Grounded Theory
Grounded Theory
Grounded Theory
Key Ideas
Defining Grounded Theory When to use Grounded Theory Key characteristics of Grounded Theory research Conducting a grounded theory study Evaluating a grounded theory study
Grounded Theory is developed from the data, rather than the other way around. This is an inductive approach, meaning that it moves from the specific to the more general- Develop theory based inductively on observation. Grounded theory is to develop theory that is grounded in data systematically gathered and analyzed.
History
Grounded theory was developed by two sociologists, Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss. Their collaboration in research on dying hospital patients led them to write the book Awareness of Dying. In this research they developed the constant comparative method later known as Grounded Theory.
GT methodology
The basic elements of grounded theory are: Codes Concepts Categories propositions
Five analytic phases of grounded theory building were identified: Research design Data collection Data ordering Data analysis Literature comparison
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Data collection
Note-taking Glaser recommends against recording or taking notes during an interview of other data collection session. Youll get more understanding from the extra interviews you could do in the time it would take you to listen to and transcribe a tape recording.
Data ordering
Open Coding: researcher looks for concepts with an open mind and every new theme identified inductively is taken into account and a category system is established Axial Coding: researcher selects one open coding category and places it at the center as the Central Phenomenon and then relates all other categories to it. Selective Coding: writing a theory based on the interrelationship of the categories from axial coding
Selective Coding
Axial Coding
Open Coding
Memoing
Memos are notes the researcher writes throughout the research process to elaborate on ideas about the data and the coded categories. In memos, the researcher explores hunches, ideas, and thoughts, and then takes them apart, always searching for the broader explanations at work in the process. Glaser makes the point, that memoing is given high priority. As an idea occurs to you, pause in what you are doing and write a memo to yourself. System of cards in the pocket most of the time, for jotting down memos.
Saturation
In collecting and interpreting data about a particular category, in time you reach a point of diminishing returns. Eventually your interviews add nothing to what you already know about a category, its properties, and its relationship to the core category. When this occurs you cease coding for that category
Data Analysis
Code A
Code B
Code C
Indicators
A Grounded Theory Study of the Mentoring Process Involved With Undergraduate Athletic Training Students
William A Pitney* and Greg G Ehlers
I think that for me [my mentor is] someone that I could go up and ask [a] Concept: question to and feel like they could give Approachability me the right answer. Somebody that Category: Mentor would not try to [make me feel like] I'm prerequisites so stupid. Someone that would talk to me on a personal basis, not [indicating] that I'm smarter than you. I wouldn't want to feel intimidated.
For example mentoring prerequisites includes these concepts: accessibility, approachability, and protg initiative
Theoretical proposition
Open coding
So part of it has been good because I can see that I'm not the only one that has good days and bad days, everybody does.
Recognizing other peoples good and bad days
Qualifying their good and bad days
They might not be physical, as much as psychological, but Viewing good and everybody has kind of good days bad days as and bad days, as moods and universal things too.
Is there an obvious connection between the categories and the raw data? Is the theory useful as a conceptual explanation for the process being studied? Does the study show how the researcher validated the evolving theory by comparing it to the data, examining how the theory supports or refutes existing theories in the literature, or checking theory with participants? Does the researcher gather extensive data so as to develop a detailed conceptual theory as well saturated in the data?
References
Barney Glaser: Doing Grounded Theory Research, The Grounded Theory Perspective, Theoretical Sensitivity. Strauss & Corbin: Strategies of Qualitative Research. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grounded_ theory Chapters in Lincoln & Denzins Qualitative Research and Robsons Real World Research.
Charmaz, K., (1994) Grounded Theory: Objectivist and Constructivist Methods in Denzin, N. and Lincoln, Y. (ed.) Handbook of Qualitative Research, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Glaser, B. and Straus, A. L. (1967) The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research, Chicago: Aldine Strauss, A. and Corbin, J. (1998) Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.