Axial coding is the breaking down of core themes during

qualitative data analysis Qualitative research is a type of research that aims to gather and analyse non-numerical (descriptive) data in order to gain an understanding of individuals' social reality, including understanding their attitudes, beliefs, and motivation. This ...

. Axial coding in

grounded theory Grounded theory is a systematic methodology that has been largely applied to qualitative research conducted by social scientists. The methodology involves the construction of hypotheses and theories through the collecting and analysis of data. Gr ...

is the process of relating codes (categories and concepts) to each other, via a combination of inductive and deductive thinking. The basic framework of generic relationships is understood, according to Strauss and Corbin (1990, 1998) who propose the use of a "coding paradigm", to include categories related to (1) the phenomenon under study, (2) the conditions related to that phenomenon (context conditions, intervening -structural- conditions or causal conditions), (3) the actions and interactional strategies directed at managing or handling the phenomenon and (4) the consequences of the actions/interactions related to the phenomenon. As Kelle underlines, the implicit or explicit theoretical framework necessary to identify categories in

empirical data Empirical evidence for a proposition is evidence, i.e. what supports or counters this proposition, that is constituted by or accessible to sense experience or experimental procedure. Empirical evidence is of central importance to the sciences an ...

is derived, in the procedures explicated by Strauss and Corbin (1990), from a "general model of action rooted in pragmatist and interactionist social theory" (Kelle, 2005, para. 16). This model or theoretical framework underlines the importance of "analysing and modelling action and interaction strategies of the actors" (para. 16). Axial coding is a cornerstone of Strauss and Corbin's (1990, 1998) approach but is regarded by Charmaz (2006) as highly structured and optional.Strauss, A. L., & Corbin, J. M. (1998). ''Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques'' (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Axial Coding Qualitative research