scholarly journals Grounded Theory: A Guide for a New Generation of Researchers

10.28945/4836 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 553-568
Author(s):  
Mengye Yu ◽  
Simon M Smith
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Framework ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
Career Research ◽  
New Generation

Aim/Purpose: Grounded Theory (GT) has grown and developed into several strands making its application all the more problematic, argumentative and remaining potentially as a research methodology to avoid when it comes to doctoral research, early-career research. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to revisit GT as a general approach and present an evolved and more considered step-by-step guide to conduct research using this methodology. A leadership development context is applied in this paper to examine how this methodology could work for a new generation of researchers, i.e., new to doctoral research or an early career researcher. Background: Since its academic inception in the seminal text in 1967 (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), GT has emerged and developed to become a popular choice for researchers contemplating qualitative data approaches amongst a variety of subject backgrounds. However, the divergent development and criticized approaches within GT families can lead researchers to avoid such a research methodology. This can especially be the case within doctoral research or other early-career research. Indeed, a specific/explicit GT guideline or framework to assist doctoral students in conducting GT research does not currently exist. Methodology: There is a general review of GT approaches followed by theoretical development of a framework and an applied doctoral example. Contribution: The three evolved methods in GT research and the developed supporting author-designed three-phase research framework will contribute to two aspects. Firstly, the step-by-step guideline can reduce the sense of confusion within an area where criticisms and conflicting approaches exist. This will hopefully assist the next generation of GT researchers in conducting their research through detailed processes and applications. Secondly, there is arguably a need for more GT applications and evolvements to further enrich the body of knowledge that exists in this area and further support a diversity of subject research. Findings: The authors outline numerous differences and similarities within divergent GT practices. By integrating Glaser’s four core principles and three evolved methods, the authors design a three-phase research framework that presents a transparent step-by-step guide. This framework attempts to mitigate criticisms within GT approaches whilst maintaining clarity, flexibility, depth, and rigour within a study. Recommendations for Practitioners: Three GT evolvements (the two-step literature review method, two-step open-coding method, and two-step theory-constitute method) provides greater clarity within a rigorous author-designed three-phase research framework that demonstrates a transparent step-by-step guide. These techniques can encourage a new generation of GT researcher through confident and structured analytical techniques. Recommendation for Researchers: We hope the presented framework and concise view of GT in action will inspire other doctoral students and new GT researchers to conduct GT research following an evolved GT framework. Impact on Society: The debates and innovations around GT, like in this paper, are needed within a methodological society to keep the area contemporary and constantly evolving. Future Research: The framework presented will need further testing beyond the parameters set out here. We hope future research can adopt the evolved GT techniques and procedures to enforce research quality overall and inspire further GT methodological developments.

Creating the [Insert Name Here] Methodology

2022 ◽  
pp. 182-203
Author(s):  
Melissa Riley Bradford
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Curriculum Studies ◽  
Methods Courses ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Student Researchers ◽  
The Right

In this chapter, the author uses a first-person narrative to describe her dissertation journey as she shifted from deductively hunting for the “right” methodology in order to follow an inductive process as she developed the “Melissa Methodology” of value-creative dialogue inspired by Ikeda's philosophical perspectives and practice. She illustrates one way that non-Western ways of knowing, being, and doing might inform curriculum studies student researchers. In addition, she highlights the importance of having supportive advisors and colleagues who pose and answer questions that push one's thoughts in new directions. Finally, she discusses implications for doctoral students based on her observations as an instructor of doctoral research methods courses. By sharing her journey, she hopes to provide an example of how doctoral students can be guided by their pursuit of what is worth knowing in creating their own research methodology.

Novice Academic Roles: The Value of Collegiate, Attendee-Driven Writing Networks

10.28945/4700 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 149-170
Author(s):  
Sue Wilson ◽  
Jennifer Cutri
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Initial Period ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Research Dissemination ◽  
The Impact

Aim/Purpose: This particular study aims to contribute to the recent scholarly inquiry of doctoral student identity work within collegiate, attendee-driven writing networks. The study closely explores the implementation and impact of supportive measures in academia for novice researchers in the form of writing events. This paper draws on two case studies of doctoral students reflecting on the impact of their participation in social, academic literacy networks. The project also explores how these individuals were able to think about and mediate their own identities as they developed their reputations as experts in their field. Background: Completing a doctoral degree is a rich, rewarding endeavour; however, it is also a challenging process. Novice academics are vulnerable to psychosocial and emotional stresses associated with being an academic within the highly competitive environment, such as isolation and burnout. More recently, scholarly interest has emerged regarding the academy’s pressures upon novice researchers, such as those entering full-time academic roles after completing their doctoral studies. Methodology: A qualitative research design was implemented where data collection for this project involved in-depth semi-structured interviewing. The nature of the semi-structured interviews enabled professional dialogue with each participant. The semi-structured nature of the interviews enabled flexibility where follow-up questions and probes allowed for richer data gathering. Data analysis occurred within a sociocultural framework. Contribution: Explicitly focusing on doctoral students, we build upon existing knowledge and understanding of how novice academic writers negotiate, interpret, and understand the impact of their research dissemination and roles. While exploring how these individuals think about and mediate their identities during the initial period of asserting their reputations as experts in the field, this study looks at how collegiate, attendee-driven writing networks can support novice academics to meet the demands for quality research dissemination and strive to meet the metrics expected of them. Findings: This research has found that novice researchers who thrive on social interaction may often find collegiality lacking in their professional lives. Furthermore, those who can find a support network that fosters positive self-belief and provides a means for sharing successes benefit from countless opportunities for empowerment as novice researchers work through their doctorates. Recommendations for Practitioners: This research confirms and provides details around how a collegiate atmosphere for novice academics helps mitigate feelings of isolation, vulnerability, and a lack of self-confidence in their scholastic ability. Overcoming such feelings occurs through learning from peers, overcoming isolation and learning self-managing techniques. Therefore, establishing spaces for collegiate, attendee-driven writing events within doctoral settings is encouraged. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research into the benefits of collegiate, attendee-driven writing events and supporting the process of academic writing and dissemination can focus on transdisciplinary writing groups, as this particular study was centred within a specific faculty. Impact on Society: Within the neoliberal context of higher education, novice academics can benefit from attendee-driven writing events intended to empower them and provide growth opportunities. Through participation in collegiate, attendee driven writing networks, which are social and peer-based, we show that novice academics can learn how to combat unsettling feelings of perfectionism, isolation, fear of inadequacy, and failure. The social element is central to understanding how writers can increase their productivity and dissemination by writing alongside peers. Future Research: Novice researchers also represent early career researchers; thus, exploring collegiate, attendee-driven writing events for practicing academics is also encouraged. As noted above, exploring the potential of transdisciplinary writing networks would also be of value.

scholarly journals My Doctoral Journey: An Autoethnography of Doing Sensitive Research in a Different Cultural Context

10.28945/4641 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 559-573
Author(s):  
Uditha Ramanayake
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Generation Process ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research

Aim/Purpose: This paper aims to provide important learning insights for doctoral students, researchers and practitioners who wish to research on sensitive topics with research participants from a significantly different culture from their own. Background: Embarking on doctoral research in different cultural contexts presents challenges for doctoral students, especially when researching a sensitive topic. Methodology: This paper uses an autoethnography as its research methodology. Contribution: This paper extends the literature on doctoral researchers’ experiences of exploring the lived experiences of senior travellers who have faced major life events. Little of the previous literature on the experiences of PhD students has explored the experiences they had while researching on a sensitive topic in a different cultural context to their own. To fill this knowledge gap, this paper presents an autoethnography of my experiences. Findings: This paper presents some critical insights into undertaking research in another culture. Its findings are outlined under the following four themes: (a) Feeling vulnerable, (b) Building rapport, (c) Preparing for the unexpected, and (d) Exploring lived experiences. Recommendations for Practitioners: When conducting sensitive cross-cultural research, understanding researchers’ vulnerabilities, rapport-building and preparing for the unexpected are very important. The use of a visual element is beneficial for the participants in their idea generation process. Visual methods have the potential to capture the lived experiences of participants and enable them to reflect on those. Recommendation for Researchers: Doing cross-cultural sensitive doctoral research poses a number of methodological and practical challenges. It was very important to gain a wider cultural understanding of the country and its people in my cross-cultural doctoral research. To this end, this paper suggests that future doctoral researchers consider volunteering with the community as a way to gain understanding of the research context when preparing to undertake cross-cultural research. Impact on Society: The findings support the importance of cultural sensitivity when doing cross-cultural research. Future Research: Future research could be conducted in a different cultural setting to reveal whether the key themes identified here are universal.

scholarly journals Intertwined Journeys of a PhD Student and Unaccompanied Minors: Autoethnography of Research with Vulnerable Participants

10.28945/4114 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 347-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mervi Kaukko
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Subject Position ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Entire Body ◽  
Building Relationships ◽  
Research Participants ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Field Notes

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this article is to discuss a PhD student’s experience of working with unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors, amidst a rapidly changing global situation. The focus is on how the research process influenced the novice PhD student, and how the student’s subject position influenced the research. Background: The incentive for this article comes from an examiner’s comment, which argued that the student’s thesis did not clarify her subject position, or allow her voice to be heard. Paulo Freire’s (2005) concept of “pedagogical love” is used in unpacking these dimensions. Methodology: The paper adopts an autoethnographic approach. The data, consisting of 48 pages of field notes written during the doctoral study, are analyzed abductively (Timmermans & Tavory, 2012), in dialogue with theory. Contribution: The paper brings to the fore the ways in which the doctoral research processes may influence students, especially those working closely and intensively with participants in emotionally challenging situations and within a research field in flux. This knowledge is rarely included in doctoral training, but is relevant in today’s world where migration and refugees have become a popular theme. Secondly, the paper contributes to the already well-established body of literature about how doctoral student’s positionality influences the research. Findings: The article utilises the ideas of storytelling (Weir & Clarke, 2018) and communicates findings in the form of three intertwined journeys: that of the author through her PhD process; the journey of her research participants from their countries of origin to Finland; and the journey of the PhD research within the historical turbulence of 2015 in global refugee situation. The findings show that acknowledging and reflecting one’s own emotional stance is required for the wellbeing of the student, as well as for an ethical research process resulting in a trustworthy outcome. The findings also suggest that although the love-rhetoric may sit awkwardly within our current academic perspectives, a focus on emotions does not diminish rigor in research. Instead, it enables ethical relationships and processes that are meaningful for all participants. Recommendations for Practitioners: The paper recommends that practitioners in academia (including doctoral supervisors) encourage doctoral students to “know with [their] entire body, with feelings, with passion and also with reason” (Freire 1997, p. 30), and to reflect on their positionality, as well as map their doctoral journeys in the intersection of others. Recommendation for Researchers: The paper highlights that researchers working with people in challenging situations must continuously question their biases, show interest in the research participants as individuals, and create trust through long involvement in the research field. Impact on Society: By highlighting the complexities encountered in this research project, the paper aims to disrupt the simplistic, often deficit-focused assumptions about people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds. Future Research: The scope of the findings leaves open a discussion on critical moments during the shared journeys: how to enter the research field ethically, and how to exit after creating trust and building relationships?

scholarly journals Mind the Gap: Transitioning from Doctoral Graduates to Early Career Faculty

10.28945/4409 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 543-566
Author(s):  
Kate McCormick ◽  
Libba Willcox
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Identity Construction ◽  
Graduate Programs ◽  
Academic Identity ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Tenure Track ◽  
Doctoral Graduates ◽  
Early Career Faculty ◽  
Doctoral Socialization

Aim/Purpose: Graduate programs aim to prepare students for future professional roles, yet doctoral graduates often earn faculty positions at institutions that differ from those in which they were socialized. Navigating this “preparation gap” can produce feelings of uncertainty, tension, and, ultimately, dissonance. This collaborative autoethnographic study explores the gap as it was experienced by two early career faculty in a U.S. context. Background: The landscape of academia is rapidly changing, meaning graduate programs cannot prepare each graduate student for every potential professional role offered to them. Therefore, as doctoral graduates emerge from their respective graduate programs, an inevitable gap in preparation exists. This gap in preparation mirrors a gap in the graduate socialization literature, which is limited in describing how early career faculty are socialized into their first positions. Methodology: The paper discusses a year-long collaborative autoethnographic study conducted by two tenure-track early career faculty in Education & Arts fields at universities in the U.S. The study employs Clancy’s (2010) theory of Perpetual Identity Constructing as a theoretical framework to examine the perceived dissonance produced during the transition from doctoral graduates to early career faculty. Contribution: This collaborative autoethnographic account of two early career, tenure-track faculty members’ transition from doctoral graduate to assistant professors expands the literature on doctoral socialization, academic identities, and the potential of qualitative modes of inquiry. Specifically, it recognizes that doctoral graduates experience dissonance and undergo identity construction during the first year. Findings: Our findings revealed three categories repeated in our collaborative autoethnographic data that potentially serve as a window to illuminate the complexity of the dissonance across the gap: support, connection, and control. Each category includes varying levels of dissonance with the self, department, institution, and fields of which we were part. Using Perpetual Identity Constructing theory, each category was examined through the three-stages of academic identity construction. Recommendations for Practitioners: The study has implications for practitioners, specifically those who help to prepare doctoral students for positions at teaching-intensive universities. We recommend doctoral granting institutions expand formal and informal socialization programming to enhance students’ awareness and preparation for the contexts and tensions they may encounter. Recommendation for Researchers: Additional fine-grained studies, like ours, are warranted to further illuminate the complex interaction between the gap in socialization and the academic identity construction process as early career faculty. Impact on Society: Awareness that deconstruction and reconstruction of identity continues beyond doctoral socialization could better prepare future faculty for the perpetual identity work across a career; it has the potential to produce better adjusted early career faculty who improve student outcomes and conduct research that impacts society. Future Research: Based on the findings of this study, future areas of research should further investigate the experiences of early career faculty, in particular their socialization experiences during the transition from candidacy to first career positions.

scholarly journals On Utilizing Grounded Theory in Business Doctoral Research: Guidance on the Research Design, Procedures, and Challenges

10.28945/2251 ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 143-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Boadu ◽  
Mohamed Karim Sorour
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Theory Building ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Doctoral Level ◽  
Design Procedures ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Theoretical Sampling

Grounded theory is a powerful and rigorous theory building methodology that has attracted considerable interest in business research; however, it is a challenging endeavour especially for novice researchers and in particular at the doctoral level. Although several researchers have attempted to clarify the cannons of various grounded theory approaches, still there is a shortage in guidance for doctoral students who wish to apply grounded theory for their studies. Using an example from a grounded theory business doctoral thesis, this paper provides a guide on the research design and utilisation of the Straussian grounded theory at doctoral level. In doing so, the paper discusses the rationale, features, and benefits of grounded theory. Using an example from corporate governance research, the paper illustrates how the procedures of data analysis (coding), theoretical memoing, and theoretical sampling are applied to systematically generate a grounded theory. Finally, the paper discusses major challenges to utilising grounded theory and how these can be addressed by doctoral researchers. This paper provides a clear and pragmatic exposition that can be useful to guide doctoral researchers who are interested in utilizing the Straussian approach of grounded theory in their studies.

scholarly journals Research Methodology Knowledge between Master and Doctoral Education Research Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 1831-1840
Author(s):  
Ibnatul Jalilah Yusof
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Research Students

Knowledge of research methodology is important for those who are required to read research articles. With the knowledge of research methodology, students will be able to evaluate whether the methods employed by the author is appropriate for the study. However, the differences in research experience between master and doctoral students influence their expectation of research methodology course. This paper examined the level of research methodology knowledge of master and doctoral research students in education after attending a series of research methodology courses. Based on 39 respondents, this paper revealed that both groups are at Moderate Low level. Further analysis revealed that 44.4% of master students are at Low level compared to only 23.8% of doctoral students who are found at the Low level. It was also revealed that both groups have difficulties in quantitative research concepts specifically on research design, sampling, and data collection topics. The most common suggestions received from master students are to segregate the course between master and doctoral students and to have more specific content on the course. Future study should have more representatives of postgraduate students and larger samples for inferential statistics to compare mean between the groups and to examine the association between research experiences and research methodology knowledge.

scholarly journals Negotiating change: Transition as a central concept for information literacy

2020 ◽  
pp. 016555152094915
Author(s):  
Alison Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Central Concept ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Literacy Research

Transition forms a dynamic concept that has been underexplored within information literacy research and practice. This article uses the grounded theory of mitigating risk, which was produced through doctoral research into the information literacy practices of language-learners, as a lens for a more detailed examination of transition and its role within information literacy. This framing demonstrates that information literacy mediates transition through supporting preparation, connection, situatedness and confidence within a new setting and facilitating a shift in identity. This article concludes by discussing the important role that time and temporality, resistance and reflexivity play within transition as well as outlining implications for information literacy instruction and future research into time, affect and materiality.

Dismantling Common Perceptions of Research Proposals Through South African Doctoral Students’ and Supervisors’ Experiences

10.28945/4877 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 737-756
Author(s):  
Walters Doh Nubia ◽  
Shan Simmonds
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
South African ◽  
Knowledge Production ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Quality Attributes ◽  
Research Proposal ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Doctoral Research

Aim/Purpose: There is a significant amount of research on supervision, assessment, and socio-economic benefits in South Africa. However, there have been relatively few attempts to analyse the research proposal phase, which remains a critical part of doctoral education in South African. Background: As part of the broader transformation agenda in South Africa, universities are under pressure to produce vastly more high-level doctoral graduates. The aim is to allow South Africa to build its knowledge base so it can address the socio-economic problems inherited from the apartheid regime. In South Africa, quality in doctoral education is mainly understood and measured in terms of throughput rate. The danger is that greatly increasing the number of doctoral graduates will have a deleterious effect on the quality of the studies done. At present, the general view is that the research proposal phase is an administrative requirement or merely a planning phase in doctoral education. However, the research proposal phase is when doctoral students have their first opportunity to show their capacity for high-level intellectual engagement. This article explores what doctoral students and supervisors regard as necessary for a quality research proposal and how they view this phase of the doctoral journey. Methodology: This qualitative research used phenomenology to capture the lived experiences of participants. There were nineteen (19) participants from three South African universities. Eleven (11) of them were supervisors and eight (8) were doctoral students. Semi-structured interviews generated the data that were used to explore how participants experience and construct their understanding of quality at the research proposal phase. Contribution: The study makes three contributions: (i) it increases our understanding of the research proposal phase of doctoral education, (ii) it provides an alternative understanding of quality attributes: those centred on research learning. At present planning to meet administrative requirements dominates notions of quality; and (iii) it positions the doctoral research proposal at an intersection of different views of knowledge production: mode 1 that favours disciplinary knowledge production, mode 2 that favours cross disciplinary knowledge production and mode 3 that favours quadruple helix innovation systems of knowledge production. Findings: The findings indicate that participants understand quality in terms of planning for research, compliance with administrative requirements, confinement of research ideas within disciplinarity boundaries and the calibre of academic support. These understandings inform the common perceptions of the research proposal phase and its quality attributes. Participants’ narrow understanding of the research proposal phase and its quality attributes have, in turn, supported the view that writing of research proposals is a matter of technical compliance. This has deprived the research proposal phase from harnessing the full potential of research learning. It has also restricted the epistemological imagination of students, as econometrics parameters are being used to measure the production of knowledge. Recommendations for Practitioners: The possibility of enhancing the quality of the doctoral research proposal phase could be increased if those directing doctoral education were more aware (i) that the support programmes should encourage significant doctoral research; (ii) of the importance of having courses that are an integral part of the research proposal phase, which enable candidates to develop the ability to sustain a cohesive, coherent, critical and logical academic argument, and (iii) of the necessity for interdisciplinary research at the level of doctoral education. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers from diverse social and cultural contexts need to improve the quality of their research proposals through engaging in research learning. This would require deeper understandings of social and cultural diversity of the context from which the research proposal phase is being experienced. This requires further research on understanding how students negotiate the transition from different social learning contexts into doctoral education. Impact on Society: Implementation of the recommendations would help to establish a robust standard of doctoral education, which could enhance the personal, professional, social, and economic growth of South African society. Future Research: Future research should explore different approaches to support services to identify the kind of support services that would enable doctoral students to engage in quality interdisciplinary research.

scholarly journals Design Based Research in Doctoral Studies: Adding a New Dimension to Doctoral Research

10.28945/3761 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 107-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy M Goff ◽  
Seyum Getenet
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Alternative View ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Principles Of Design ◽  
Doctoral Dissertations

Aim/Purpose: We show a new dimension to the process of using design-based research approach in doctoral dissertations. Background: Design-based research is a long-term and concentrated approach to educational inquiry. It is often a recommendation that doctoral students should not attempt to adopt this approach for their doctoral dissertations. In this paper, we document two doctoral dissertations that used a design-based research approach in two different contexts. Methodology : The study draws on a qualitative analysis of the methodological approaches of two doctoral dissertations through the lenses of Herrington, McKenney, Reeves and Oliver principles of design-based research approach. Contribution: The findings of this study add a new dimension to using design-based research approach in doctoral dissertations in shorter-term and less intensive contexts. Findings: The results of this study indicate that design-based research is not only an effective methodological approach in doctoral dissertations, but it also has the potential to guide future research direction beyond examination. Recommendations for Practitioners : The findings of this study demonstrate that the design based research approach could bring researchers and practitioners together regarding a common purpose to design context-based solutions to educational problems. Impact on Society: We show an alternative view and application of design-based research in doctoral dissertations. Also, we identify the benefits of this type of research for doctoral students after completing their dissertations.

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