Basically, the major purpose of phenomenology as a research approach originated in philosophy is to explore what it is like as we “find-ourselves-being-in-relation-with others and other things”, for example, teacher with students, doctor with patient, some bad news, a good book (Vagle 2014, p. 20).  Stated in a simple way, the purpose of phenomenological research is to illuminate, understand and interpret the significance of experiences of human life. Phenomenological research aims to elucidate the specific, to identify phenomena through the perceptions of individuals in a situation, and therefore phenomenological research is powerful for challenging taken-for-granted or structural assumptions.

 

Phenomenological research aims to illustrate a phenomenon by explore the experience of individuals, moreover, define the meaning for individuals who had experience and synthesize a comprehensive description (Moustakas 2011, p. 12). While Husserl (1970) suggested that pure phenomenological research intends to identify the essence instead of explaining, additionally, researchers are supposed to start their research without proposed hypotheses, bias or conceptions.

 

Moreover, van Manen (2001, p. 62) suggests that the emphasis of phenomenological research is the significance of lived experience, while in phenomenological research the core is to “borrow” individuals’ experiences and their reflections towards their experience for the reason of obtaining in-depth meaning of a dimension of individuals’ experience among the whole of human experience. Phenomenological research cares about individuals lived experience, ‘bracketing’ normal ways of thinking, and cutting taken-for-granted assumptions (Lester 1999, p. 1).