Of related interest
Application of Colaizzi's Method: Interpretation of an auditable decision trail by a novice researcher: Contemporary Nurse 14/3 (June 2003) 292-302
Carolyn Sanders
Division of Health Care Practice, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance for novice researchers using Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological method of data analysis.
It offers personal insights into how to present an auditable decision trail in a phenomenological research study and explores issues of rigour and trustworthiness.
For the novice researcher, it provides practical examples of how to illustrate the processes that can be employed to interpret and make sense of the research material when writing a thesis or research report.
Keywords
phenomenology, Colaizzi, data analysis, audit trail, rigour, trustworthiness
Article Text
Introduction
Despite the plethora of phenomenological nursing research studies that have been published in the last twenty years, few have provided guidance for novice researchers on how to undertake the process of data analysis and present an auditable decision trail within a thesis or research report (Whiting, 2001). Munhall (1989) observes that novice researchers often require guidance on 'where to begin' and 'how to do it' which frames thinking when first exposed to employing phenomenological methods.
This paper will present my own personal experiences as a novice researcher using the phenomenological method devised by Colaizzi (1978). I will briefly discuss the importance of finding a methodological 'fit' between the philosophical assumptions underpinning a research approach, and the method of data analysis chosen. Secondly I will discuss the importance of promoting the rigour and trustworthiness of phenomenological data analysis. Thirdly, and most importantly, a detailed overview of each of Colaizzi's seven stages of data analysis will be provided and their application to my personal research study discussed. Issues of how to present an auditable decision trail within a thesis will be discussed using examples drawn from my own study.
This paper draws upon examples from a descriptive phenomenological study underpinned by the philosophy of Husserl (1960) to illustrate some practical examples of how to present the process of data analysis. The purpose of the research study was to explore, describe and understand how nurses' personal spiritual values and beliefs influenced their professional experiences of caring for patients (Sanders, 1996). A purposeful sampling technique was used to identify 8 experienced nurses working in acute care areas in a large teaching hospital in the United Kingdom (UK) who had direct personal experience with the phenomena of interest and were willing to share their experiences. The study was based on unstructured individual interviews which yielded a wealth of data.
A Word About Phenomenological Method
The aim of phenomenology is to produce a description of a phenomenon of everyday experience, in order to understand its essential structure. Husserl's phenomenology is eidetic or descriptive, whereby individuals are seen as the vehicle through which the essential structure or 'essence' of the phenomenon of interest can be accessed and subsequently described. If the appearance of essential structures can be described, then it is possible to arrive at certainty or ultimate truth (Solomon and Higgins, 1996).
It is not the intention of this paper to argue the relative merits and drawbacks of using Husserl's descriptive phenomenology, although it is important to recognise that there is considerable debate amongst academics regarding its misuse in nursing research (Crotty, 1996; Koch, 1995; Paley, 1997; Yegdich, 1999). It is important, however, for novice researchers to be clear about their particular ontological orientation based on their philosophical understanding of phenomenology, as this will influence the way in which a research study will be conducted.
Whilst is it true that phenomenologists are sometimes reluctant to focus on specific steps in the data generation and analysis process, many have devised methods that may be followed in a systematic fashion (Van Kaam, 1966; Giorgi, 1970; Colaizzi, 1978; Van Manen, 1984). It is important therefore for novice researchers to ensure that they demonstrate the methodological 'fit' of their chosen framework with the philosophical assumptions underpinning the particular research approach selected.
Demonstrating Rigour and Trustworthiness in Phenomenological Analysis (continues..........)
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