The Problem of Bracketing in Phenomenology

Abstract

Phenomenology has become a popular approach for nursing inquiry, yet certain questions about the methodology have not been fully addressed in the literature. Specifically, the technique of bracketing is often regarded as a way of indicating scientific rigor in the phenomenological approach, yet a precise description of how it is achieved and why it is appropriate in individual studies has sometimes been overlooked. The author reviews philosophical roots of phenomenology and discusses the issue of using bracketing within hermeneutic frameworks. A fresh interpretation of bracketing is offered in an effort to resolve the incongruity of employing the technique within essentially hermeneutic research.