Editorial: From Grounded Description to Grounded Theory

Abstract

What is the difference between grounded description and grounded theory? Many researchers and supervisors of grounded theory ponder that question. It is not always easy to identify the difference, especially since GTs are written up as running conceptual discussions and, as such, might give individuals new to the method a feel of description.

As Dr. Glaser points out in his first article in this issue, “Grounded Description,” it is easy to overdo the open coding stage and incidentally move from potential theory generation into “trying to describe the population studied, like a QDA study requires, by describing all the interchangeable indicators that grounded the concept.” But GT is not about descriptive accuracy and full coverage— a fact which, at times, might be hard to grasp.