What are the emerging trends and innovations in field research in grounded theory?

1 Define your research question

Before you start collecting data, you need to have a clear and focused research question that guides your inquiry. Unlike other research methods, grounded theory does not start with a hypothesis or a preconceived framework, but rather with a broad area of interest or a problem to be explored. Your research question should be open-ended, specific, and relevant to your field of study. It should also reflect your curiosity and passion for the topic, as you will need to be deeply immersed in the data for a long time.

2 Choose your data sources

The next step is to decide what kind of data you will collect and from where. Grounded theory relies on multiple sources of data, such as interviews, observations, documents, artifacts, or media. The choice of data sources depends on your research question, your access and availability, and your ethical considerations. You should aim to collect rich and diverse data that can provide different perspectives and insights on your topic. You should also be open to new and unexpected data sources that may emerge during your fieldwork.

3 Conduct your data collection

Once you have identified your data sources, you need to plan and conduct your data collection. This involves designing your sampling strategy, preparing your tools and instruments, obtaining consent and permissions, and establishing rapport and trust with your participants. You should follow the principle of theoretical sampling, which means that you select your data sources based on their relevance and contribution to your emerging theory. You should also collect data until you reach saturation, which means that no new information or insights are generated from the data.

5 Validate your findings

The final step is to validate your findings and evaluate the quality and credibility of your grounded theory. This involves checking the accuracy, consistency, and plausibility of your data, codes, categories, and theories, as well as the coherence, relevance, and originality of your arguments and claims. You should use various strategies to enhance the validity of your research, such as triangulation, member checking, peer debriefing, reflexivity, or audit trail. You should also acknowledge the limitations, assumptions, and biases that may have influenced your research process and outcomes.