Phenomenological Research Methods

"This is the most concise and complete text to date on the rich and complex area of phenomenological research. . . . Dr. Moustakas presents the reader with a historical overview and assessment of phenomenological research methodologies along with a review of the philosophical underpinnings of these methods. He also makes clear distinctions between hermeneutic, empirical phenomenology, and heuristic approaches to human science research. This book will prove invaluable for anyone doing research in the area of religious and transpersonal experiences. . . . There is a discussion of the methods and procedures that one might employ in conducting a human science research project along with numerous clarifying examples of the research that illustrate specific applications of phenomenological methods. The step-by-step description of this approach to research will prove invaluable for anyone choosing to engage in phenomenological research." --Ken Waldman in Contemporary Psychology Phenomenology has long served as a research model for many psychologists and other social science scholars and professionals. Yet descriptions of how to do phenomenological research are few. In this brief volume, Clark Moustakas clearly explains the theoretical underpinnings of phenomenology, based on the work of Husserl and others, and takes the reader step-by-step through the process of conducting a phenomenological study. His concise guide also provides numerous extended examples of successful phenomenological studies from a variety of fields, including therapy, health care, victimology, psychology, and gender studies. It also includes form letters and other research tools to use in designing and conducting a study. Phenomenological Research Methods is an essential guidebook for scholars, students, and other researchers in a wide variety of fields using phenomenological research.