Page 232 - Mike Ratner CC - WISR Complete Dissertation - v6

and statements and topics that caused tension and disagreement. Telephone interviews were used

for all but one interview.

Coding

Coding was the basis for identifying categories and themes for analysis and was essential

in transforming raw data into theoretical constructions of social processes (Glaser, 1978, 2001;

Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Coding begins the process of inductively connecting the meaning derived

from the interview transcript as represented in sentences, phrases, and word groupings of the

interviewees’ experiences. The coding from each transcript and the comparison of codes between

transcripts leads to abstracting, or “the dropping away of properties from the original object” (Star,

2008, p. 80) to allow for broader and more generalized concepts to come forth. Star (2008) further

explained the function and process of codes and their role in grounded theory:

• A code is both a matter of separation and attachment; a transitional object that allows us to

know more about the field we study, while carrying the abstraction of the new.

• The process of coding and comparing across spaces and across data is known as theoretical

sampling.

• Codes are also part of the “holding space” of the experience. (p.84)

Open coding procedure was applied to the empirical data using line-by-line analyses to

create conceptual labels. The conceptual labels were then compared and subsequently used to

develop a list of conceptual categories (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Star (2008) informed, “a code

sets up a relationship with your data and with respondents” (p. 80). The relationship or pattern of

relationships established during the coding process resulted in categories and a further abstracted

groupings of similar thoughts and meanings derived from the interviews. Line by line, or open

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