Theories of Reseach & Design - Higher Education Administration

1. Grounded Theory
Stephanie Hill
Joe Mrazek
Connie Frisch

2. Grounded Theory
What?
History
?
Which?
How?
Why?

3. What?
• Not a theory at all!
• “Grounded” theory will be
generated from data
• “Theory” object of collecting and
analyzing data is to generate
theory

4. Anything else?
• Grounded Theory is a research strategy or
a plan for doing research
• It involves a particular set of techniques
and procedures (Punch, 130).
• It is also a style of analysis!
– Grounded Theory Analysis has the goal of
generating abstract theory to explain what is
central themes of coded data

5. History of Grounded Theory
• Best demonstrated through five main
publications
1. Glaser & Strauss, 1965, 1968 (Punch, 131);
medical sociology study about dying in
hospitals. They used a “new style” of
emperical based data collection and where
asked “How” they did it. In response the
authors wrote the book “The Discovery of
Grounded Theory” which included three
purposes

6. 2. Glaser’s Theoretical Sensitivity, 1978
(Punch, 131)
3. Stauss’ Qualitative Analysis for Social
Scientists, 1978 (Punch, 131)
4. Strauss & Corbin’s “Basics of Qualitative
Research” with sub-title of “Grounded
Theory Procedures & Techniques, 1990
(Punch, 131)

7. 5. Glaser’s critique of Strauss & Corbin’s
book, 1992 (Punch, 131) which was to
correct grounded theory misconceptions in
their book
Since these main grounded theory
publications there has been more, but these
are the main historical statements on
grounded theory.

8. Theory Generation vs. Theory
Verification
• Explicit purpose is the generation of
theory from data.
• Raises a distinct contrast:
– The research aims to generate a
theory
– The research aims to verify a theory

9. • Traditionally, much research has followed
the theory verification model – especially
quantitative research. Directly ties to the
importance associated with hypothesis
and how they are central to research.
Since the hypothesis was deduced directly
from some more general theory, the point
of the research is to test the theory (
Punch, 132).

10. • Grounded theory approach – plans to
generate theory, so therefore it does not
begin with a pre-conceived theory and does
not require a hypothesis for “testing”. The
research starts with questions and an open
mind, attempting to END at a theory (Punch,
132).
• Developed as a reaction to the insistence of
theory verification, especially in the 1950’s.

11. Progressive Verification
• While the contrast in the styles of
generation vs. verification are highlighted,
in practice, they are not as distinct.
• Even though the process begins with no
set theory in mind, it quickly moves into a
mode where theorizing and testing
emerge.
• Induction vs. deducation

12. Theoretical Sampling:
Data Collection / Data Analysis
Relationships
• Traditional Research – data collection is a
discreet stage usually completed prior to
beginning data analysis.
• Grounded Theory – collect data based on
a question and analyze, then collects more
data based on emerging directions in the
previous data set.

13. Theoretical Sampling:
Data Collection / Data analysis
Relationships
Researcher
Question(s)
Data
Collection #1
Data
Analysis #1
Data
Collection #2
Data
Analysis #2
Data
Collection #3
Theoretica
l
Saturation
Data
Analysis #3
(Punch,

14. • “…the principle of theoretical sampling -
the idea that subsequent data collection
should be guided by theoretical
developments that emerge in the analysis”
(Punch, 133).
• Cycle does not stop until no new
theoretical elements emerge and instead,
the research begins to confirm what it has
already established.
• Becoming more common to find this
method employed in qualitative research.
• Models the way humans live and learn.

16. What are your
questions