Editing Grounded theory (section)

==Background==
Grounded theory is a general research methodology, a way of thinking about and conceptualizing data. It is used in studies of diverse populations from areas like remarriage after divorce<ref>Cauhapé, E. (1983). ''Fresh starts: Men and women after divorce''. New York: Basic Books.</ref>  and professional socialization.<ref>Broadhead, R.S. (1983). ''The private lives and professional identity of medical students''. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction</ref> Grounded theory methods were developed by two sociologists, [[Barney Glaser]] and [[Anselm Strauss]].<ref name="Glaser-Strauss" />

While collaborating on research on dying hospital patients, Glaser and Strauss developed the '''constant comparative method''' which later became known as the grounded theory method. They summarized their research in the book ''[[Awareness of Dying]]'', which was published in 1965. Glaser and Strauss went on to describe their method in more detail in their 1967 book, ''[[The Discovery of Grounded Theory]]''.<ref name="Glaser-Strauss"/> The three aims of the book were to: 
# Provide a rationale to justify the idea that the gap between a social science theory and empirical data should be narrowed by firmly grounding a theory in empirical research;
# Provide a logic for grounded theory;
# Legitimize careful [[qualitative research]], the most important goal, because, by the 1960s, quantitative research methods had gained so much prestige that qualitative research had come to be seen as inadequate.<ref name="Strauss, A. 1994 pp. 273">Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1994). Grounded Theory Methodology: An Overview. In N. Denzin & Y. Lincoln ''Handbook of Qualitative Research. 1st ed.'' (pp. 273–284).</ref>

A turning point in the acceptance of the theory came after the publication of ''Awareness of Dying''. Their work on dying helped establish the influence of grounded theory in [[medical sociology]], [[psychology]], and [[psychiatry]].<ref name="Strauss, A. 1994 pp. 273"/><ref name="Glaser-Strauss"/> From its beginnings, grounded theory methods have become more prominent in fields as diverse as [[drama]], [[management]], [[manufacturing]], and [[education]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Fletcher-Watson | first1 = B | year = 2013 | title = Toward a Grounded Dramaturgy: Using Grounded Theory to Interrogate Performance Practices in Theatre for Early Years | doi = 10.1080/08929092.2013.837706 | journal = Youth Theatre Journal | volume = 27 | issue = 2| page = 134 | s2cid = 144813527 }}</ref>