How to write a phenomenological dissertation : a step-by-step guide / Katarzyna Peoples, Walden University.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Conducting phenomenological research for dissertations can be an involved and challenging process, and writing it up is often the most challenging part. How to Write a Phenomenological Dissertation gives students practical, applied advice on how to structure and develop each chapter of the dissertation specifically for phenomenological research. Phenomenology is about personal experience and personal experience varies from researcher to researcher. However, this variation is a big source of confusion for new researchers in the social, behavioral, or health sciences. This brief text is written in a simple, step-by-step fashion to account for this flexibility and variation while also providing structure necessary for a successful dissertation. Broken up into chapters that follow each chapter of the dissertation, this text logically addresses the various parts of phenomenological research, starting with ensuring phenomenology is the right method for your research, writing the literature review, going through methods and results sections to analysis and discussion. The author, using experience gleaned from supervising phenomenological dissertations for many years, gives time-tested advice on how structure the dissertation to fit into more common frameworks, using checklists and tables throughout. Each chapter includes a list of helpful resources for students to use alongside this book with specific information on methods and research. Unique to this text is a chapter on creating your own phenomenological method which allows students to expand their viewpoints and experiment in future studies after the dissertation.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Acknowledgments (p. xiii)
• About the Author (p. xv)
• Part I Before the Dissertation
• Chapter 1 How to Begin (p. 3)
• What Is Phenomenological Research? (p. 3)
• Purpose of This Book (p. 5)
• Organization of This Book (p. 8)
• Literature Review (p. 8)
• Introduction (p. 8)
• Problem Statement (p. 9)
• Purpose Statement (p. 9)
• Theoretical Framework (p. 9)
• Validity and Reliability (p. 10)
• Data Analysis (p. 11)
• Using Software (p. 11)
• Journaling (p. 12)
• Interviewing (p. 12)
• Abstract (p. 12)
• Presenting Findings (p. 13)
• Connecting to the Theoretical Framework (p. 13)
• Going Back to Chapter 3 (p. 13)
• Dialogue With Literature (p. 14)
• Implications for the Field (p. 14)
• Limitations (p. 14)
• Recommendations for Future Research (p. 14)
• References (p. 16)
• Part II Writing the Dissertation
• Chapter 2 Introduction and Literature Review (p. 19)
• Beginning the Literature Review: What's Your Topic? (p. 19)
• Literature Search Strategy (p. 20)
• Create an Outline (p. 20)
• Writing the First Dissertation Chapter: The Introduction (p. 21)
• Example of an Opening to Chapter 1 (p. 22)
• Problem Statement (p. 23)
• Purpose Statement (p. 26)
• Research Questions (p. 27)
• Theoretical Framework (p. 29)
• Edmund Husserl (p. 30)
• Husserl applied to research (p. 30)
• Key terms to include in the framework (p. 31)
• Martin Heidegger (p. 32)
• Heidegger applied to research (p. 33)
• Key terms to include in the framework (p. 34)
• Definitions (p. 35)
• Assumptions (p. 35)
• Delimitations and Limitations (p. 36)
• Significance (p. 36)
• Summary Sections (p. 37)
• Completing the Literature Review (p. 37)
• Literature review exercise (p. 39)
• Literature Review (p. 39)
• Chronic Physical Illness (p. 39)
• Chronic Mental Illness (p. 41)
• References and Suggested Reading (p. 44)
• References in Examples (p. 45)
• Literature Review Example (p. 45)
• Chapter 3 Methodology (p. 47)
• Introduction (p. 47)
• Design and Rationale (p. 47)
• Researcher Role (p. 48)
• Participants (p. 49)
• Instrumentation (p. 50)
• Follow-Up Interviews (p. 50)
• Procedures (p. 51)
• Data Collection (p. 51)
• Interview Questions (p. 52)
• Interview guide (p. 53)
• Follow-Up Questions (p. 54)
• Focus Groups (p. 56)
• Journaling (p. 56)
• Data Analysis (p. 57)
• General Data Analysis Steps (p. 59)
• Step 1: Reading and deleting irrelevant information (p. 59)
• Step 2: Preliminary meaning units (p. 60)
• Step 3: Final meaning units (p. 60)
• Step 4: Situated narratives (p. 61)
• Step 5: General narratives (p. 61)
• Step 6: General description (p. 62)
• Delineating Transcendental Phenomenology in Data Analysis Steps (p. 63)
• Journaling (p. 63)
• Follow-up interviews (p. 63)
• Delineating Hermeneutic Phenomenology in Data Analysis Steps (p. 64)
• Journaling (p. 65)
• Follow-up interviews (p. 65)
• Using Software (p. 66)
• Validity and Reliability (p. 69)
• Ethics (p. 71)
• Summary (p. 71)
• Write the Abstract (p. 72)
• Abstract (p. 72)
• References and Resources (p. 72)
• Chapter 4 Results (p. 75)
• Introduction (p. 75)
• Setting (p. 75)
• Participant Demographics (p. 75)
• Data Collection (p. 76)
• Findings (p. 77)
• Situated Narratives (Themes) (p. 78)
• Childhood conflict (p. 78)
• Feeling disconnected from a parent (p. 79)
• Problems in marriage (p. 79)
• Childhood conflict (p. 79)
• Feeling disconnected from a parent (p. 80)
• Early sexual exploration (p. 81)
• General Narrative (p. 81)
• General Description (p. 81)
• Connecting to the Theoretical Framework (p. 82)
• How to Discuss the Researcher's Process When Using a Transcendental Theoretical Framework (p. 82)
• How to Analyze Participants' Experiences When Using a Transcendental Theoretical Framework (p. 83)
• How to Discuss the Researcher's Process When Using a Hermeneutic Theoretical Framework (p. 83)
• How to Analyze Participants' Experiences When Using a Hermeneutic Theoretical Framework (p. 84)
• Validity and Reliability (p. 84)
• Credibility (p. 84)
• Transferability (p. 85)
• Dependability (p. 85)
• Confirmability (p. 85)
• Going Back to Chapter 3 (p. 85)
• Illustrated Data Analysis Steps (p. 86)
• Summary (p. 87)
• Appendices (p. 87)
• References and Resources (p. 88)
• Chapter 5 Discussion (p. 89)
• Introduction (p. 89)
• Interpretation of Findings: A Dialogue With the Literature (p. 90)
• Including Theory Throughout (p. 90)
• Discussing the Researcher's Process Within a Transcendental Theoretical Framework (p. 90)
• Discussing Participants' Experiences Within a Transcendental Theoretical Framework (p. 91)
• Discussing the Researcher's Process Within a Hermeneutic Theoretical Framework (p. 91)
• Discussing Participants' Experiences Within a Hermeneutic Theoretical Framework (p. 91)
• Formalization of Christianity and the Loss of the God-bond (p. 92)
• The Shifting Evangelical Movement and the Concept of Absolute Truth (p. 93)
• Sexual Morality and Sexual Addiction (p. 93)
• Gender Roles (p. 95)
• The Saving Grace of Marriage (p. 95)
• Homosexuality and the Evangelical Sex Addict (p. 96)
• Reaction Formation (p. 97)
• Sartre and Personal Responsibility (p. 97)
• Becker and Three Life-Worlds (p. 98)
• Assumptions (p. 98)
• Addressing conceptual assumptions (Husserl) (p. 99)
• Revising Conceptual Assumptions {{Heidegger}} (p. 100)
• Limitations (p. 103)
• Recommendations for Future Research (p. 103)
• Recommendation Based on Something Learned (p. 104)
• Recommendation Based on Limitation of Research (p. 104)
• Implications (p. 104)
• Conclusion (p. 105)
• Update the Abstract (p. 106)
• Abstract (p. 106)
• Example of Abstract (p. 107)
• Abstract (p. 107)
• References and Resources (p. 107)
• References From Examples (p. 108)
• Part III After Your Dissertation
• Chapter 6 Other Phenomenological Methods (p. 113)
• Existential Phenomenology (p. 114)
• Critical Narrative Analysis (Langdridge) (p. 115)
• Dialogal Approach (Hailing, Leifer, & Rowe) (p. 115)
• Dallas Approach (Garza) (p. 116)
• Embodied Life-World Approach (Todres) (p. 116)
• Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin) (p. 117)
• Life-World Approach (Ashworth) (p. 117)
• Lived Experience Human Science Inquiry (van Manen) (p. 118)
• Reflective Life-World Approach (Dahlberg) (p. 119)
• References (p. 119)
• Existential-Phenomenology (p. 119)
• Critical Narrative Analysis (Langdridge) (p. 120)
• Dialogal Approach (Hailing, Leifer, & Rowe) (p. 121)
• Dallas Approach (Garza) (p. 122)
• Embodied Life-World Approach (Todres) (p. 122)
• Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin) (p. 123)
• Life-World Approach (Ashworth) (p. 124)
• Lived Experience Human Science Inquiry (van Manen) (p. 124)
• Reflective Life-World Approach (Dahlberg) (p. 125)
• Chapter 7 Creating Your Own Phenomenological Method (p. 127)
• Giorgi's Five Basic Steps (p. 128)
• Van Manen's Four Reflections (p. 128)
• Illustrated Steps (p. 128)
• Results (p. 130)
• Participant Demographics (p. 131)
• General Description (p. 133)
• Reflection (p. 136)
• Corporeal Reflection (Lived Body) (p. 136)
• Temporal Reflection (Lived Time) (p. 137)
• Spatial Reflection (Lived Space) (p. 138)
• Relational Reflection (Lived Human Relation) (p. 139)
• General Structure (p. 143)
• References and Resources (p. 145)
• Appendix A Recruitment Flyer (p. 147)
• Appendix B Screening (p. 149)
• Appendix C Semi-Structured Interview Guide (p. 151)
• Appendix D Consent to Participate (p. 153)
• Appendix E Sample Dissertation Literature Review (p. 159)
• Index (p. 167)