Greetings All,

I am currently a Ph.D student that has written all 5 chapters. However, my chair has instructed me to change my qualitative research design from phenomenological to grounded. I can not seem to find how to transition from one design to the other or anyone that can provide any constructive guidance. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Do you mean change to Grounded Theory ? I can't see how that would be possible after you have conducted and written up your research. Grounded theory methodology would need to have guided all aspects of your study and it would be impossible to transition to it after the study is complete. Can you clarify with the chair exactly what it is that they are suggesting you should do ?

@ kmcmahon YOU GET MY QUESTIONS & FRUSTRATIONS!!!!...That was the directive...change to grounded theory......

does you chair know what grounded theory actually is? They might have literally heard a talk on it and think it is easy, so you could try and explain to them how difficult it is.

You have done well to get 5 chapters written, so don't let a supervisor ruin that

You have done well to get 5 chapters written and it sounds like you need to defend your chosen methodology here. In your methodology chapter you will have addressed why you chose phenomenology. Has your chair raised particular concerns about this choice before now ? It seems an unusual request at this late stage. Within the phenomenological approach you adopted were you collecting and analysing data simultaneously using constant comparative analysis ? Is it possible that your chair has recognised that you have used a GT approach but not labelled it as such and that is why he or she is suggesting the change. Otherwise it is a confusing suggestion. Hope you can get some clarity of this AVBG.