This phenomenological case study attempts to understand the phenomenon of intertextuality of traditional novels and graphic novels, and how it may or may not contribute to transference of one mode of literacy to another. The study's sample was seven Grade 12 Advanced Placement English/language arts students and their teacher. I conducted my…

The voice of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) is needed in the literature to best understand their unique experiences and perspectives. Researchers face challenges in conducting interviews with people with ID who are limited in conceptual and verbal language skills. It can also be difficult to obtain participants with ID because of…

Male social work students are a numerical minority in Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs, a reality that warrants exploration as the academy strives for greater diversity within preservice social work programs. The present qualitative phenomenological study examined how male social work students in one BSW university program perceived their…

Negotiating meaning, knowledge, and identity is fundamental to composing processes. These negotiations occur both individually and socially for writers. Sexual identity is an intrinsic part of these negotiations, but is often overlooked by researchers. This study explored the phenomenon of negotiating sexual identity in the composing processes of…

Patient education is a crucial aspect of nursing practice, but much of the research about it is quantitative and has been conducted in urban medical centers. These urban-based studies have limited utility for nurses working in rural hospitals where the populations they serve often have unique and challenging health contexts and cultures. Since…

In this qualitative phenomenological study, we sought to explore the life experiences of 7 rural gifted individuals who dropped out of school. In addition, we investigated whether participants shared commonalities that might have led to the phenomenon of dropping out. The problem was that a paucity of research exists about gifted dropouts;…

In this analysis I reflected how research reflexivity and professional use of self assisted me in completing my phenomenological doctoral study about African American mothers' experiences of sexual mistreatment and how those experiences influence their child rearing practices within an extended family system. I combined research and social work…

School age children and adolescents who participate in school gardening projects tend to eat more fruits and vegetables. Adults who participate in community gardening projects report that they also eat more fruits and vegetables, are more physically active and enjoy other social and emotional benefits as a result of gardening. Using a…

This phenomenological, qualitative research study involved in-depth interviews with 22 participants enrolled in a private Midwestern university. Each participant reported living with a respective chronic pain syndrome while also being a full-time student. Our semi-structured, interviews centered around the constructs of physical, social,…

This study explored the needs and preferences of older gay and lesbian adults regarding their care in later life. Using a phenomenological case study approach, 15 participants were interviewed regarding their anticipated practical needs, including housing and finances, and their psychological needs, such as support and quality of life. Fearing…

Investigating the influence of the Roman Catholic Church on the racial/ethnic identity development of Mauritian Creole peoples was the broad goal of the present study, which was framed by multidimensional approaches to human development, identity development models, and principles of Catholic Social Teaching (CST). Data were collected from 25…

In this study, we investigated how individuals from diverse backgrounds learn to navigate the many worlds in which they live and explore how variations in life experiences are associated with aspects of navigating across cultures. We conducted the study using a phenomenological approach based on retrospective personal narratives from 19 young…

This study examines coping behaviors and felt experiences of homeless adults in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Data from in-depth interviews with 55 homeless adults reveal 5 general coping pattern groups: shelter users, campers, couch hoppers, mixed users, and circumstantial homeless. Homeless adults within each group experienced similar levels of…

Reviewing literature in qualitative research can be challenging in terms of why, when, where, and how we should access third-party sources in our work, especially for novice qualitative researchers. As a pragmatic solution, we suggest qualitative researchers utilize research literature in four functional ways: (a) define the phenomenon in…

This qualitative analysis explored children's and adults' experiences with adoption. We used phenomenological methodology and individually interviewed 25 participants and included adoptive mothers and fathers, and their children, each adopted before 18 months of age. Two research questions guided the data analysis: (a) What are children's and…