Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize and analyze novice researchers' experiences of the Glaserian grounded theory methodology.

Design/methodology/approach - The grounded theory analytical procedures were applied.

Findings - The paper suggests that the creative freedom inherited in the Glaserian grounded theory approach empowers novice researchers, and many students reported positive emotions related to this freedom. At the same time, this freedom can represent a difficulty. Several students thought the tabula rasa instruction was something of a paradox, and the instructions within the methodology to be without preconceptions, let the theory emerge, and find the social process was difficult for most students to understand. However, some students found that they could counteract this difficulty via a systematic coding process and by working in pairs that enabled them to conduct an analytical dialogue.

Originality/value - This is the first study that investigates the way that novice researchers experience the Glaserian grounded theory methodology.