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Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis
Kathy Charmaz is one of the world′s leading theorists and exponents of grounded theory. In this important and essential new textbook, she introduces the reader to the craft of using grounded theory in social research, and provides a clear, step-by-step guide for those new to the field. Using worked examples throughout, this book also maps out an alternative vision of grounded theory put forward by its founding thinkers, Glaser and Strauss. To Charmaz, grounded theory must move on from its positivist origins and must incorporate many of the methods and questions posed by constructivists over the past twenty years to become a more nuanced and reflexive practice.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 13, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
November 5, 2012
I didn't really know very much about grounded theory before reading this book. Recently I read Vygotsky's Thought and Language and I found a remarkable number of parallels with grounded theory. Grounded theory tries to encourage researchers to put off finding an over-arching theory with which to fit data into. In some ways it can be seen as a response to Kuhn and his paradigms. The problem is that we tend to be tied to ways of thinking and so too much research is based on theories looking for supporting data. Grounded theory tries to hold off fitting data to theory for as long as possible.
There are paradoxes and impossibilities to all this, of course. And the more one thinks they have no guiding theory underlying how they are constructing their research, the more likely it is that they are unconscious of that guiding theory - which is, of course, the worst of all possible outcomes. However, I don't think that kills the grounded theory project in its cradle. Some of the methods, if used reflexively, would seem to be very worthwhile.
I'm struggling to work out if grounded theory is a method or a series of tools. Personally, I prefer to think of it as the latter, but I can see that there are good reasons to preferring to think of it as a method. My preference for the tools analogy due to that being how I plan to use it - or the bits I want to use - in my research.
We start with a coding book. Any theory is a way of categorising reality and so how you choose to code what you see is going to have a profound impact on what you end up seeing. What is interesting here is that grounded theory recommends coming up with a series of gerunds - verbs that have been turned into nouns by adding -ing to the end of them. Why? Well, these keep their verb flavour and force the researcher to look at processes rather than things. Processes are always relational, and it is relationship that matter.
Coding is seen as an open and fluid process. It is probable that once started the researcher is likely to find other codes to apply to the data - and this is grounded theory's strength, that it is provisional and comes out of a direct engagement with the data.
As the data is being coded the researcher writes memos. These are essentially reflections by the researcher on what it is they are seeing coming out of the data. As such these provide a kind of history of the thinking of the researcher along the path of doing the research. The researcher also is seeking to move from the concreteness of the data towards tentative generalities on which theory can be built. Theory is that which ties together various facts, and so these memos are seen as the first step on that process. They form a kind of 'enforced noticing' if you like. The researcher is forced to engage with the data to see what general principles come out of how they have been coded.
Out of this process the gaps in the research will be highlighted - and so the researcher will be forced to go back and re-sample their data in the light of the gaps this move to the theoretical has brought about. This is called Theoretical Sampling - and ought to then bring about a theory that has been grounded in the data. At the end of the process we once again reflect on the entire process.
And this is the main benefit of grounded theory, to me, this reflexivity. Every move toward the theoretical is both deliberate and deliberated on. I don't think this is nearly enough to ensure that theory is free of past influences - such freedom is impossible and probably not really worthwhile. All the same, the benefit here is that the researcher is constantly reminded of the dangers of moving too far away from what they are being told by the data - and that has to be a good thing. While this might not be enough to ensure 'objectivity' it surely provides tools that support the researcher in what is a very worthwhile aim.
The thing I particularly like about this method is that it forces the researcher to be a bit anally retentive. I'm really not very anally retentive at all and so any method that forces me to stop 'looking at the big picture' and 'just getting on with it' has got to be a good thing.
There are paradoxes and impossibilities to all this, of course. And the more one thinks they have no guiding theory underlying how they are constructing their research, the more likely it is that they are unconscious of that guiding theory - which is, of course, the worst of all possible outcomes. However, I don't think that kills the grounded theory project in its cradle. Some of the methods, if used reflexively, would seem to be very worthwhile.
I'm struggling to work out if grounded theory is a method or a series of tools. Personally, I prefer to think of it as the latter, but I can see that there are good reasons to preferring to think of it as a method. My preference for the tools analogy due to that being how I plan to use it - or the bits I want to use - in my research.
We start with a coding book. Any theory is a way of categorising reality and so how you choose to code what you see is going to have a profound impact on what you end up seeing. What is interesting here is that grounded theory recommends coming up with a series of gerunds - verbs that have been turned into nouns by adding -ing to the end of them. Why? Well, these keep their verb flavour and force the researcher to look at processes rather than things. Processes are always relational, and it is relationship that matter.
Coding is seen as an open and fluid process. It is probable that once started the researcher is likely to find other codes to apply to the data - and this is grounded theory's strength, that it is provisional and comes out of a direct engagement with the data.
As the data is being coded the researcher writes memos. These are essentially reflections by the researcher on what it is they are seeing coming out of the data. As such these provide a kind of history of the thinking of the researcher along the path of doing the research. The researcher also is seeking to move from the concreteness of the data towards tentative generalities on which theory can be built. Theory is that which ties together various facts, and so these memos are seen as the first step on that process. They form a kind of 'enforced noticing' if you like. The researcher is forced to engage with the data to see what general principles come out of how they have been coded.
Out of this process the gaps in the research will be highlighted - and so the researcher will be forced to go back and re-sample their data in the light of the gaps this move to the theoretical has brought about. This is called Theoretical Sampling - and ought to then bring about a theory that has been grounded in the data. At the end of the process we once again reflect on the entire process.
And this is the main benefit of grounded theory, to me, this reflexivity. Every move toward the theoretical is both deliberate and deliberated on. I don't think this is nearly enough to ensure that theory is free of past influences - such freedom is impossible and probably not really worthwhile. All the same, the benefit here is that the researcher is constantly reminded of the dangers of moving too far away from what they are being told by the data - and that has to be a good thing. While this might not be enough to ensure 'objectivity' it surely provides tools that support the researcher in what is a very worthwhile aim.
The thing I particularly like about this method is that it forces the researcher to be a bit anally retentive. I'm really not very anally retentive at all and so any method that forces me to stop 'looking at the big picture' and 'just getting on with it' has got to be a good thing.
July 29, 2018
Easy to follow and well structured, but I could have done with some more guidance regarding how to develop the final theoretical model.
January 14, 2019
Seems like a book I'll be revisiting a lot the next few years.
January 30, 2022
Useful text and practical guide
November 3, 2010
not very interesting - but wasnt expecting it to be. all about how to gather data and then read it. blah
May 4, 2012
Enjoyed this book. Great advice on process of coding and writing memos for qualitative researchers interested in grounded theory
July 9, 2011
Great book for walking you through the world of coding.
October 3, 2020
This book has it all
In my opinion this is the best text available if you want to fully understand grounded theory, I used this book In the preparation for my doctorate and it stood me in good stead. I would suggest that some prior knowledge of the topic is useful before reading this book, if you have the need of a very comprehensive overview this is the book to use (although check out any newer editions). For students undertaking Masters and Doctoral theses that use grounded theory this book is virtually indispensable. The kindle version has a number of advantages, such as links embedded in the index amongst others give this version an edge over the hard copy. This book is an investment for anyone wishing to apply grounded theory in a philosophically sound fashion.
In my opinion this is the best text available if you want to fully understand grounded theory, I used this book In the preparation for my doctorate and it stood me in good stead. I would suggest that some prior knowledge of the topic is useful before reading this book, if you have the need of a very comprehensive overview this is the book to use (although check out any newer editions). For students undertaking Masters and Doctoral theses that use grounded theory this book is virtually indispensable. The kindle version has a number of advantages, such as links embedded in the index amongst others give this version an edge over the hard copy. This book is an investment for anyone wishing to apply grounded theory in a philosophically sound fashion.
February 4, 2020
This classic of qualitative research presents common-sense theory and a simple if powerful method to analyze non-numerical data to extract sometimes unanticipated meaning from the data. This books can be referred to repeatedly while working through text, videos, or audio data to find good ways to analyze the data.
April 25, 2020
It is a foundational, easy to follow, and an instructional book for anyone who is using Grounded Constructivist Theory in their academic research. I found it very easy to follow. It is a step-by-step guide to coding and memo writing. The second edition has a chapter on writing drafts that I found very helpful.
October 5, 2022
Lives up to its title — an exceedingly pragmatic and accessible work that introduces grounded theory approaches to empirical researchers. Some of the more abstruse defenses of GT can get insufferable, but there’s no denying the value of inductive interactive inquiry when it’s executed tightly and thoroughly.
June 6, 2019
it's good but i think i prefer the other title more.. both very helpful..
October 10, 2019
Classic approach, good overview
October 28, 2020
A complete guide to grounded theory research.
Read
January 21, 2021WY 20.5 2006
February 7, 2021
Helpful and clear
August 7, 2024
Dissertation reference from 2020-2024
September 6, 2024
Based anti positivism
May 5, 2016
Very useful book. When I first read the book, I was in the early stage of my PhD journey with basic knowledge about grounded theory. This book helped me a lot. It is well written and organised. The language is clear. Includes examples. I referred back to the book at different stages of my PhD. It is very useful.
September 28, 2014
Excellent read. Charmaz does a fantastic job of writing about grounded theory in a very clear and accessible way. I enjoyed that she explained the concepts behind grounded theory as well as thoroughly describing the actual logistics of qualitative analysis.Reading her book was a great preparation for working with qualitative data, and I very highly recommend it!
April 5, 2015
Let's be honest...I read this book because Charmaz is the scholar behind constructivist grounded theory. So that tells you that I have an interest in this area, in fact I'm using this theory in as my guiding methodology. Charmaz clearly details the origins, ideas and steps to use constructivist grounded theory in qualitative studies. I would consider this the 'bible' for constructivist theory.
October 7, 2020
As someone new to grounded theory, this book serves as a guide with examples walking you through the process. Chapter 6 tries to go deeper into grounded theory but doesn't really flow with the process of this book. It gets very abstract about what even constitutes theory and theorizing in grounded theory and can lose a beginning researcher (me). Overall it was helpful.
June 1, 2022
This book teaches you in accessible manner what grounded theory is. The grace, clarity, and style creates a feeling that you want to read more. Above all, it inspires you to use grounded theory in making research because it is scholarly merit, enjoyable value, and transformative effects.
August 16, 2009
excellent book on doing grounded theory. systematic without being boring. thorough without being teachy. plenty of examples. a great reference and refresher.
April 11, 2011
This will likely continue to be my "bible" for doing qualitative research.
January 14, 2012
Explicit instruction on constructing grounded theory. Very much a handbook for qualitative researchers. Useful!
February 24, 2013
This book makes me want to run out and start collecting data immediately.
May 5, 2013
Yep. I still don't understand grounded theory. But that is my own problem and not the failing of this book.
July 10, 2015
A clear guide to conducting constructivist grounded theory. Quickly became my bible for my thesis.
December 16, 2015
Good beginning to qualitative research
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews