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Grounded Theory
A method of qualitative research that builds theory from the inductive analysis of data. Rather than starting with a theoretical framework or perspective, the grounded theorist builds the theory directly from the data. The focus is on building, generating, or constructing a theory rather than testing an existing theory. According to the founders of grounded theory, Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss (1967), the characteristics of a good grounded theory are fit (Does the theory fully fit the data?), understanding (Is the theory readily understandable to researchers and practitioners?), generality (Does the scope of the theory apply to more than one group or people or one setting?), and control (Does use of the theory allow users to affect the world?). Analytic techniques and concepts include constant ...