The analytic memo forges a link between the concrete data or raw evidence and more abstract, theoretical thinking (see Figure 16.1). It contains a researcher’s reflections on and thinking about the data and coding. The researcher adds to the memo and uses it as he or she passes through the data with each type of coding. The memos form the basis for analyzing data in the research report. In fact, rewritten sections from good-quality analytic memos can become sections of the final report.
The technology involved in writing analytic memos is simple: pen and paper, a few notebook, a stack of file folders, and photocopies of notes.Some researchers use computers, but it is not necessary (see Appendix D). There are many ways to write analytic memos; each researcher develops his or her own style or method. Some concrete suggestions based on the experience of other researchers are provided in Box 16.1. Some researchers make multiple copies of notes, then cut them and file. This works well if the physical files are large and analytic memos are kept distinct within the file (e.g., on different-colored paper or placed at the beginning). Other researchers list within the analytic memo file locations in the data notes where a theme appears. Then it is easy to move between the analytic memo and the data. Because data notes contain highlighted or marked themes, it is easy to find specific sections in the data. An intermediate strategy is to keep a running list of locations where a major theme appears in the data, but also include copies of a few key sections of the notes for easy reference.