The Grounded Theory

 

Article

Clarifying Analysis and Interpretation in Grounded Theory: Using a Conditional Relationship Guide and Reflective Coding Matrix

Karen Wilson Scott, PhD State University Idaho, USA Dana Howell, PhD, OTD, OTR/L Eastern Kentucky University Kentucky, USA

© 2008 Wilson Scott. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract Although qualitative methods, grounded theory included, cannot be reduced to formulaic procedures, research tools can clarify the process. The authors discuss two instruments supporting grounded theory analysis andinterpretation using two examples from doctoral students. The conditional relationship guide contextualizes the central phenomenon and relates categories linking structure with process. The reflective coding matrix serves as a bridge to the final phase of grounded theory analysis, selective coding and interpretation, and, ultimately, to substantive theory generation. Keywords: qualitative methodology,grounded theory, qualitative data analysis Authors’ note: We thank L.K. McCray for the inclusion of his doctoral work.

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International Journal of Qualitative Methods 2008, 7(2) 

Introduction Inexperienced researchers, such as doctoral students planning qualitative studies, seem to view grounded theory as a relatively easy approach to qualitative research (Bryan, 2007; Suddaby, 2006). Theguidelines for conducting grounded theory research tend to be attractive to novices (Bryan, 2007). Suddaby, however, has suggested that “the methodology suffers from its apparent simplicity” (p. 639). As a reviewer for a peer-reviewed journal he observed that “many of the primary techniques of grounded theory are developmental” (p. 639) and that researcher experience with the techniques improvesthe quality of the emergent results. The need for researcher experience and interpretive creativity is inherent in grounded theory (and qualitative research as a paradigm) to yield trustworthy substantive theory. Researcher depth of sensitivity toward data analysis cannot be overemphasized. Although novice researchers are looking to the literature for procedural guidance for their early forays intothe field, seasoned grounded theorists are publishing descriptions of techniques that have performed well over time as the researchers gained acumen with their tradition. Publishing techniques to the extant literature submits them to the test of scholarly discussion, where they are examined and either rejected or refined. In this paper we offer the research community two qualitative data analysistechniques for critical examination. In 2004 I introduced the conditional relationship guide and reflective coding matrix to the academic community as instruments supporting grounded theory analysis (Scott, 2004). During the 3 years since that initial publication I have received numerous national and international requests to clarify and detail the process for their use. In this paper I describein detail the processes from the perspective of both the facilitator (doctoral adviser) and the learner (two doctoral candidates in their dissertation research). The two instruments serve as bridges during the constant comparative process as the researcher is moving between open coding and axial coding and later to selective coding. Both are firmly rooted in the traditional grounded theory of itsoriginators (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1998). A short discussion of the instruments’ genesis rooted in traditional grounded theory follows. Grounded theory research is a qualitative tradition built on compared concepts (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Proponents of the constant comparative method have suggested that similar data are grouped and conceptually labeled during a process...