Sample Pheno Methodology

Objective of the Study

The aim of the study is to explore the lived experiences of older persons who
are engaged into social productive activities.

Design
This study will utilize a qualitative research design specifically the hermeneutic
interpretative phenomenological approach. Finlay (2009) states that applied to research,
phenomenology is the study of phenomena: their nature and meanings. The focus is on
the way things appear to us through experience or in our consciousness where
phenomenological researcher aims to provide a rich textured description of lived
experience. Langdridge (2007) also defines phenomenology as a discipline that "aims to
focus on people's perceptions of the world in which they live in and what it means to them;
a focus on people lived experience". She further clarifies that phenomenology as a
qualitative method focuses on human experience as a topic in its own right. It concerns
with meaning and the way in which meaning arises in experience.
Furthermore, hermeneutic phenomenology is focused on subjective experience of
individuals and groups. It is an attempt to unveil the world as experienced by the subject
through their life world stories. This school believes that interpretations are all we have
and description itself is an interpretive process. To generate the best ever interpretation
of a phenomenon it proposes to use the hermeneutic cycle. According to Langdridge
(2007), the hermeneutic turn of phenomenology resulted of the opinions that our
experiences can be best understood through stories we tell of that experience.

Setting and Informants

The locale of this study will be at Midsayap North Cotabato. Purposive
sampling will be utilized in selecting the informants with the following inclusion criteria: (1)
60 year-old and above, and (2) involved into productive activities (paid work and unpaid
work, volunteering, caregiving). Eight (8) to ten (10) older persons will be interviewed to
share their lived experience regarding the phenomena under study. The number of the
informants would be based on data saturation. Data saturation is defined as the point to
which no new information is obtained and redundancy is achieved (Polit and Beck, 2008).

Instruments

The researcher will utilize a semi-structured interview guide. In semi-structured

interviews, the researcher prepared in advance a topic guide covering different areas with
broad opening questions (Polit & Beck, 2008). This method will ensure obtaining wide-
ranging discussions without directly leading the informant as well as allow them to freely
express their thoughts and experiences. The guide will consist of three parts. The first
part focused shortly on items determining the demographic profile of the respondents and
the second part includes the main broad and open-ended questions about the
phenomenon under study. The third part are probing questions in order to solicit more
substantial information about the experience.

Data Analysis
The study will make use of Kleiman (2004) methods of analysis in phenomenological
research. These include six steps: (1) read the interview transcript in its entirety in order
to get a global sense of the whole, (2) read the interview transcript a second time - this
time more slowly - in order to divide the data into meaningful sections or units, (3)
integrate those sections/units that you have identified as having a similar focus or content
and make sense of them, (4) subject your integrated meaningful sections/units to a
process that is known as free imaginative variation, (5) elaborate on your findings - this
includes descriptions of the essential meanings that were discovered through the process
of free imaginative variation, and (6) revisit the raw data descriptions again in order to
justify your interpretations of both the essential meanings and the general structure. You
really do have to prove that you can substantiate the accuracy of all your findings by
reference to the raw data.
Subsequent to the complete analysis of the data, critical analysis of the work within
the research study would take place. The critical analysis will include verification that; a)
concrete, detailed descriptions have been obtained from the participants, b) the
phenomenological reduction has been maintained throughout the analysis, c) essential
meanings have been discovered, d) a structure has been articulated, and e) the raw data
has verified the results.
After recurrent review of the written transcriptions and audio recordings of the
interviews, data analysis was done including phenomenological reduction to identify the
essence of the phenomenon (Patton, 1990). The researcher then clusters the data around
themes that describe the textures of the experience (Creswell, 1998). Consequently,
structural synthesis took place which involves the imaginative exploration of all possible
meanings and divergent perspectives (Creswell, 1998) and culminates in a description
of the essence of the phenomenon and its deep structure. Resemblance and differences
were identified with the cluster of responses, filtering them in order to come up with four
broader themes. The conceptualized themes were reviewed by examining the transcripts
until no more theme emerges. There were also subthemes identified in connection with
the major themes.

Data Collection
Communication letters to conduct research will be addressed to the Barangay
Captain of the identified locale in coordination with the Senior Citizens Association to gain
entre. Before the actual data gathering will be conducted, there were series of
preparations done in order to make sure that information to be solicited will be sufficient
and substantial. These include, self-examination for the purpose of identifying
presumptions and prior knowledge regarding the phenomenon so as to bracket it off from
the interviewees responses. The purpose of this self-examination is to permit the
researcher to gain clarity from her own preconceptions, and it is part of the ongoing
process rather than a single fixed event (Patton, 1990). It will be followed by drafting
open-ended question to explore related topics in uncovering the informants views but
otherwise respects the frames and structures of their responses. Mock interviews will be
initiated as well to develop effective communication skills with due consideration of the
appropriate behavior during the actual interview.
Moreover, semi-structured interview will be mainly applied in the collection of data.
It consists of several key questions that help to define the areas to be explored, but also
allows the interviewer or interviewee to diverge in order to pursue an idea or response in
more detail. Before conducting the said activity, the informants will be informed of the
purpose of the study and the inclusion criteria. After establishing consent, guide questions
will be asked to explore their significant experiences regarding their engagement in social
productive activities and the impact of this involvement with their lives. The preferred
dialect of the interviewees which is Cebuano will be used for their responses.
During the conduct of the interview, essential statements including their non-verbal
cues will be put into writing. Field notes will also be accounted for because some
responses may have significant contribution during the interpretation of data. In order to
keep track of all their responses, audio recorder will be utilized to allow review of details
that might have been missed in writing.

Ethical Considerations
Prior to data collection, informants written consent will be accounted for after
thorough explanation of the purpose and importance of the study in respect to their dignity
with right of autonomy. Confidentiality of their names will be emphasized in order for them
to freely express their true feeling and divulge their actual lived experiences of the
phenomenon. A face-to-face interview will be done in a secluded place in order to prevent
distractions and avoid feelings of uneasiness among the interviewees.

APPENDIX A
Proposition 1

Interview Guide

Initials:_________
Age: __________
Sex:___________
Civil Status: ___________
Any Health Problems/Diagnosed Disease Condition: ______________________
Involvement in Social Productive Activities:_______________________________
Time Commitment:_________________________
Opening Question:

Can you share your significant experiences in engaging in social productive activities?

Interview Schedule:
1. What are the important contributions of these involvements in your life?

2. Can you share any difficulties you experienced while performing these activities?

3. What are your coping strategies to deal with the changes of aging?

Follow-up Questions:

1. Tell me more about that.

2. What did you mean with that?

3. How did you think about that?

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