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Grounded theory is a qualitative data analysis approach where researchers develop a theory or interpretation that is fundamentally 'grounded in' the collected data. Unlike quantitative research—which typically starts with a predefined theory to derive and test a specific hypothesis—grounded theory begins with the data itself. The analysis progresses through systematic stages: researchers first identify repeating ideas within the data, organize these ideas into a smaller number of broader themes, and ultimately construct a theoretical narrative to interpret their findings.

Grounded Theory

Bogdan, R., & Biklen, S. K. (1997). Qualitative research for education. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Wertz, F. J. (2011). Five ways of doing qualitative analysis: Phenomenological psychology, grounded theory, discourse analysis, narrative research, and intuitive inquiry. Guilford Press.

APA Book References for Grounded Theory Research

Muller, M. J., & Kogan, S. (2010). Grounded theory method in HCI and CSCW. Cambridge: IBM Center for Social Software, 1-46.

Grounded theory method in HCI and CSCW

•      Help scholars to pursue a highly disciplined exploration of a new area, or of a domain without a dominant theory 
- Explains “how” without sacrificing the flexibility
- This method produces a new theory that tries to explain new phenomena

Main Goal of Grounded Theory Method

-   Working with data

-   Working with theory

-   Structuring a GTM research project. 

Three major and parallel aspects of Grounded Theory Method

- GTM’s goal is to develop a new theory that shows a plausible relationship in a narrative framework or preposition 
- After the data is coded under specific categories, researchers try to explore the possible relationships between the categories and generate a substantive theory 
- In order to make the theory more generalizable, theoretical sampling is used 
- Pre-existing theories should be used to help build the substantive theory


Steps of Formulating a Theory in Grounded Theory Method

- When researchers code data, we assign concepts to the data. With the concepts, we make connections to understand a phenomenon
- GTM is a systematic analysis that identifies categories and connects them. Data is constantly compared with new data until theory saturation
- Connecting different categories are as valuable as naming the categories because both processes build construct and relationship for a theory 
- Constant comparison between data in understanding the same category is important because it allows researchers to reevaluate their coding 


Data Analysis with Grounded Theory Method

GTM studies individuals’ interactions with a phenomenon through acquired data in interviews, observation, and documents. Then, future sampling is based on new concepts 

Using Grounded Theory Method in Research

•	Begin research with a broad, very shallow set of unorganized information

•	Reach in depth understanding through a series of disciplined procedures and narrow down the focus of information


A Synopsis of Grounded Theory Method

1.	Analyzing data that has already been collected

2.	Organizing an exploratory study

Two Major Ways for the Application of Grounded Theory Method in HCI and CSCW

1- Thinking about data and especially ways of making sense of the data

2- Gradually and iteratively developing a theory to describe the data and the phenomena that are manifested through the data

3- Reaching insight


Core Concept of Grounded Theory Method

- Theoretical ideas have to be set aside until the emergent of the substantive theory 
- Additional literature can be used for the substantive theory, but it has to be used after coding 
- Using literature or preexisting theory before theory development helps prevent forcing theories into data
- Researchers should analyze data while putting aside their preexisting knowledge to form a new theory. This allows data to speak for themselves 
- Once the theory is being developed, it engages with preexisting theories for theory densification


Grounded Theory Method and the Literature 

- Helps generate new theories instead of trying new theories to innovate disciplines
- A more detailed process than Thematic Analysis
- GTM is a practical coding method


Why Researchers Use Grounded Theory Method? 

Strengths: 

•	Exploring a new domain, or a domain without a dominant theory

•	Constructing a theory of the new domain

•	Avoiding a premature conclusion about the new domain


Weaknesses:

•	Not useful for testing a hypothesis, or trying to prove or disprove a theory
- GTM is not for those who want to rely on a specific theoretical framework or build theories
- GTM is a qualitative method, so it cannot be used to make causal inference


Strengths and Weaknesses of Grounded Theory Method

1- Start research with open-ended questions

2- Followed by a set of rigorous strategies to guide data collection (sampling)

3- Developing and testing insights into the data


Step-by-step Procedure of Grounded Theory Method

Brief History of Grounded Theory Method

A theoretical narrative is the final stage of qualitative data analysis when using the grounded theory approach. It is a detailed interpretation of the collected data structured around the broader themes identified by the researchers. This narrative emphasizes the subjective experiences of the participants and is typically supported by numerous direct quotations to illustrate and ground the findings in the participants' own words.

Theoretical Narrative

Researchers Laura Abrams and Laura Curran applied grounded theory to study postpartum depression symptoms in low-income mothers. Analyzing unstructured interviews from 19 participants, they identified repeating ideas and organized them into five broad themes: ambivalence, caregiving overload, juggling, mothering alone, and real-life worry. Their resulting theoretical narrative shifted the focus from describing an abstract 'affective disorder' to illustrating the mothers' subjective experiences, showing how their depression symptoms were closely tied to the daily struggles of raising children alone under difficult circumstances.

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