Using Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software to Develop a Grounded Theory Project

The promise of theory and model development makes grounded theory an attractive methodology to follow. However, it has been argued that many researchers fall short and provide a detailed description of only the research area or simply a quantitative content analysis rather than an explanatory model. This article illustrates how the researchers used a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software program (CAQDAS) as a tool for moving beyond a thick description of swimming coaches’ perceptions of sexual relationships in sport to an explanatory model grounded in the data. Grounded theory is an iterative process whereby the researchers move between data collection and analysis, writing memos, coding, and creating models. The nonlinear design of the selected CAQDAS program, NVIVO, facilitates such iterative approaches. Although the examples provided in this project focus on NVIVO, the concepts presented here could be applied to the use of other CAQDAS programs. Examples are provided of how the grounded theory techniques of open coding, writing memos, axial coding, and creating models were conducted within the program.