Axial Coding — Relational Category Development in Qualitative Research
Axial Coding · Also known as: axial analysis, relational coding, category development coding, second-level coding
Axial coding is the second major analytical step in grounded theory analysis, performed after open coding. Introduced by Anselm Strauss and Juliet Corbin in 1990, it involves systematically re-examining and reorganising the many discrete codes generated during open coding by identifying a central (axial) category and mapping the causal conditions, contextual factors, intervening conditions, action-interaction strategies, and consequences that surround it. The goal is to move from a fragmented list of codes to a coherent relational structure that reflects how concepts interconnect in the data.
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When to use it
Axial coding is appropriate as part of a grounded theory study when the researcher has already generated a substantial body of open codes and is ready to move beyond description toward explanation. It is best suited to research questions that ask how or why a social process or phenomenon unfolds — not simply what it looks like. The method requires rich, detailed qualitative data (typically 20 or more in-depth interviews, supplemented by field notes or documents) and is inappropriate as a standalone technique: it is analytically dependent on a preceding open coding phase. Axial coding is not recommended when the research goal is purely descriptive, when the dataset is small, or when a lighter-weight approach such as thematic analysis would suffice.
Strengths & limitations
- Moves qualitative analysis beyond simple description by surfacing causal, contextual, and consequential relationships among categories.
- Provides a systematic and transparent analytical framework (the coding paradigm) that makes the reasoning behind category relationships auditable.
- Produces a relational structure that can be refined into a formal grounded theory in the subsequent selective coding phase.
- Well-suited to understanding complex social processes where multiple conditions interact to shape outcomes.
- Encourages constant comparison between emerging categories and raw data, keeping the analysis empirically grounded throughout.
- Analytically demanding — requires a researcher already skilled in open coding, memo-writing, and theoretical sensitivity before axial coding can be applied productively.
- The Strauss-Corbin coding paradigm has been criticised (notably by Charmaz) as imposing a predetermined conceptual structure on data rather than allowing categories to emerge purely from the material.
- Not appropriate for small datasets; without sufficient data diversity the relational map will be under-populated and speculative.
- The output is a relational model, not a finished theory — further selective coding is required to reach a complete grounded theory.
- Time-intensive: producing a defensible axial coding map typically requires multiple cycles of coding, memo-writing, and data return.
Frequently asked
Is axial coding the same as thematic analysis?
No. Thematic analysis identifies recurring patterns (themes) across a dataset and is primarily descriptive. Axial coding, by contrast, is an explicitly relational procedure: it seeks to explain how and why a central phenomenon occurs by mapping causal conditions, contextual factors, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences. Axial coding belongs to the grounded theory tradition and is analytically more demanding than thematic analysis.
Can I use axial coding without the rest of grounded theory?
Axial coding is designed as the second phase of grounded theory analysis, following open coding. It relies on the open codes and memos produced in that first phase. Using the term 'axial coding' for a standalone relational analysis is technically a misuse of the label. If you want to map relationships among qualitative categories outside a grounded theory framework, approaches such as framework analysis or systems mapping may be more appropriate.
What is the difference between the Strauss-Corbin and Charmaz approaches to coding?
Strauss and Corbin advocate a structured coding paradigm with defined slots (causal conditions, phenomenon, context, intervening conditions, strategies, consequences). Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory rejects this paradigm as too prescriptive, preferring open-ended, iterative coding that allows conceptual categories to emerge more freely. Strauss-Corbin suits researchers who value systematic structure; Charmaz suits those who prioritise interpretive flexibility and are concerned about imposing categories on data.
How do I know when axial coding is finished?
Axial coding is sufficiently complete when every major category in the data has been related to a central category, the relationships among categories are supported by specific data excerpts, negative cases have been examined and either accommodated or explained, and the relational map is stable across repeated returns to the data. The next step is selective coding, which integrates the categories around a core category into a formal grounded theory statement.
What software can support axial coding?
ATLAS.ti, NVivo, and MAXQDA all support axial coding workflows: they allow researchers to create hierarchical code families, link codes with relationship connectors, and visualise category maps. None of the software performs the analytical work — assigning relational roles to categories and validating them against data excerpts is the researcher's intellectual task. Software reduces the administrative burden of managing large code sets and memos.
Sources
- Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. Sage. ISBN: 978-0803932456
- Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide Through Qualitative Analysis. Sage. link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Axial Coding. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/qualitative/axial-coding
Which method?
Set this method beside its closest kin and read them side by side — the library lays the books on the table; the choice is yours.
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- Discourse AnalysisQualitative Research↔ compare
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- PhenomenologyQualitative↔ compare
- Thematic AnalysisQualitative Research↔ compare