Grounded Theory Designs

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Chapter 14

• Grounded Theory Designs
• Dr. Bill Bauer EDUC 640

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A Brief History of Grounded Theory Designs

• 1967 Glaser and Strauss book Discover of
  Grounded Theory
• 1990, 1998 Strauss and Corbin prescriptive form
  with predetermined categories and concerns about
  reliability and validity
• 2000 Charmaz introduces Constructivist method

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Types of Grounded Theory Design Systematic
Design

• Open Coding properties and dimensionalized
  properties
• 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

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Open Coding to the Axial Coding Paradigm
Open Coding Categories
Axial Coding Paradigm
Context
Category
Category
Causal Conditions
Core Category or Phenomenon
Category
Strategies
Consequences
Category
One open coding category as core phenomenon
Intervening Conditions
Category
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Types of Grounded Theory Design Emerging Design

• Grounded theory exists at the most abstract
  conceptual level rather than the least abstract
  level as found in visual data presentations such
  as a coding paradigm
• A theory is grounded in the data and not forced
  into categories
• Four essential criteria fit, work, relevance,
  modifiability

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Types of Grounded Theory Design Constructivist
Design

• Philosophical position between positivist and
  post-modern researchers
• Theorist explains feelings of individuals as they
  experience a phenomenon or process

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Types of Grounded Theory Design Constructivist
Design

• Study mentions beliefs and values of the
  researcher and eschews predetermined categories
• Narrative is more explanatory, discursive, and
  probing the assumptions and meanings for the
  individuals in the study.

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Key Characteristics of Grounded Theory Design

• Studying a process related to a substantive topic
• Sampling theoretically involving the simultaneous
  and sequential collection and analysis of data
• Constantly comparing data with an emerging theory

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A Process and Categories Within the Flow of
Research in Grounded Theory
The research problem leads to A study of a
central phenomenon in grounded theory
research questions That addresses a
process Which contains
- a sequence of activities
- including actions by people -
including interactions by people
Which a grounded theorist
begins to understand by developing
- categories -
relating categories -
developing a theory that explains
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Zig-Zag Data Collection and Analysis to Achieve
Saturation of Categories
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Close to Saturated Categories
More Refined Categories
Third Interview
Toward Saturation of Categories
Refined Categories
Second Interview
First Interview
Preliminary Categories
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Constant Comparison Procedures in Grounded Theory
Category I
Category II
Code B
Code C
Code A
Indicators
Raw Data (e.g. transcripts, field notes, documents
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Example of a Theory - A Model of Ethnic Minority
Students in the Process of Community Building
Intervening Conditions

Ethnicity - Hispanic -Black Gender -male
-female Background - Economic Differences
-Diversity -Adapting to Change Sense of Self
Peer Interactions
Community
Causal Condition
Phenomenon
Properties
Properties
- Nature of Interactions - Racial Differences -
Quantity of Friends - Intensity - Time to
Develop Friends
- Sense of Belonging - Source - Importance
Strategies
Withdrawal Passive, low risk Active
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Conducting a Grounded Theory Study

• Decide if Grounded Theory design best addresses
  the research problem
• Identify a process to study
• Seek approval and access
• Conduct theoretical sampling

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Conducting a Grounded Theory Study

• Code the data
• Use selective coding and develop the theory
• Validate your theory
• Write a grounded theory research report

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Criteria for Evaluating a Grounded Theory Design
Theory Evaluation

• 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 theory provide a relevant explanation of
  actual problems and a basic process?
• Can the theory be modified as conditions change
  or further data are gathered?

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Criteria for Evaluating a Grounded Theory Design
Research Evaluation

• Is a theoretical model developed or generated
  that conceptualizes a process, action, or
  interaction?
• Is there a central phenomenon (or core category)
  specified at the heart of the model?

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Criteria for Evaluating a Grounded Theory Design
Research Evaluation

• Does the model emerge through phases of coding?
  (e.g. initial codes to more theoretically
  oriented codes or open coding to axial coding to
  selective coding
• Does the researcher attempt to interrelate
  categories?

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Criteria for Evaluating a Grounded Theory Design
Research Evaluation

• Does the researcher gather extensive data so as
  to develop a detailed conceptual theory as well
  saturated in the data?
• 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?

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Applying What you Have Learned Grounded Theory

• Review the article and look for the following
• The research problem and use of quantitative
  research
• Use of the literature
• The purpose statement and research hypothesis
• Types and procedures of data collection
• Types and procedures of data analysis and
  interpretation
• The overall report structure