(Mis)using grounded theory in translation and interpreting studies
A meta-method review
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17832308 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yuezeng Niu (0000-0002-2231-8744, University of Malaya), Yi Wang (0000-0003-2228-7009, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2662-9992 • E-ISSN: 2662-9992 |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1057/s41599-026-06812-0 |
| OpenAlex | W7133325331 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 67 |
While grounded theory (GT) is a qualitative research methodology widely used across disciplines, there have been numerous misconceptions and misunderstandings about it among researchers. To pursue enhanced research rigour, scholars have been engaging in ongoing methodological reflections on this methodology. However, no attempt has yet been made to scrutinise how the methodology is understood and used in translation and interpreting studies (TIS). Employing a meta-method review approach, this article evaluates the utilisation of GT in TIS to assess its methodological rigour and highlight common misunderstandings in the discipline. The study includes 35 studies conducted across 13 countries from 2004 to 2023. Our findings reveal that while GT is increasingly popular among TIS researchers, it is also widely misunderstood and misused. This study highlights prevalent methodological inconsistencies and a lack of clarity in the description of GT within these studies. To enhance the quality of GT research in TIS, it is crucial for researchers to adhere to the key tenets of GT throughout their research process and to clearly document this adherence in their reporting. By providing a clear and systematic analysis, this study engages with ongoing methodological reflections on GT in other disciplines and has implications for enhancing research rigour not only in TIS but also in disciplines beyond
CLARITY · Grounded theory · Qualitative research · Rigour · Translation studies · Interpreting and Communication in Healthcare · Qualitative Research Methods and Applications · Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics
Constructing Cultures
Meta-Study of Qualitative Health Research
The Pivotal Status of the Translator’s Habitus
The PRISMA 2020 statement
Translators’ trust and distrust in the times of GenAI
Use of statistical methods in translation and interpreting research
A Critical Review of Grounded Theory Research in Urban Planning and Design
Self-Determined Participation (SDP)
How Dementia Caregivers Make Health Service Decisions
Grounded Theory-Based Research within Exercise Psychology
Border Crossings
Navigating Challenges of Medical Interpreting Standards and Expectations of Patients and Health Care Professionals
The place of the literature review in grounded theory research
Situating within the balance
The erosion of a method
Teacher professional development pattern in virtual social networks
Grounded Theory Methodology and Grounded Theory Method
Grounded Theory Method
A dynamic approach to understanding motivation in an interpreting course
Professional Translators' Theorising Patterns in Comparison with Classroom Discourse on Translation
Theoretical Sampling and Category Development in Grounded Theory
Grounded Theory Approaches Used in Educational Research Journals
Special Invited Paper
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |