What Is Grounded Theory
BOX 3.4 What Is Grounded Theory?
Grounded theory is a widely used approach in qualitative research. It is not the only approach and it is not used by all qualitative researchers. Grounded theory is “a qualitative research method that uses a systematic set of procedures to develop an inductively derived theory about a phenomenon” (Strauss and Corbin, 1990:24). The purpose of grounded theory is to build a theory that is faithful to the evidence.
It is a method for discovering new theory. In it, the researcher compares unlike phenomena with a view toward learning similarities. He or she sees microlevel events as the foundation for a more macro-level explanation. Grounded theory shares several goals with more positivist-oriented theory. It seeks theory that is comparable with the evidence that is precise and rigorous, capable of replication, and generalizable.
A grounded theory approach pursues generalizations by making comparisons across social situations. Qualitative researchers use alternatives to grounded theory. Some qualitative researchers offer an in-depth depiction that is true to an informant’s worldview. They excavate a single social situation to elucidate the micro processes that sustain stable social interaction. The goal of other researchers is to provide a very exacting depiction of events or a setting.
They analyze specific events or settings in order to gain insight into the larger dynamics of a society.
Still other researchers apply an existing theory to analyze specific settings that they have placed in a macro-level historical context. They show connections among micro-level events and between micro-level situations and larger social forces for the purpose of reconstructing the theory and informing social action (see Burawoy, 1991:271–287; Charmaz,
2003; and Hammersley, 1992, for a summary of
several
Grounded theory is a widely used approach in qualitative research. It is not the only approach and it is not used by all qualitative researchers. Grounded theory is “a qualitative research method that uses a systematic set of procedures to develop an inductively derived theory about a phenomenon” (Strauss and Corbin, 1990:24). The purpose of grounded theory is to build a theory that is faithful to the evidence.
It is a method for discovering new theory. In it, the researcher compares unlike phenomena with a view toward learning similarities. He or she sees microlevel events as the foundation for a more macro-level explanation. Grounded theory shares several goals with more positivist-oriented theory. It seeks theory that is comparable with the evidence that is precise and rigorous, capable of replication, and generalizable.
A grounded theory approach pursues generalizations by making comparisons across social situations. Qualitative researchers use alternatives to grounded theory. Some qualitative researchers offer an in-depth depiction that is true to an informant’s worldview. They excavate a single social situation to elucidate the micro processes that sustain stable social interaction. The goal of other researchers is to provide a very exacting depiction of events or a setting.
They analyze specific events or settings in order to gain insight into the larger dynamics of a society.
Still other researchers apply an existing theory to analyze specific settings that they have placed in a macro-level historical context. They show connections among micro-level events and between micro-level situations and larger social forces for the purpose of reconstructing the theory and informing social action (see Burawoy, 1991:271–287; Charmaz,
2003; and Hammersley, 1992, for a summary of
several