This course will take place over three mornings (10/13/25, 10/15/25, AND 10/17/25), 2.5 hours per morning, and will be offered via Zoom. Attendance is required as the course will not be recorded.

This course introduces participants to constructivist grounded theory (CGT). Grounded theory (GT) methods consist of flexible guidelines to fit particular research problems, not to apply mechanically. With these guidelines, you expedite and systematize data collection and analysis. GT methods can assist researchers in making their work more analytic, precise, and compelling.

In this course, following an exploration of the history and development of GT, we examine GT basic guidelines and major strategies, including initial line-by-line and focused coding, the use of gerunds, memoing, diagramming, theoretical sampling, and categorising. Throughout the sessions, there is an emphasis on CGT’s epistemological foundation and resultant adaptations to the research process, including regarding the literature review, researcher positionality/ies and reflexivity, and participant involvement.

The course will include a number of hands-on exercises to exemplify, and give participants an opportunity to practice, the strategies being discussed. For the coding exercise, you may bring and use some of your own qualitative data, or if you do not have data yet, some will be supplied. Clear guidelines and support are provided to course participants with regard to all aspects of CGT.

The sessions will utilise CGT readings and resources from Kathy Charmaz, Robert Thornberg, Adele Clarke, and myself, and will draw on the extensive scholarship of Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss. A pack of materials will be shared with participants in advance of the course. This course will be of interest to those doing full CGT studies but also to those who may be interested in learning about and potentially using some of the powerful GT strategies (such as coding) in studies with a different overall methodological approach.

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The NC TraCS Professional Development Seminar Series is open to anyone seeking exposure to foundational concepts in clinical/translational research such as communication skills, finding funding, career planning, and implementing research. The Finding Funding module focuses on what you need to know before applying for funding for biomedical research.

Seminars in the Finding Funding module are presented every 2 weeks from September 30 - November 14, in-person on Tuesdays from 12 - 2 p.m. ET and repeated via Zoom on Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m ET.

In-person | Bondurant Hall, room 2030
Tuesday, September 30: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Tuesday, October 14: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Tuesday, October 28: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Tuesday, November 11: What is a pilot study?

Virtual | Zoom
Friday, October 3: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Friday, October 17: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Friday, October 31: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Friday, November 14: What is a pilot study?

Join for the topics that interest you and on the days that work for you. Please register for the Zoom-only option if you are unlikely to participate in-person as space for the in-person option is limited.

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