Theory analysis is the process of looking at the concepts that arise from your data. This is an iterative and flexible process because it’s hard to know how much data you’ll require ahead of time. The aim is to collect and analyze the data until you reach theoretical saturation.
In a qualitative research approach like grounded theory (GT) the process of analysis of theories begins with thematic analyses, which is the process of identifying repeating themes by carefully reviewing each segment of the data and noting any patterns that are consistent. Once these themes are identified, coding can be used to organize the emerging ideas and determine the relationships between various elements of information. This is a crucial step in GT because it provides a deeper understanding of the information by highlighting a variety of facets of a theme.
After identifying and codifying the themes, grounded theory’s constant method of comparative analysis is employed to refine and further develop the ideas identified in the thematic analysis. This method of iteration helps ensure that the theory is built on an established foundation in the data, and also provides new insights when compared with prior research.
In addition to ensuring that the theory is actually valid It is also important to determine if there are any causal relationships between the variables in the data set. This can be a difficult task to establish a causal link requires extensive knowledge of both the field and literature. It is theory analysis in data evaluation also important to conduct a rigorous analysis of data to ensure that all possible causes and effects have been thought of.