Phenomenology is the attempt to describe human experiences and how human beings experience a certain phenomenon. Groenewald says, “the aim of the researcher is to describe as accurately as possible the phenomenon, refrainin from any pre-given framework, but remaining true to the facts.” The origins of phenomenology can be traced back to Kant and Hegel, but Husserl is regarded as the “father” of phenomenology in the 20th century.
Groenewald: In his article Groenewald illustrated how to conduct a phenomenological research study by breaking down the methodology as well as outline his own specific study as a blueprint. Growenewald’s study was based on the topic of co-operative education and the joint ventures between educational institutions and enterprises in order to educate people and grow talent. His specific research question was: What is the contribution that co-operative deduction can make in the growing of talent of the South African people? This research question was transformed into 2 different interview questions posed to the participants that would prompt them to “describe” the phenomena they are experiencing. Although many phenomenologists are reluctant to share and focus on specific steps, Groenewald lays out some basic steps that he believes a researcher seeking to use the phenomenological method should use:
- Start with the topic & paradigm
- Find/locate the participants
- Data-gathering methods
- Data-storing methods
- Explicitation of the date
- Validity & truthfulness
What I appreciated about Groenewald’s article is not only does he break down the phenomenological methodology, but he also provides his own research study as an example of how to follow the steps. I find this methodology to be interesting because of how it seeks to describe human experiences. On one hand Groenewald states that researchers are to accurately describe the phenomenon, refrain from relying on any pre-given framework, and remain true to the facts. However, as the article continues he writes that the researcher cannot be detached from his/her own presuppositions and that they should not pretend that they don’t have explicit beliefs (Hammersley, 2000). While this may be true for all researchers, regardless of the research methodology they are using, biases in phenomenology can be dangerous. If a researcher attempts to describe a human experience or phenomena, but they accidentally mingle their own preconceptions with the data, then the research isn’t truly based on the participants and their experiences. The research could become invalid . I believe that all people do have their own explicit and implicit beliefs/biases, but as a researcher this should be detached from your work. So as Hammersley and Groenewald point out, you are not attached from your beliefs, but I think your beliefs should be detached from your research. My question is, how can one effectively do this?
Elbow: Elbow’s essay on freewriting was both enjoyable and relatable for me. Elbow uses the phenomenological method by narrating and describing the various uses of freewriting:
- Journal Writing
- Incoherent Writing
- Unfocused Exploring
- Socially
- Privately and Publicly
- Writing Feedback/Responding to Student Work
- Brainstorming: When you’re stuck
- Heightened Intensity/Experiences
Throughout this essay, I found myself agreeing with Elbow and seeing myself and my experiences in the different described scenarios. Journals were my original introduction to freewriting, and to this day I continue to keep and write in one. Just as Elbow said, my journal writings are private and I hope to be like him and keep mine for a very long time (he kept his for 25 years!). My journals are a way for me to write down my innermost feelings and ideas (the ones I won’t tell anyone else or even think in my own head). Elbow also described using freewriting as a means to explore a thought and give himself permission to pursue it. I’ve done this a few times when I get stuck in my writing which is also another experience that Elbow describes. There are times when I have an idea or thought about what I want to write but I’m unsure on how to format it. So I start with my original thought and just allow it flow in whatever direction it goes. I also push my students to do the same thing when they find themselves getting stuck in their own writing.
I also found freewriting in a social context to be relatable. Elbow writes, “Look at all these people putting words down on paper without agony. If they can do it, well so can I!” (Elbow 51). I can’t even begin to describe the number of times this same line has ran through my own mind. As I mentioned earlier, freewriting is one of the best writing prompts I like to give to my students. One problem I faced (just like Elbow mentions as well) is getting students to take responsibility to write an actual response when they know that their work won’t be graded. This along with being asked to do something so foreign to many of them, makes many of the students hesitant to complete the task. In the beginning of the school year I watch the pain etched in their faces at being asked to do something so foreign. Many of them are barely able to get a whole paragraph out. However, the more time passes and the more practice they receive, the better they get at completing freewriting.
One new concept that Elbow introduces to me is how to use freewriting to write responses and feedback to students. I never saw this as being a possibility, but as he explains and describes it, it makes sense to me now. As a teacher, giving feedback to a bunch of students can become strenuous and tiring. There are times when you don’t know what kind of feedback to give or how to give it. The example Elbow uses when writing feedback to Lisa is perfect for sampling how a teacher (who is or is not stuck on feedback) can use freewriting to give effective feedback in an accepting tone. In my Writing Theory & Practice class we discussed the importance of and the delicacy of giving effective feedback to students. This idea of using freewriting to give feedback is brilliant.
All in all, I found phenomenology to be a rather interesting methodology.
Composition Studies: Research and Methods 