5. Theoretical Notes
Theory emerges in field research during data collection and is clarified when a researcher reviews field notes. He think out loud in the notes by suggesting links between ideas, creating hypotheses, proposing conjectures, and developing new concepts. They are systematic digressions into theory, where a researcher elaborates on ideas in depth, expand on ideas while still in the field, and modifies or develops more complex theory by rereading and thinking about the memos.