Qualitative_data_analysis

192 QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS
Figure 12.6 A ‘chain’ of causal links in the data
simplicity’s sake, let us suppose that all the links we have noted between the databits
are ‘chronological’ in character, though other links could also be retrieved. Our
retrieval produces all the relevant databits and the links between them.
These databits do not appear consecutively in the data; in fact the Claire
Memling story is told over a couple of letters, with a third letter intervening between
them. Nor are all the links we have noted in consecutive order. Life is not like that.
We often come across explanations of some event sometime after it has appeared to
puzzle us in the data. By retrieving links, we can abstract from the diversity and
digressions of the data and make connections between the main elements in the
story.
We can compare data we have linked one way with data we have linked in other
ways. In this way, we can explore and re-examine the types of links we have
observed within the data. By comparing within and between these different types of
link, we can clarify our understanding of the different processes we have observed.
This may be particularly useful where we can compare causal or chronological links
with explanatory ones. For example, suppose we had Claire Memling’s version of
events in Vincent’s surgery, and perhaps even an eye-witness account given by
Vincent’s assistant. From these various sources we can construct a chronological
sequence of events. We could then compare these chronological links with Vincent’s
explanations of what happened, which we can also link to the same events
(Figure 12.8).
So far we have used linked data to identify connections between ‘singularities’ in
the data. We can also used linked data to identify ‘patterns’ by establishing
connections between categories. In the Claire Memling story, Claire suffers
Vincent’s advances, but suppose we are interested in whether there is a pattern to
the suffering experienced by patients.