How to Design a Grounded Theory Study
Grounded theory is an inductive method of research in which the researcher systematically develops a theory that emerges from the process of data collection and analysis. This method, favored among sociologists and anthropologists, differs from the deductive, hypothesis-testing approaches to research favored by most scientists. Designing a grounded theory study requires a flexible approach in which data collection, analysis and theory generation overlap. When done well, however, a grounded theory design can be just as rigorous as more traditional social science research designs.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Designing a Grounded Theory Study
-
1
Select a substantive area of inquiry that interests you. Grounded theory, like any other type of research, begins with the researcher posing a general question or identifying an area of interest. Scholars have used grounded theory to study such areas as juvenile delinquency, primary and secondary education, patient care in hospitals and other health care centers, organizational management, and organizational dynamics.
-
2
Formulate one or more "grand tour" questions to serve as a springboard for data collection in your grounded theory study. The "grand tour" questions are open-ended questions that elicit descriptive information from your research subjects. Many grounded theory researchers collect data through interviews; however, other grounded theory can involve other data sources, both qualitative and quantitative.
-
-
3
Identify a single source to begin your data collection. A single interview subject, for example, can serve as a starting point for your data collection. For a study on high school dropouts, a single recent dropout may be your initial research subject. That person's responses to your grand tour questions will help you identify relevant issues and questions to ask of other research subjects. Grounded theory involves purposive sampling, in which you select research subjects because they are likely to possess relevant knowledge for your study.
-
4
Conduct your initial data collection from the first data source you identified. Modify your data collection instrument or interview questions as needed, based on information gleaned from that initial round of data collection. The data collected from this first source also will help you identify future interview subjects or other data collection sources.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Be flexible in designing your study. Be open to modifying your interview questions and data collection sources as your research proceeds.
Ground theory is intensive, involving a large amount of reading field notes and interview transcripts, coding the information you collect, and writing memos that help the theory emerge. However, the results can be rewarding.
References
Resources
More Like This
Comments
-
nice information...bravo...
-
This gives me well-grounded ideas in directing researchers to decide the for the field of reasoning to take in the research that they do.
-
Would doing a doctoral dissertation allow one to use grounded theory.
