Editing Grounded theory (section)

===Serendipity pattern===
Building on the work of sociologist [[Robert K. Merton]],<ref>Merton, R.K. (1949). ''Social theory and social structure''. Glencoe, IL: The Free Press.</ref> his idea of ''serendipity patterns'' has come to be applied in grounded theory research. Serendipity patterns refer to fairly common experiences when observing the world. Serendipity patterns include unanticipated and anomalous events. These patterns can become the impetus for the development of a new theory or the extension of an existing theory. Merton also coauthored (with Elinor Barber) ''The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity'',<ref>Merton, R.K., & Barber, E. (2003). ''The travels and adventures of serendipity: A study in sociological semantics and the sociology of science''. Princeton: Princeton University Press.</ref> which traces the origins and uses of the word "serendipity" since it was coined. The book is "a study in sociological semantics and the sociology of science," as the subtitle declares. Merton and Barber further develop the idea of serendipity as scientific "method," as contrasted with purposeful discovery by experiment or retrospective prophecy.