What is Grounded Theory

 Glaser and Strauss are recognised as the founders of grounded theory. Strauss was conversant in
symbolic interactionism and Glaser in descriptive statistics. Grounded Theory (GT) was first
developed by Sociologist Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss. During this period, they criticized the
predominant approach to qualitative research, which they found to be very limited. Qualitative
studies at this time were following traditional methods which basically involved coming up with a
hypothesis and conducting research to validate it.

 Glaser and Strauss pioneered a new methodology for discovering theory by taking an inductive
approach to qualitative research. They formally presented their newly developed research method
by publishing Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for qualitative research (1967).
 Grounded theory is a qualitative method that enables you to study a particular phenomenon or
process and discover new theories that are based on the collection and analysis of real world data.
 Unlike traditional hypothesis-deductive approaches of research, where you come up with a
hypothesis and then try to prove/disprove it, grounded theory is an inductive approach where new
theories are derived from the data. The process of data collection, data analysis, and theory
development happen in an iterative process. Iterative data collection and analysis occurs until you
reach theoretical saturation, the point at which additional data adds no additional insight into your
new theory.

Genres

 Traditional
The first of these genres is known as traditional or classic GT. Glaser acknowledged that the goal
of traditional GT is to generate a conceptual theory that accounts for a pattern of behaviour
that is relevant and problematic for those involved.
 Evolved
The second genre, evolved GT, is founded on symbolic interactionism and stems from work
associated with Strauss, Corbin and Clarke. Symbolic interactionism is a sociological perspective
that relies on the symbolic meaning people ascribe to the processes of social interaction.
Symbolic interactionism addresses the subjective meaning people place on objects, behaviours
or events based on what they believe is true.
 Constructivist
Constructivist GT, the third genre developed and explicated by Charmaz, a symbolic
interactionist, has its roots in constructivism. Constructivist GT’s methodological underpinnings
focus on how participants’ construct meaning in relation to the area of inquiry. A constructivist
co-constructs experience and meanings with participants.

When do we use Grounded Theory?

 You should consider using grounded theory when there is no existing theory that offers an
explanation for a phenomenon that you are studying. It can also be used if there is an existing
theory, but it is potentially incomplete as the data used to derive that theory wasn’t collected
from the group of participants that you plan on researching.

Benefits

 Findings accurately represent real world settings

 The theories you develop using grounded theory are derived directly from real world
participants in real world settings using methods like in depth interviews and observation, so
your findings will more accurately represent the real world. This is in contrast to other research
approaches that occur in less natural settings like research labs or focus group tables.
 Findings are tightly connected to the data
Because grounded theory primarily relies on collected data to determine the final outcome, the
findings are tightly connected to that data. This is in contrast to other research approaches that
rely more heavily on external research frameworks or theories that are further removed from
the data.
 Great for new discoveries
Grounded theory is a strong, inductive research method for discovering new theories. You don’t
go in with any preconceived hypothesis about the outcome, and are not concerned with
validation or description. Instead, you allow the data you collect to guide your analysis and
theory creation, leading to novel discoveries.
 Offers strategies for analysis
The process of grounded theory describes specific strategies for analysis that can be incredibly
helpful. While grounded theory is a very open ended methodology, the analysis strategies
enable you to stay structured and analytical in your discovery process.
 Data collection and analysis are streamlined
Data collection and analysis are tightly interwoven. As you collect data, you analyze it, and as
you learn from analysis, you continue to collect more data. This helps ensure that the data you
collect is sufficient enough to explain the findings that arise from analysis.
 Buffers against confirmation bias
Because data collection and analysis are tightly interwoven, you are truly following what is
emerging from the data itself. This provides a great buffer against confirming preconceived
beliefs about your topic.

Limitations of grounded theory

 Difficulty recruiting
Grounded theory relies on an iterative recruiting process called theoretical sampling where you
continuously recruit and conduct new rounds of interviews with new participants and previous
participants while you analyze data. The recruiting criteria also evolves and changes based on
what you learn. Because the recruiting is not predefined, it can be challenging to continuously
find the right participants for your study.
 Time consuming to collect data
There is no way to know ahead of time how much data you will need to collect, so you need to
be flexible with your time. With grounded theory, you continuously collect and analyze data
until you reach theoretical saturation, which is the point at which new data does not contribute
new insight to your evolving theory. This means that you are likely to conduct many rounds of
data collection before your theory is complete.
 Challenges in analysis
Data analysis occurs on a rolling basis and involves making constant comparisons between
different excerpts of data. It can be challenging to keep track of your comparisons and findings
as you go. It can be helpful to use a qualitative data analysis software like Delve to help you stay
organized during your analysis.
Steps

Grounded theory is not a linear process where you collect data, analyze it, and then you’re done. It is an
iterative research methodology that involves cycling through the steps iteratively. Part of what made
Grounded Theory revolutionary was that it mixed data collection with analysis. It emphasized going back to
the field even after conducting some analysis. You will recruit some participants, gather data and analyse
it, and go back into the field again with a different recruiting strategy and focus of inquiry. Then you’ll
incorporate those findings into further rounds of analysis. Grounded theory is deliberately cyclical in
nature.

1. Determine initial research questions

Start off with your initial research questions. Have an idea for what phenomenon you are trying to explain.
These initial questions will help guide your first steps in recruiting and data analysis but know that the
questions may evolve as you observe and learn more from the data you collect.

2. Recruit and collect data using theoretical sampling

With grounded theory, recruiting participants is iterative. Instead of pre-determining a specified
recruiting criteria ahead of time, you will practice what is called theoretical sampling. With
theoretical sampling, you start with recruiting a small group of participants loosely based on your
initial research questions.

Once you have some data, such as recordings from in depth interviews, prepare that data for analysis by
turning them into transcripts.

After you do some initial analysis of that data, which we detail in the following steps, you use what you
learned from that analysis to determine who to recruit next.

3. Break up transcripts into excerpts using open coding

After you have collected some data, such as transcriptions from interviews*, you can begin open coding.
Open coding is when you take your transcripts, and break it into individual excerpts. Then, take the
excerpts and continuously compare and contrast them with other excerpts This act of comparison is part of
a core grounded theory method called constant comparative method, which you will use throughout
various phases of your analysis.

4. Group excerpts together into codes using open coding

As you make comparisons between excerpts of data, look for sets of excerpts that represent the same
central idea or concept, and group them together. You can use a “code” to encapsulate these groups of
excerpts. Codes are like tags or labels that are assigned to excerpts of text.

For example, suppose you were comparing these excerpts:

“I just kept watching the news, even late into the night. And found myself having a harder and harder time
falling asleep”

“Definitely was experiencing insomnia for a while…”

“I was so worried. The thoughts kept spinning in my head and I’d lay there with my eyes open for hours”
All of these represent the concept of “trouble sleeping”. So if you are using qualitative data analysis
software, you can create a code called “trouble sleeping” and bring all of these excerpts under the code
“trouble sleeping”.

5. Group codes into categories using axial coding

As you gradually develop a list of codes that bring together sets of excerpts, you should also begin to also
compare codes with other codes. When you find connections between multiple codes, you can group them
together into a ‘category’. This step of grounded theory is called ‘axial coding’, where you find the axes
that connect various codes together. If you are using qualitative data analysis software, these categories
are represented by a series of ‘nested codes’ which are stacked in a hierarchy.

For example, in the previous step, we had a code called “trouble sleeping”. Suppose you also had another
code, “experiencing panic attacks”. You may find that there is a relationship between these 2 codes and
they can be grouped under a category called “Reacting negatively to the pandemic with anxiety”.

6. Analyze more excerpts using constant comparative method

Remember, grounded theory is a cyclical process! Even after you have created lists of codes, and grouped
codes into categories, you should continue to analyze additional interview transcripts, and compare the
new excerpts to your existing codes categories. Read more about constant comparative method here.

As you make comparisons between your new excerpts to your codes and categories, your excerpts will
generally do one of three things: contradict, expand upon, or support your existing codes and categories.
Here’s what you should consider in each scenario:

Contradiction: If your new excerpt contradicts a code, this may be a sign that you need to adjust that code
or change it. It likely also means that you need to go back to step 2 and conduct more rounds of data
collection through theoretical sampling to help explain the contradiction. Read more about how to handle
contradictions in our article on negative case analysis.

Expansion: If your new excerpt expands upon your code, either by adding more description or explaining
more facets of your code, this is a good sign that you are continuing to learn more and it means that you
should continue to collect and analyze data until your new excerpts simply support your codes rather than
expand upon them.

Support: If your new excerpt generally supports your code without adding additional information, this
means that you may have reached theoretical saturation, which is the point at which more excerpts do not
contribute any additional insight into your codes and you can move onto a later stage of your research.

With grounded theory, your goal is not to code or keep track of everything that occurs in every excerpt.

7. Continue collecting data and analyzing until you reach theoretical saturation
With grounded theory, you want to continue until you reach the point where additional transcript
excerpts do not expand upon your codes and categories. In other words, if you are learning the
same thing over and over again even with additional excerpts, that means that your codes and
categories have become ‘theoretically saturated’. The excerpts you have collected so far address all
relevant aspects of your codes and categories and there is no need to pursue further data collection
or analysis for your particular codes and categories.
8. Define the core category using selective coding
 Once you feel you have reached theoretical saturation in your codes and categories so far, it is time
to pull your findings together with selective coding. With selective coding, you connect all your
codes and categories together under one core category.
This core category represents the central thesis of your research, and is the core idea behind your
theory. This core category can be an existing category that you derived earlier, or it can be a new
category that you derive from all your existing findings so far.
9. Write your grounded theory
Once you have determined your core category through selective coding, and are confident that you
have reached theoretical saturation, it is time to construct your new theory.
 Gather together your coded data, and series of memos and use them to describe your new
theory.
 State your new theory in just a couple words or sentences
 Define the limits or boundary of your theory
 Summarize and write a description of your theory
 Use your coded data to validate the points you suggest in your theory
 Write an accurate statement of what was studied, and construct your theory in a form that
other researchers can use.