The Creative Journey of Grounded Theory Analysis: A Guide to its Principles and Applications

Abstract

Grounded theory analysis is a method widely used by qualitative researchers. This method interprets empirical materials to formulate a theory about a particular social phenomenon. In this article, we describe the steps of grounded theory method, which comprises open coding of the material followed by the grouping of open codes into categories that are increasingly abstracted to capture the essential meaning of the phenomenon. This depiction is offered as a set of explicit guidelines for researchers interested in the method.