Grounded Theory Methodology & PCP

Malcolm C. Cross (M.C.Cross@city.ac.uk)
Mon, 6 Oct 1997 11:48:34 +0100 (BST)


From: Dr S Tagg <s.k.tagg@strath.ac.uk>
To: "'pcp@mailbase.ac.uk'" <pcp@mailbase.ac.uk>
Subject: RE: Grounded Theory Methodology & PCP
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 1997 11:26:16 +0100
Reply-to: pcp@mailbase.ac.uk

Grounded Theory Methodology is NOT implemented in QSR-NUDIST. Quite the
opposite!
Even ATLAS-ti is only an attempt to implement one strand of Grounded Theory
Methodology.
There is a strand which says that you can't do it using the computer!!

**In reply to request to say more Dr Stephen Tagg writes;

Grounded Theory, I am told by our resident expert Andy Lowe, requires
emergent methodology. This means a flat first pass of the data. QSR NUDIST
can only manage this with difficulty. Most of it's examples involve a
pre-existing hierarchical coding system being applied to texts. This is the
basis for my claim that it is not designed for grounded theory methodology.
ATLAS/ti is on the other hand designed for (revisionist) grounded theory.
Apparently there was a mid-eighties schism in the grounded theorists. My
understanding is that Glaser is the purist and Strauss the revisionist.
ATLAS/ti has a Strauss introduction. Hence my claim that it implements 'one
strand of Grounded theory'
I believe that the Glaser faction, as represented to me by Dr Lowe, is
suspicious of any attempt to use the computer in Qualitative Research.
I have no objection if you re-direct this to the group.

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