This investigation of the tenets of phenomenology is based on work completed using this methodology in educational studies. Specifically, the author writes about the way that phenomenology can be used when completing studies in the field of literacy. The author highlights foundational thinkers, along with major elements of methods and data collection that form the working parts of phenomenology. The author frames this article as a partially reflective account, looking at work that has been completed already, while also attempting to compose a descriptive investigation that other researchers can adopt for their own work in other fields