What is the value of personal experience in research often referred to as?

The value of personal experience in research is often referred to as intuition. Intuition represents the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning, and it is closely tied to one's personal experiences and insights. Intuition allows researchers to draw upon their own lived experiences and understanding of a subject, which can guide their inquiries and shape their interpretations.

In the context of research methods, intuition plays a key role when a researcher generates hypotheses or makes decisions based on their familiarity with a topic. It can inform qualitative aspects of research, such as identifying relevant themes or issues to explore further based on what feels instinctively right or relevant to the researcher’s experience.

The other options, while related to various forms of evidence or methods in research, do not specifically capture the essence of personal experience in the same way. Empirical evidence refers to information acquired through observation or experimentation, systematic inquiry indicates a structured approach to research, and subjective observation involves interpretations based on personal feelings and biases, which can diverge from the intuitive grasp of knowledge gained through experience.