title: Research approaches related to phenomenology: negotiating a complex landscape.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a comprehensive overview of the many research approaches related to phenomenology and their philosophical underpinnings.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Phenomenological research approaches are varied and often difficult to apply appropriately. Some researchers persist in labelling their studies as examples of Heideggerian or Husserlian phenomenology without fully understanding the implications of the underpinning philosophical assumptions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Methodological sources related to phenomenology as a philosophy and phenomenology as a research approach are used to illustrate the range of phenomenological methods and their philosophical underpinnings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The origins of phenomenology are the writings of Husserl and the advancement of his thoughts by Merleau-Ponty, Heidegger, Gadamer and Ricoeur. The importance of fully understanding a methodology and its philosophical underpinnings before using it, or claiming to use it, is emphasised. In addition, the variety of phenomenological research approaches that have evolved over the past 50 years are explored and placed in the context of their philosophical underpinnings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no single way to conduct a phenomenological study. There are many approaches from which researchers can choose. This has resulted in a range of labels and often in different descriptions for the same approach.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is essential that researchers planning to use phenomenology are familiar with the many approaches available. This knowledge will help researchers choose the approaches that best suit the aims of their studies.
authors: School of Nursing and Midwifery, National University of Ireland, Galway. maura.dowling@nuigalway.ie
authors: Maura
authors: M
authors: Dowling
authors: Adeline
authors: A
authors: Cooney
mesh_terms: D017008:Negotiating; D015399:Nursing Research