In Vivo Coding

In vivo coding is the practice of assigning a label to a section of data, such as an interview transcript, using a word or short phrase taken from that section of the data. This entry describes this practice and some applications and problems associated with it.

The aim of creating an in vivo code is to ensure that concepts stay as close as possible to research participants' own words or use their own terms because they capture a key element of what is being described. Some common examples are vernacular or memorable terms used by participants to describe a feature or type of person relevant to their social world (e.g., “hot-rodder,” “old-fashioned guy”).

In vivo coding is associated chiefly with grounded theory methodology. Here it is differentiated from other types of coding that assign conceptual or theoretical terms to sections of data that are drawn from the wider literature or the researcher's own interpretations. As such, in vivo coding is associated with the earlier stages of coding one's data when concepts or categories are being identified or developed. However, in vivo coding is also relevant to other methodologies that are concerned with the specific words or phrases used in the material being studied, including discourse analysis, membership categorization analysis, and thematic analysis.

Whatever methodology is used, in vivo coding may create problems of reliability and validity at later stages of the research process because generalizing across cases can be difficult. Some researchers, therefore, would caution against overusing in vivo codes to segment data or at least would suggest choosing them carefully and only if the same words or terms occur with relative frequency throughout the whole data set.

In vivo coding has also been both incorporated into and encouraged by the development of computer-assisted qualitative data analysis (CAQDAS) packages. Many of these packages have a simple in vivo coding option built into the software. However, depending on the software package, it might not be easy to differentiate in vivo codes from those created by an alternative method such as conceptual or theoretical coding. Therefore, researchers using CAQDAS have used a variety of methods for indicating whether a code has been created in vivo, including enclosing the word or phrase in quotation marks. Despite this limitation, software packages provide researchers with the ability to easily retrieve, explore, and modify different instances where in vivo codes have been used across their data sets.

In summary, in vivo coding enables qualitative researchers to maintain a connection to the terms used [Page 473]within their data while undertaking more formal methods of analysis such as concept and theory building.