Grounded theory dissertation

Of grounded theory as an appropriate research methodology for a dissertation: one student’s on jun 30, 2009 in issue no. Jones, al students wanting to use grounded theory as ological approach for their dissertation often face nges gaining acceptance of their approach by tee. This paper presents the case that the author used me these challenges through the process of methodologies, leaving grounded theory as the for the desired research issue. Through examining ch used successfully by the author, other doctoral be able to frame similar arguments justifying the use ed theory in their dissertations and seeing the use of continue to spread into new fields and paper examines the case built for selecting grounded a defensible dissertation approach. Many other doctoral students aspiring to use for their dissertations, i had a graduate sed of members who had never supervised a used grounded theory and whose members had never ed theory themselves.

Grounded theory dissertation proposal

As there were no other s on campus who were experts in the approach, e a dissertation exclusively using grounded theory been done on that campus, i had to fill the role of or and sales representative for the me, the key to being successful in this approach was how grounded theory was not just one possible approach desired purpose of the study, but in fact the only ology. I moved from broad research issues down to d examples, eliminating all the “impossible” (as holmes ), eventually leaving grounded theory as the only for the study. Dissertations related to an applied field may appeal to audiences in both industry and preferences and skills of the researcher must also ly evaluated (brause, 2000; glatthorn & joyner, 2005). Further, it will be the research will not be used or consumed solely by cher, but will be presented to at least a limited audience ics and professionals with the goal of explaining ially even predicting this information-seeking final product is a defensible dissertation of the ed of a doctoral candidate and the utility to be used gh one of the stated intents of the research is for it tely be applied by practitioners in the field, there is to judge the information-seeking behavior of ipants, only to learn what it is. Ended by merriam and simpson, if it is revealed “that fits the phenomenon under investigation, the one may be to formulate a theory and/or hypothesis to ed events or behavior” (2000, p.

However, as groat and wang (2002) elaborate:Although it emphasizes in-depth engagement with t…the researcher’s aim is not to create atory theory that can be applied to many , ethnographic research culminates in a rich delineation of a particular setting that persuades audience of its human validity. Cher is looking for a way of explaining how practitioners applied field seek information; in other words, a theory of is done in actual practice. Building a theory based on, ed in, actual data is specifically what a grounded ology is designed to do. Glaser (1998) defines as “the systematic generation of theory from data a rigorous research method” (p. Theory is used to investigate problems of why in a systematic way, one that is “grounded” in the data than being deduced logically or hypothetically.

This satisfies entioned overall goal of applied research of r advantage of the grounded theory approach is ility with regard to data collection and analysis (glaser &. This is particularly important in this case researcher wants to know how the practitioners actually ation, which presents difficulties with regard to tion, as the behavior may not be possible to directly noted in ellis’ (1993) grounded theory study of ation-seeking patterns of academics, the use of ation is “almost totally impracticable” (p. Finally, tion process would be slowed considerably as the completed, collected, and read before learning if ned information of value to the ed theory often employs interviewing as its tion technique, and this appears most appropriate in . These hows and whats are the researcher is with any methodology, there are several isms of grounded theory as an appropriate research tool study. It is ively qualitative; it has a systemic process ng, coding, and memoing; it is based on data rather sions; and, while it can explore new subject matter, is te methodology rather than simply a starting point r (presumably quantitative) acceptance of the grounded theory framework has d by its inclusion in a host of research texts, in g from architecture (groat & wang, 2002) to education.

As glaser , grounded theory has “product proof” which isms: “let the product legitimize it self [sic], as it is doing , education, and business professions, where it is crucial relevant research that works” (1998, p. It allows the researcher ine how practitioners actually seek information in and develop a theory to explain and predict this gh there are minor concerns with the methodology, outweighed by its applicability for this persuasions described previously convinced tee that grounded theory was not just the ology for this study, but was in fact the only . This allowed me to gain the committee’s acceptance ed theory as the methodological approach and for to progress. While there were certainly still nges to the use of grounded theory for a al, the acceptance of the method in general was a in the overall success of my completing the process sfully defending my dissertation in the summer of w. Malabar,Subscribe to receive updatesleave blank:do not change:your email:Call for papers are you developing a classic grounded theory?

Do you have data that could be resorted and further developed into a new grounded theory? Are you working on a formal theory, or are you reflecting on a methodological issue? We invite you to submit your paper for consideration for the next issue of grounded theory review, which will be published in december database of the grounded theory review now contains more than a hundred articles on grounded theories—from either a methodological or a theoretical perspective. We would like to expand the open access database with more grounded theories that truly demonstrates the interdisciplinary potential of the grounded theory method. Barney glaser, we would like to see a conglomerate of new grounded theories that span a wide array of disciplines and topics and that demonstrate general applicability and conceptual strengths in diverse social contexts.

The theories will be peer reviewed by experienced members of the advisory board of the grounded theory submit your paper no later than september 1, t issueno categories resources gt grounded theory review is published by sociology , google scholar, and (web of science). By birdhouse | powered by ion of grounded theory as an appropriate research methodology for a dissertation: one student’s on jun 30, 2009 in issue no.