A Coding Scheme Development Methodology Using Grounded Theory for Qualitative Analysis of Pair Programming

2008

A number of quantitative studies of pair programming (the practice of two programmers working together using just one computer) have partially conflicting results. Qualitative studies are needed to explain what is really going on. We support such studies by taking a grounded theory (GT) approach for deriving a coding scheme for the objective conceptual description of specific pair programming sessions independent of a particular research goal. The present article explains why our initial attempts at using GT failed and describes how to avoid these difficulties by a predetermined perspective on the data, concept naming rules, an analysis results metamodel, and pair coding. These practices ma…