginning stages of understanding a phenomenon. Qualitative research is applied when a new perspective is needed on a subject, as in the one in the paper, the effects that come with having to grow up without a father. Therefore, a qualitative research helps coming up with a phenomenological design that in turn aids in better understanding a phenomenon studies in a naturalistic setting, as in the one in subject. A phenomenological design of research attempts to interpret a situation in terms of the meanings brought into them from specific people in a naturalistic setting. A naturalistic can be explained as being a setting that people live in on a daily basis.

Some of the common beliefs that qualitative researchers always carry with them include the fact that there is no single reality, but there are multiple. That there exists similarity and differences in nearly every person’s experience. Another belief is in the fact that reality is constructed in a social manner and is dependent on context. In other words, there is a common belief in qualitative research that the meaning of an observation is basically defined by its circumstances and context. It is also important to note that a qualitative research is not aimed at seeking interventions, but mainly seeks to look into the patient’s experience, as well as providing information that is relevant when pursuing qualitative studies. In summary, a qualitative research aims at bringing a clear understanding to a phenomenon, considering context as a very important element. It uses purposive samples, collecting data to the level of saturation. It describes a process, an experience, or set of conditions, as in the case of this paper’s topic of research (Madrigal & McClain, 2012).

Importance of a Phenomenological Research Design

The significance that comes with a phenomenological design finds its roots in the fact that, as a qualitative research, it shares the theoretic conclusions when researchers are in such of the results of a certain natural phenomenon. The phenomenon may be based on any social reality created and sustained through people’s experience, such as the one in subject. One of the importance of the phenomenon is that it may prove to be significant when attempting to obtain a more realistic feel of the world, which is not experienced in statistical analysis and numerical data in a quantitative research. Phenomenological design of a qualitative research also has flexible approaches in performing the collection of data, subsequent analysis, as well as interpretation of data collected through a method such as interviewing and questionnaire. It also provides a holistic approach to the phenomenon in subject, as well as equipping the researchers with the ability to interact with the subjects of the research in the own language and on their own terms. For instance, in the case of the lasting effects of an absent father, the researcher can look into the confrontable conditions that are needed for the subjects of research to be fully comfortable with the interview. Phenomenological research also has the capability based on data that is not necessarily structured, but primary and highly significant in its nature (Mgutshini, 2016). Qualitative and Quantitative Questions on the Effects of an Absent Father

The relationship between a child and their father is crucial for their development, as new studies have found. The love of a father is highly significant to a child’s emotional development, as well as their perception of the male gender, particularly for a female child. The phenomenon of children growing up without the presence of their father is certainly not a new one, and therefore, there are general information that such individuals may have in common. Also, another important point to note when looking for the right questions to ask include considering the fact that while even when it is evident that the growth of children in a psychologically and socially less accommodative environment may impact them negatively, the degree of such results occurring is at least a question open to discussion. Finding the right questions to ask when interviewing individuals who have had such an experience should therefore be done with at most care, but also with the motive of getting the best responses so as to acquire the desired results. Therefore, the questions asked have to be directed towards understanding and surveying the conditions involved in the effects of an absent or non-custodian father for that matter. Also, the most appropriate group to aim for the study should be young adults that had gone through their childhood in the absence of their father as a result of what can be referred to as the deadbeat dad syndrome. Before asking the questions, useful information about the subjects of the research has to be recorded, which may include important information such as the gender age, race/ethnicity, school classification marital status, as well as their employment status. Some of the questions to ask include yes or no questions, for clarity purposes. These include the following:

a)Did you go through your child in the presence of both your parents in the household? If no, how di that affect you?

b)Did your father play his role actively in your childhood life? How did that emotionally affect you?

c)How frequent did you see your father?

d)Are there challenges you facing currently in your life due to having be raised without your father in the same house hold.

e)Do you have feelings of having to have missed out through not having a custodial father in your life? Explain.

f)Do you think the presence of your father has had a major impact on your current life as well as its outcome? Explain.

g)Can you give credit or blame your father for the way your life turned out to be? Explain.

h)Please share any thoughts or experiences you have had that can add to the discussion.