Check your understanding
A researcher might use a phenomenological to study the meaning of being a bully. In this study, we would expect to find that the purpose of the study is to describe the lived experiences of this phenomenon (being a bully). The researcher would collect interview data from individuals known to engage in bullying behaviors toward others. The researcher would also bracket her own expectations about bullies so she could focus on learning from her participants’ experiences. The report would describe themes related to being a bully, describe what it means to be a bully and how being a bully is experienced, and offer a statement describing the essence of what it means to be a bully.
Now, how might a phenomenological be used to study a topic of interest to you?