Coding Process and Coding Scheme

The first phase of the grounded theory approach would be open coding whereby a category would be formed from the data. In other words, a code word or phrase would be assigned that accurately described the text segment meaning. Codes were broken down into categories or the codes’ core concepts. Next, the researcher clustered together similar codes, thereby reducing the long list of codes to a smaller, more manageable number. The second phase is axial coding, which would be the process of finding associations between the categories to create themes. During this phase, the researcher would think about the main phenomenon, the causal conditions, strategies, context, intervening conditions and consequences (Charmez, 2006; Corbin & Strauss, 1990; Cresswell, 2013). Themes would start to develop by constantly

comparing the data. This constant comparative analysis of the data gradually would evolve into a core of emerging theory or selective coding. This would be the central code that the other codes were related to or a more general concept, or central phenomenon. (Babbie, 2011; Creswell, 2013). Figure 3.1 has illustrated the grounded theory process.

Figure 3.1 Grounded Theory Process

The researcher analyzed the questionnaires, diaries, interview transcripts and field notes using the grounded theory process (Babbie, 2011; Charmez, 2006; Corbin & Strauss, 1990; Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Glesne, 2011; Strauss and Corbin, 1994). The grounded theory method was used since there could have been valuable variables discovered or themes of interest pulled from the qualitative data which have not been revealed in previous research studies. Data was reviewed line by line (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) and codes were assigned as the concept emerged. Next, the researcher compared codes to look for relationships developing themes. The data collection and analysis process continued until the researcher attained conceptual saturation (Corbin & Strauss, 2015) and was satisfied sufficient data was discovered to describe each of the categories. See Table 3.4 for coding sheet and Table 3.5 for examples of the main categories.

Diaries

Interviews

Field Notes

Open Coding Initially identify concepts Axial Coding Generate categories of relationships between concepts Selective Coding Integrate and develop the theory

Linking the concepts together by constantly comparing the codes and the relationships between them built a model from the gathered qualitative data, which is discussed in Chapter 5.

Table 3.4 Coding Sheet Participant Id Type of Information Mobile Device

Location Challenge Factor

Table 3.5

Coding Scheme: Examples of Main Categories

Types of Categories Definitions Examples

Type of Information: News/Sports

Participants’ ability or inability to effectively search for News/Sports

“I get my news on an ipad because it’s a bigger screen making it more easier to read.” (P34)

Type of Information: Email

Participants’ ability or inability to effectively search for Email

“I had difficulty searching my email…Parts of my school building, I can’t find a signal so I go ½ a day without a cell signal.” (P17)

Challenge: Inability to solve the

Problem

Participants’ inability using and/or figuring out how to use the mobile device to perform the search activity

“I couldn’t figure out how to make my phone start speaking the directions” (P43)

Challenge:

Inability to find information/solution

Participants’ inability finding information they were searching for on their mobile device or finding a solution to assist them in finding the information

“There were too many screens I had to scroll through and my phone wouldn’t let me back up. It was frustrating.” (P30)

Factor: Personal Emotion Comfort level (CL)

Participant’s feelings of

enjoyment or frustration of using a mobile device

“The two locations I looked up I couldn't flag on same map...very frustrating that I didn't know how to do that.” (P27)

Factor: Device Aspect Device security (DS)

Participant’s perception of privacy and security of doing the search on a mobile device affected the use or non-use of the mobile device

“I don’t shop on my device…I personally don’t feel safe doing it from a mobile phone.” (P5)

As mentioned previously in the data analysis plan, a PhD researcher (Coder 2) examined the data and developed codes to create consistency and agreement among the datasets. Three transcripts were given to Coder 2. One transcript contained Day 1 diary entrees from 25 participants that entailed 8 answered questions for a total of 200 passages coded. The two

remaining transcripts were interview transcripts randomly chosen from the participants, one YB and one OB participant. After coding the transcript passages, the researcher and Coder 2 met and discussed text code names identifying overlapping agreement on coded names and passages. Discrepancies in the codes were discussed and explained or resolved, and a codebook was created. The researcher and Coder 2 coded an additional transcript that contained answers to the Interview question “Have you ever had any difficulties or problems using your (mobile device)? If yes, could you please explain one to me?” from the 50 participants. This question was chosen specifically since the responses gave types of challenges and their affecting factors to establish at least a 90% inter-coder agreement (Cresswell, 2009; 2013) and inter-coder reliability of

assigning types of challenges and affecting factors between the researcher and Coder 2. Cohen Kappa’s (K) (1960) coefficient is a “measure of agreement between two raters (or judges), corrected for chance, on the classification of a group of objects” (as cited in Becker, 2000, p. 1172). Cohen’s Kappa was used to measure inter-coder reliability to establish and validate the quality of the coding schema developed from the qualitative data gathered in this study. The results fell within a high measure of reliability at K=0.95 for types of challenges and K=0.93 for the affecting factors. As the process of grounded theory took place, emerging categories and subcategories were developed. The definitions for the types of challenges and affecting factors are explained in Chapter 4 with examples from the participant diaries and interviews These have been interpreted in the context and development of the Baby Boomer Mobile Device Information Searching Model discussed in Chapter 5.