This section: What is Grounded Theory | Shape of a Grounded Theory | Classic Grounded Theory ... is it for me |Why we like Grounded Theory
Before we talk about the shape of a Grounded Theory we first need to be clear on the Nomenclature ... i.e. the opposite of Jargonising :) NomenclatureGrounded Theory uses a number of terms each of which means something specific. You can read about these terms and try and grasp their meanings but it is not until you engage with the Grounded Theory method and tussle with the process that the distinctions and meanings become well understood. So don’t worry if you don’t fully understand the nomenclature at the moment – you will. Substantive codes form the basis for your theory and are the outputs of the open coding stage. To begin with as you code your field notes line by line (assuming field notes/text based data) you will notice a section of your data (be it a word, a line or a paragraph) and label it. That section of your data can be thought of as an incident. The label remains a label. As you identify more incidents and label them, particular labels grow and become saturated. When the label is saturated, the label earns its place in the theory and is now termed a substantive code. The incidents which built up that code are similarly elevated to the status of indicator. Thus a substantive code comprises many indicators. In practice labels are thought of as tentative codes – working codes and referred to as codes – this is fine as long as you are clear about the distinctions. The shape of a Grounded Theory A 'completed' grounded theory comprises a core category and related categories. Each category will have either properties and/or dimensions. A property may also have dimensions. Thus eventually, one of your substantive codes will earn its place as the core category, another substantive code might become a property of the core category, another substantive code might become a related category. Early memos will wonder if certain codes are linked, later your memos will capture your maturing ideas on the relationships between codes - i.e. whether a code is a dimension, a property, a category or a core category. As you sort your memos in the final stages of your research process, you will find the theoretical code which best organises your substantive codes and all the relationships will become clear. Until that point confusion reigns... which is a healthy state for a Grounded Theorist! |