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The Constant Comparative Method of Qualitative Analysis

1965/04/01 by Barney G. Glaser · 4,609 citations
Engineering · Mathematics · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Center (category theory) #Computer science #Constant (computer programming) #Engineering #Library science #Mathematics #Psychology #Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics #Qualitative analysis #Qualitative comparative analysis #Qualitative research #Social science #Sociology #Spring (device) #Statistics #Volume (thermodynamics)

paper · doi:10.2307/798843

published in Social Problems 12(4), 436-445 (Oxford University Press)

openalex publication_date 1965/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Currently, the general approaches to the analysis of qualitative data are these:1.) If the analyst wishes to convert qualitative data into crudely quantifiable form so that he can provisionally test a hypothesis, he codes the data first and then analyzes it. He makes an effort to code “all relevant data [that] can be brought to bear on a point,” and then systematically assembles, assesses and analyzes these data in a fashion that will “constitute proof for a given proposition.”i2.) If the analyst wishes only to generate theoretical ideasnew categories and their properties, hypotheses and interrelated hypotheses- he cannot be confined to the practice of coding first and then analyzing the data since, in generating theory, he is constantly redesigning and reintegrating his theoretical notions as he reviews his material.ii Analysis with his purpose, but the explicit coding itself often seems an unnecessary, burdensome task. As a result, the analyst merely inspects his data for new properties of his theoretical categories, and writes memos on these properties.We wish to suggest a third approach

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