How is heuristic inquiry different from phenomenology?

What is it about?

This article is about qualitative research methods. One research method - heuristic inquiry - is compared to other qualitative research methods, more specifically to phenomenology and transpersonal research methods. Many qualitative researchers consider heuristic inquiry to be just another phenomenological method. The article argues that heuristic inquiry, a qualitative research method created by Clark Moustakas, is different from phenomenology, and lists all the significant differences. Therefore, the author argues heuristic inquiry cannot be classified as a phenomenological method. Heuristic inquiry is also considered a transpersonal research method by transpersonal psychologists, even though Moustakas, the creator of the method, did not characterized it as such. By comparing similarities with transpersonal research methods, the author concludes that heuristics can be considered a transpersonal research method.

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