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Cited by 697

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 58 of the 58 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Computational Grounded Theory: A Methodological Framework

Nelson, Laura K.·2020·Sociological Methods & Research

Abstract

This article proposes a three-step methodological framework called computational grounded theory, which combines expert human knowledge and hermeneutic skills with the processing power and pattern recognition of computers, producing a more methodologically rigorous but interpretive approach to content analysis. The first, pattern detection step, involves inductive computational exploration of text, using techniques such as unsupervised machine learning and word scores to help researchers to see novel patterns in their data. The second, pattern refinement step, returns to an interpretive engagement with the data through qualitative deep reading or further exploration of the data. The third, pattern confirmation step, assesses the inductively identified patterns using further computational and natural language processing techniques. The result is an efficient, rigorous, and fully reproducible computational grounded theory. This framework can be applied to any qualitative text as data, including transcribed speeches, interviews, open-ended survey data, or ethnographic field notes, and can address many potential research questions.

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Research works printed but not linked: 9

  1. Biernacki Richard, 1997, The Fabrication of Labor: Germany and Britain, 1640-1914
  2. Chicago Women’s Liberation Union (, 1972, Womankind, 2
  3. Dunning Ted, 1993, Computational Linguistics, 19, 61
  4. Evans John H., 2002, Playing God? Human Genetic Engineering and the Rationalization of Public Bioethical Debate
  5. Glaser Barney G., 2005, Awareness of Dying
  6. Hull-House, 1907, Hull-House Year Book: September 1, 1906- September 1,1907
  7. 10.1016/S0304-422X(99)00025-X · doi:10.1016/s0304-422x(99)00025-x
  8. Moretti Franco, 2013, Distant Reading
  9. Saldana Johnny, 2015, The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers

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Metadata

Authors
Nelson, L. K.
Venue
Sociological Methods & Research
Published
2017-11-21
Volume
49
Issue
1
Pages
3-42
ISSN
  • 0049-1241 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-8294
OpenAlex
W2769563773
Cited by
697
References
58
FWCI
88.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Computational Grounded Theory: A Methodological Framework. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1177/0049124117729703
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Nelson, L. K. (2020). Computational Grounded Theory: A Methodological Framework. Sociological Methods & Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124117729703

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Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.