Grounded Theory

Grounded theory (GT) is one of the qualitative research methodologies most widely used in the social sciences. It can also be fruitfully used for the study of mass media as organizations and their audiences. GT consists in both a general theoretical approach to comparative analysis, and a set of procedures able systematically to generate a theory based or grounded on data. This entry describes the distinctive features of GT as well as its origins, presents the key issues involved in conducting research with it, explores criticisms of GT, and then discusses its application to mass media research.