The origins and informed uses of the terms phenomenography and phenomenology

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this short reflection is to allow for an informed use of both phenomenography and phenomenology in information studies and cognate fields.Design/methodology/approachThe paper apprises uses of phenomenography found particularly in accounts of information literacy commonly describing phenomenography as distinct from phenomenology.FindingsBoth phenomenography and phenomenology continue to hold much credence in methods applied across scores of academic fields, with information studies being among those in the vanguard. Claims displaying differences of phenomenography from phenomenology are misleading and incomplete descriptions of phenomenology.Originality/valueThe paper presents newer materials on the origins of phenomenography and phenomenology to advocate for tighter relationships between and clearer applications of these methods in information studies and beyond.