Extrapolating Practice from Theory: A User-friendly Guide to Conducting Grounded Theory in the Social Sciences

This paper presents an easily comprehensible, non-theoretical introduction to grounded theory, a form of qualitative research that has become increasingly popular among scholars in the social sciences in recent years. Following an introduction to the basics of qualitative research and grounded theory, the author draws on his experiences investigating the acquisition of academic writing among Taiwanese doctoral students to illustrate the procedures involved in carrying out this type of naturalistic inquiry. The final section of the article, in the form of an appendix, contains a glossary of terms commonly used in the conducting and there porting of the findings of studies employing grounded theory, as well as a list of references to consult to learn more about qualitative research methodology in general.