An overview of grounded theory design in educational research

Abstract

Over past decades, grounded theory is increasingly popular in a broad range of research primarily in educational research. The current paper aims to provide useful information for the new-comers and fit them well in grounded theory research. This paper starts with definitions, origin and applications of grounded theory, followed by types of grounded theory research designs and the key characteristics of grounded theory. Other aspects covered include data collection and data analysis, general steps, and ethical issues in grounded theory. Discussions on the strengths and limitations of grounded theory, as well as evaluation aspects, are found in the last part of this paper.