Theoretical Memoing

Memoing refers to the informal written records kept by qualitative researchers that reference ideas, hunches, hypotheses, research literature, and sundry observations about research questions, research design and methods, and theory as they arise in the process of a research project. Theoretical memoing refers to a specific subset of memoing that focuses on the theorizing aspect of research. Although memoing is described as an essential step throughout the process of conducting studies using grounded theory, it is also described by other qualitative researchers as a useful means to trace one's development of theory from initial conception of a research project to publication of the findings. Given that theoretical assumptions underlie every aspect of a research project, theoretical memos provide an important record that researchers may use as a source of information, impetus for reflection, and record of analytic decision making.

Various descriptions of memo writing provide guidelines for how researchers can use theoretical memoing in their work, as well as exemplars of various types of memos. First, qualitative researchers can use multiple techniques to illustrate their developing understandings of how evidence may be generated, understood, analyzed, and represented. These include freewriting and drawing diagrams and concept maps. Second, qualitative researchers are advised to begin recording theoretical memos early—throughout the research design process, while conducting fieldwork, and throughout the process of data collection and analysis.

Advocates of theoretical memoing affirm that this technique assists researchers to develop researcher reflexivity, to make decisions with respect to data generation and research design, to make connections between the concrete details of evidence to abstract ideas and concepts, to support assertions and develop analyses and interpretations, to record the development of theory building, and to write and report findings. Although some scholars describe writing, coding, and filing theoretical memos on index cards, the introduction of computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software packages (CAQDAS) to the field of qualitative inquiry has facilitated quick and easy access to systematic forms of memo writing in the form of annotated texts, linked memo documents, and hypertext links among electronic documents.

The focus of theoretical memoing is on reflection, analysis, and interpretation, as well as how researchers [Page 874]relate evidence to abstract concepts. Proponents of theoretical memoing recommend that researchers write with a focus on jotting thoughts down, rather than writing accurately. Researchers are advised to keep records systematically and include the date of memo writing and references to specific data and/or analyses, along with excerpts of relevant transcriptions and fieldnotes. Each theoretical memo is seen as a step in the generation of theory, and researchers are advised to be flexible, developing ideas further in later memo writing and using memos as a springboard for revising manuscripts for publication.