Grounded Theory

is a qualitative research design in which the inquirer generates a general explanation of a process, action or interaction shaped by the views by a large number of participants.

Grounded Theory

Characteristics of a Grounded Theory

FIT (Does the theory corresponds to real-world data?)

UNDERSTANDING (Is the theory clear and understandable?)

GENERALITY (Is the theory abstract enough to move beyond the specifics in the original research study?)

CONTROL (Can the theory be applied to produce real-world results?)

ApproachesSYSTEMATIC APPROACH,

seeks to systematically develop a theory that explain process, action or interaction on a topic.

CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH, advocates for a social constructivist perspective that includes emphasizing diverse local worlds, multiple realities, and the complexities of particular worlds, views and actions.

Nature of Data

1.Data should be best suited to formulate new theory when a theory is not available to explain a process.

2.Detailed questions that may help to describe the data needed:a.What was central to the process?

b.What influenced or caused this phenomenon to occur?c.What strategies were employed during the process?d.What effect occurred?

Data Collection Procedures

Data may be collected by interview, observation, records, or a combination of this.

Data collection usually results in large amounts of hand-written notes, typed interview transcripts, or video/audio taped conversations that contain multiple pieces of data to be sorted and analyzed. This process is initiated by coding and categorizing the data.

Method of Analysis1.Open Coding: data are deconstructed

into the simplest form possible, examined for commonalities and sorted into categories.

2.Axial Coding: data are reassembled based on logical connections between categories.

3.Selective Coding: the “core” category is determined and the relationships between it and secondary categories are posited. Core and secondary category relationship are later validated.

Coding Paradigm or Logic Diagram

Central Phenomenon

Casual Conditions

Intervening Conditions

Consequences