Techniques for Writing Memos in Grounded Theory Research Methods

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Techniques for Writing Memos in Grounded Theory Research Methods

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Published: 21th OCTOBER 2023


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Abstract

This study offers memo-writing approaches within the context of grounded theory methodology in qualitative social science research. Memoring is one of the most significant activities in grounded theory for developing and enriching theory. The memo is a written record of the researcher's thoughts. It is an analytical method that enables the researcher to get a coherent notion and truth from primary data. It is regarded as a tool for all types of notes collected by grounded theory researchers during their research. However, memo writing is only used in a small number of other qualitative studies. Memorization improves data investigation, inspection, and continuity throughout research design analysis. This research attempted to explore the many features of memoing along with its benefits. 

Keywords: Grounded Theory, qualitative research, data analysis, memoing

Introduction

In 1967, two American sociologists, Barney Galland Glaser (1930-2022) and Anselm Leonard Strauss (1916-1996), released their important work, The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Their creation set the groundwork for grounded theory (GT) methodology in the social sciences, which is now regarded as the most renowned and influential qualitative research technique (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Later, Glaser and Strauss students like Juliet Corbin, Adele E. Clarke, and Kathy Charmaz further developed the second and third generations of GT, as well as alternative interpretations of the GT technique (Morse et al., 2009). Coding, continuous comparison, memoing, and memo sorting are common data-analysis processes in grounded theory (GT) research (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Charmaz, 2006). Memos are the repository of ideas developed and documented through data interaction in qualitative research (Corbin & Strauss, 2008). These are reflective interpretative pieces that provide a historical audit trail by documenting ideas, events, and thought processes inherent in the research process and the analyst's growing thinking (Glaser, 1978). In social research, memos are written throughout the entire research methodology process. These are at the heart of GT and help to improve the level of abstraction of thoughts. To focus our study, we make memoranda more analytical and exact (Charmaz, 2011). Memo writing in GT is an analytical and necessary activity "in ensuring quality in grounded theory" (Birks & Mills, 2015). Memorization becomes an element of theory development when researchers jot down ideas as evidence is acquired and examined (Creswell, 2013). It is the critical intermediary phase between data collecting and theory development. It investigates and documents as much analytic detail about the category as we are able to supply. It contains thorough records of the researchers' thoughts, feelings, and intuitive notions (Charmaz, 2006). It is an important approach in GT since it prompts the researcher.

Literature Review

Founders of grounded theory (GT), Glaser and Strauss, have not supported the existence of a literature review prior to research analysis. They have stressed the new theory development from the collected data (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Hilary Engward provides a practical overview of grounded theory that will be beneficial for novice researchers (Engward, 2013). Laura M. Stough and Sungyoon Lee have stated that, at present, GT has become one of the most commonly used qualitative research approaches. Since it's starting, GT has taken on different iterations and evolved a number of variants. They have noticed that, recently, educational researchers prefer to work on the Straussian approach and Charmaz's constructivist approach (Stough & Lee, 2021).

Juliet Corbin and Anselm Strauss presented memos and diagrams. Memos are a subset of written records that include the results of analyses. Diagrams are visual tools that emerge from investigations to show potential links between concepts (Corbin & Strauss, 2008). Melanie Birks and her colleagues investigate memoing in the context of qualitative research methods. They have examined the functions of memos in the research process as well as a variety of memo-writing approaches (Birks et al., 2008). Anna Sandgren and her colleagues demonstrated the importance of memoing for kids. They have seen in their training that PhD students do not recognize the relevance of memoing at the start of their study. They believe that memoing is unnecessary.

Neringa Kalpokaite and Ivana Radivojevic have suggested three types of memos that can be applied to most qualitative research projects. They have established a foundational model that consists of four iterative cycles, such as "The Inspection Cycle, Coding Cycle, Categorisation Cycle, Modelling Cycle, and memo-writing, which is inherent to the entire analysis process". They have incorporated memo writing to foster the development of reflexive and critical thinking skills. They have also wanted to provide guidelines for memoing for novice qualitative researchers (Kalpokaite & Radivojevic, 2019).

Methodology of the Study

According to Rajasekar et al. (2013), research is a rational and methodical search for new, relevant knowledge on a given issue that explores answers to scientific and societal problems via systematic analysis. Methodology is the systematic and theoretical examination of the procedures used in a particular field of study. As a result, research methodology is the discipline of investigating how scientific research is conducted (Patel & Patel, 2019). In GT, data gathering and analysis, as well as memo writing, are critical. Memorization is the most commonly used tool in grounded theory research (Clarke, 2005).

We introduced the basic concepts of grounded theory (GT) at the outset of the research. Then, we attempted to examine many elements of memoing and memo writing, such as types, phases, and the value of memos and memo writing. Finally, we discussed the advantages and significance of memo writing.

The article is structured on secondary data analysis. To compile this material, we consulted published research publications, books, handbooks, conference papers, websites, and so on. We attempted to preserve reliability and validity throughout the study methods. The references in the text and reference list have been appropriately cited (Mohajan, 2017, 2018).

Objective of the Study

The leading objective of this article is to discuss the aspects of memo and memo writing in qualitative research. Some other ordinary objectives are;

  1. to enhance the research skills in the qualitative approach area,
  2. to show the style and structure of the memo, and
  3. to highlight the benefits and importance of memoing.

An Overview of GT

Grounded theory (GT) is a qualitative research approach distinguished by its iterative process and the interdependence of planning, data collecting, data analysis, and subsequent theory construction (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Charmaz, 2006). The term theoretical sampling refers to the continual collection of fresh data and the inclusion of new examples in the analysis based on their potential contribution to the continued development and refining of the emerging theory. Grounded theory is the theory that results from this approach (Mey & Mruck, 2011; Vollstedt & Rezat, 2019). GT, according to Glaser, is "an alternative to positivistic, social constructionist, and interpretive qualitative data methods" (Glaser, 2005). GT investigates the human experience within the context of social interaction (Birks et al., 2008).

Memo and Memoing

For collecting, coding, interpreting, and analyzing collected data, a researcher writes down their ideas, reflections, insights, and thoughts about the research setting. Such analytic, conceptual or theoretical notes are called "memos" (Flick, 2014). Memo is a critical link between interview data and the creation of codes and categories. Therefore, the memo is a "written record of analysis" that contains the results of GT research analysis (Corbin & Strauss, 2008). It is systematic, continuous, and flexible note-making during the entire research process. Memos should always be titled, dated, and cross-referenced (Birks et al., 2008; Herzog et al., 2019). Memos are vital as they provide a bank of ideas for the emerging theory (Chenitz & Swanson, 1986).

Memos might be about events, situations, categories, or their links (Charmaz, 2006). In GT, there are particularly specific forms of written notes. These not only explain the phenomena under consideration but also move on a Meta level. These might range in length from one phrase to many pages (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). These are kept in two places: i) an electronic "memo bank" with electronic files and several revisions for each memo, and ii) a research notebook with hand-written memos from interviews and spontaneous thoughts (Lempert, 2007; Groen et al., 2017).

Types of Memos

Generally, there are three types of memos in qualitative research (Kalpokaite & Radivojevic, 2019): i) research diary, ii) methodological memo, and iii) analytical memo.

Memo Writing

Memo writing in GT begins at the beginning of a research endeavour. Memos are commonly used to compare data such as statistics, codes, and classifications. Khanal (2018) Memo writing is a detailed record of the researcher's data analysis discussion. When coding and continuous comparison are used to find plausible patterns within the codes, memo writing occurs (Engward, 2013). It is the stage of a document that happens between coding and writing the first draft (Charmaz, 2012). Memos are formal papers that must adhere to a certain structure. It continually pauses the coding process in GT. Memos, as a result, must be recorded (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Memo-writing is defined as "putting things down on paper, which makes codes, categories, 11 thoughts, reflections, and ideas manageable and stimulates further theorizing" (Flick, 2014, p. From the perspective of Lempert, "memo writing" might be "a process of writing about initial code labels that is used to conceptualize the properties and dimensions of codes and aid in theoretical development" (Lempert, 2007, p. 1).

Memo writing expedites analytic work and increases productivity (Charmaz, 2006). Memo writing is vital in GT research because it allows researchers to examine and code data more quickly and convert categories throughout the coding process (Lempert, 2007). Memo writing aids researchers in the generation of concepts and categories (Bryman, 2012). Glaser considers memo writing to be necessary "to record ideas, get them out, and the analyst should do so in any kind of language-good, bad, or indifferent" (Glaser, 1978). It is an important approach in GT. It speeds up the study and operates throughout the process (Charmaz, 2006).

Conclusion

In the social sciences, grounded theory is a well-established qualitative technique. Memo writing is an essential foundation for preparing good research in GT study. We discovered in this study that memoing is a method that may be utilized to perform qualitative research. Memos allow for the study of many qualitative research routes. The qualitative research will suffer from a lack of power if memos are not used. A researcher can construct a theory through the process of open, axial, and selective coding with the use of the memoing process.

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