Editorial

Astrid Gynnild, Editor GT constantly challenges grounded theorists to expand their skills and competencies in areas where they know little. Many researchers experience that theoretical coding is possibly the most difficult task of doing grounded theory.  One of the many myths is that most, or all, grounded theories are basic processes, or that they should be. As documented in Theoretical Sensitivity (Glaser, 1978) and Theoretical Coding (Glaser, 2005), there are dozens of theoretical codes and coding families available for grounded theorists to pick and choose from,...

Staying Open: The Use of Theoretical Codes in GT

Barney G. Glaser, PhD, Hon. PhD Theoretical codes (TC’s) are the abstract models that emerge during the sorting of mature memos in to a potential substantive theory. They conceptualize the integration of substantive codes into hypotheses of a substantive theory. The researcher is challenged to staying open to their emergence and earned relevance rather than their preconceived forcing, which is very strong. They not only bring in their framework, but also their theoretical perspective, which can easily force the data beyond emergence. For example, using a basic social...

Keeping Your Distance

Glen Gatin, Brandon University Abstract This analysis began with inquiries into the substantive area of distance education using the classic grounded theory method. Analysis revealed a pattern of problem-solving behavior, from which the theory Keeping Your Distance emerged. The theory is an integrated set of concepts referring to the conscious and unconscious strategies that people use to regulate distance, physical and representative, in their everyday lives. Strategies are used to control physical, emotional, and psychological realities and to conserve personal energy...

Using Grounded Theory to Analyze Qualitative Observational Data that i...

Colin Griffiths, Trinity College Dublin Abstract This paper presents a method for the collection and analysis of qualitative data that is derived by observation and that may be used to generate a grounded theory. Video recordings were made of the verbal and non-verbal interactions of people with severe and complex disabilities and the staff who work with them. Three dyads composed of a student/teacher or carer and a person with a severe or profound intellectual disability were observed in a variety of different activities that took place in a school. Two of these...

A Novice Researcher’s First Walk Through the Maze of Grounded Theory: ...

Gary L. Evans, Liverpool John Moores University Abstract Being new to grounded theory the onus to understand the methodology and the various versions can be daunting.  Learning and understanding the differences between grounded theories methodologies can be as much a learning of one’s own research philosophy and this philosophy is often the deciding factor in methodology selection.  Learning the different methodologies is a difficult journey as terminology often sounds similar to the novice researcher, but only by exploring the differences can the researcher...

Requirements Specifications and Recovered Architectures as Grounded Th...

Daniel M. Berry, University of Waterloo, Michael W. Godfrey, University of Waterloo, Ric Holt, University of Waterloo, Cory J. Kapser, Mobile Data Technologies, Isabel Ramos, University of Minho Abstract This paper describes the classic grounded theory (GT) process as a method to discover GTs to be subjected to later empirical validation. The paper shows that a well conducted instance of requirements engineering or of architecture recovery resembles an instance of the GT process for the purpose of discovering the requirements specification or recovered architecture...