Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory and Ethnography

RUNNING HEAD: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 1
Qualitative Research
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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 2
Qualitative Research
INTRODUCTION
There are five groups of qualitative methodologies. The five are ethnography, grounded
theory, case study, we have narrative and finally phenomenological. This is according to John
Creswell.
GROUNDED THEORY
Grounded theory is the popular form of qualitative research method that involves coming
up with a theory that has its base from data that has been collected and analyzed in a very
systematic manner. The aim of the theory is simple to understand the reason behind certain
things like the social relationships as well as the behaviors of the group which is mostly known
as the social process (Lewis, 2017). This theory was developed In the United States of America
particularly in California by scientists called Glaser and Strauss while they were undertaking
their study Awareness of Dying.
Grounded theory has several advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that this
theory is very essential in developing phenomena which cannot be explained by other paradigms.
It also provides a systematic and rigorous procedure in data collection and analysis (Vincent,
2016) .Finally, application of this theory breeds creativity as well as critical thinking.
Elements of the grounded theory
Grounded theory has several important and unique elements. One of this unique character
is that there is simultaneous collection and analysis of data. In grounded theory, there is also
what is known as theoretical sensitivity. This simply means that it is the categories and analytic

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 3
codes which are developed from data (Zhao & Ji, 2014). The pre-existing concepts are actually
not used in this particular theory. The theory is also characterized by the use of theoretical
sampling when it comes to refining different categories. Abstract categories in grounded theory
are usually constructed in an inductive manner and the social processes are usually discovered in
data (Breen & O’Connor, 2014). The theory is also characterized by the use of analytical memos
between coding as well as writing. The final element of grounded theory is that the different
categories are usually integrated into a certain theoretical framework.
ETHNOGRAPHY THEORY
The term Ethnography has its roots in Greece and it can be simply defined as the study of
culture of different groups of people (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005). The theory is structured in
such way that allows exploration of the culture whereby the ethnographer simply observe the
society from the point of view of the particular study.
Ethnography is a research methodology that involves the examination of how different
participants behave when they are at a certain social situation so as to understand their
interpretation of such behaviors. According to Dewan, behavior can be shaped in many ways
such as the constraints or difficulties the participants go through when they are in a society that
they actually do not belong (MacNeil, 2008). The pioneers behind the ethnography theory
include the biological, social as well as cultural branches of the broad anthropology.
Ethnography theory is used at the early stages of the user centered design project. It is
due to the fact that ethnography theory usually focus on the structuring the comprehension of the
design problem (Berryman et al., 2013). This therefore implies that is good to carry out
ethnographic studies when is starting his or her project so that they can be able to support the