Qualitative_data_analysis

have annotated this data. Suppose we have already made a memo reading as in
Illustration 9.4.
ILLUSTRATION 9.4
CHECKING MEMOS PRIOR TO CATEGORIZING DATA
ASSIGNING CATEGORIES 129
The letters open with Vincent’s statement of despair. Does this not
immediately suggest a stereotype of the artistic temperament, prone to
exaggerated emotions? Is there not an element of self-pity suggested here in
Vincent’s complaint about life’s unfairness—to him? (It hasn’t been very
fair to Mrs Sol Schwimmer.) Look out for similar displays of temperament.
This memo suggests a possible categorization in terms of temperament. Also, we
need to read the databit in context. Vincent’s despair is a result of Mrs Sol
Schwimmer’s search for legal redress following her disfigurement. If Mrs Sol
Schwimmer’s suit is reasonable, is Vincent’s despair unreasonable? The databit takes
on new meaning, if we recognize the absurdity of the action which has precipitated
it. It is no longer just an ‘innocent’ statement of how Vincent feels. It is an
expression of Vincent’s fundamental folly in complaining because he cannot act as
he likes regardless of the consequences for others.
We can run through our list of categories, and consider whether there is a
category which obviously suggests itself at this point. We have a short category set
(at least to start with) so there is no problem checking through all of it. But with a
longer list of categories, it would obviously be more efficient to concentrate on likely
prospects and discount non-contenders. We may be able to divide our list into
probables and improbables, possibles and impossibles; and then consider whether
any of the probables or possibles applies.
From our short list, the category ‘stereotypes’ is one possibility. But we should
also consider other possibilities, not as yet included in our current category set. Our
memo mentions ‘stereotypes’ but it is also more precise: it suggests that this is a specific
stereotype, one which invokes the image of the over-emotional artist. Should we add
a category ‘temperament’ to our category set and assign it to this databit? To make
this decision, we must consider the existing category set and reflect upon the virtues
and drawbacks of extending it.
Since we have a short and relatively undifferentiated category list, let us add
‘temperament’ to it. But before we assign this category, we should consider how we
are using it. As we are categorizing our very first databit, there are no previous
empirical examples to refer to. We must therefore concentrate on conceptual
clarification of the category. This could take the form of a first attempt at defining