How To Do Open, Axial and Selective Coding in Grounded Theory
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What is open coding, axial coding, and selective coding?
Open coding, axial coding, and selective coding are all steps in the grounded theory method of analyzing qualitative data. With grounded theory, you derive new theories and concepts based on data, in contrast to other methods where you start with an existing theory and see whether or not your data applies to the theory.
To learn more about grounded theory, check out our Practical Guide to Grounded Theory.
Corbin and Strauss outline their approach to open coding, axial coding and selective coding in their 1990 paper, “Grounded theory research: Procedures, canons, and evaluative criteria.” This post is our summary and interpretation of their paper.
TLDR (The short) explanation
In a nutshell, the first step of grounded theory is open coding, when you take your textual data and break it up into discrete parts, axial coding is when you draw connections between your codes, and selective coding is when you select one central category that connects all the codes from your analysis and captures the essence of your research. Keep reading to get a more in-depth, step by step look at how to utilize these coding methods in practice.
What is Open Coding?
Open coding is a common first step in the analysis of your qualitative research and is often used as the initial coding pass in Grounded Theory. At this point, you will have started collecting qualitative data, such as transcriptions from interviews. With open coding, you break your data into discrete parts and create “codes” to label them.
As its name would imply, open-coding is meant to open you up to new theoretical possibilities, as you first engage with your qualitative data. The purpose of breaking up your data and labeling them with codes is to enable you as the researcher to continuously compare and contrast similar events in your data. You do this by collating all pieces of data (such as quotes) that were labeled with a particular code. This process forces you out of preconceived notions and biases about your own research.
Open coding in qualitative research is rarely the only pass of coding and is followed by one or more coding methods, such as Axial Coding.
What is Axial Coding?
Axial coding in grounded theory is the second step of coding that follows open coding. In contrast to open coding where you break the data into discrete parts, with axial coding you begin to draw connections between codes. With axial coding, you organize the codes you developed in open coding.
With axial coding in qualitative research, you read over your codes and the underlying data to find how your codes can be grouped into categories. A category could be created based on an existing code, or a new more abstract category can be developed that encompasses a number of different codes.
After conducting axial coding you will have a number of categories that are supported by a cleaned-up set of supporting codes. These categories are the “axes” around which it’s supporting codes revolve.
For a step by step example, check out our blog that delves deeper into axial coding.
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What is Selective Coding?
Selective coding is the last step in grounded theory , where you connect all your categories together around one core category. In doing so you define one unified theory around your research. Selective coding occurs later on in your research and connects categories you have developed from your qualitative data in previous coding cycles, such as axial coding. The core category you develop in selective coding may come from elevating one of the categories from the axial coding stage or may be a new category that you derive based on your other categories. The core category ultimately represents the central thesis of your research.
Selective coding is the culmination of the grounded theory process and its purpose is to either define a new theory or modify an existing theory based on your research. Ideally, you will be able to state your theory simply in just a couple of words or sentences and should be stated clearly in your research report.
When should I use open coding, axial coding, and selective coding?
You should consider these methods of coding when
You want to follow a grounded theory method of qualitative analysis
You want to derive new theories or concepts from your data
You don’t want preconceived theories to determine the outcome of your research
You are conducting exploratory research where you want to generate new concepts and ideas
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What is the step by step process of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding?
Open coding
1. Turn your data into small, discrete components of data
Read through your qualitative data (such as transcripts from interviews) and analytically break it up into discrete, bite sized pieces of data.
2. Code each discrete pieces of data with a descriptive label.
Interpret each piece of data and label it based off the properties of the data
Ensure that any two pieces of data that relate to the same subject, should be labeled with the same codes
Axial coding
3. Find connections and relationships between code
Now that you have a set of codes, identify connections between them. Look for causal conditions, context behind observations, and consequences of phenomena
4. Aggregate and condense codes into broader categories
Determine broader categories that make connections between codes
Selective coding
5. Bring it together with one overarching category
Select one core category that captures the essence of your research. It should be one big idea that captures a recurring trend in your data
6. Identify the connections between this overarching category and the rest of your codes and data
How does your overarching category connect with the rest of your codes and data? Search for these connections in order to determine your final narrative
7. Remove categories or codes that don’t have enough supporting data
Review all your other categories and codes and check if they have enough data to be robust. If they fall short, remove them
8. Read the transcript again, and code according to this overarching category
Do another read of your transcripts and code according to this overarching category and code structure
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Final steps
After you have completed open, axial and selective coding, pull together the story of your data with a narrative that centers around your overarching category, and gives your analytical explanations of the other categories that you found.
To learn about the full process of grounded theory, check out our Practical Guide to Grounded Theory.
Other ways to analyze
Open coding, axial coding, and selective coding for grounded theory is just one approach of many ways to analyze qualitative research. To read more about other types of coding, read our Essential Guide to Coding Qualitative Data.
Try Delve, Software for Open, Axial, and Selective Coding
Online software such as Delve can help streamline how you’re coding your qualitative coding. Try a free trial or watch a demo of the Delve.
Reference
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (1990). Grounded theory research: Procedures, canons, and evaluative criteria. Qualitative Sociology, 13, 3-21.
Saldana, Johnny (2009). The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.
Cite this blog post:
Delve, Ho, L., & Limpaecher, A. (2022c, February 8). How To Do Open, Axial, & Selective Coding in Grounded Theory. Practical Guide to Grounded Theory. https://delvetool.com/blog/openaxialselective
