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Thematic Analysis
Thematic Analysis
Qualitative Research
Created by:
Usama Mujahid
BS PSYCHOLOGY
5th MORNING
Method of DATA Analysis in Qualitative Research
Thematic Analysis
Thematic analysis is one of the most common forms of analysis within qualitative research. Holtan was
the first to introduce TA in 1975. Thematic Analysis emphasizes identifying, analyzing and interpreting patterns
of meaning (or "themes") within qualitative data. Thematic analysis is often understood as a method or
technique in contrast to most other qualitative analytic approaches-such as grounded theory, discourse analysis,
narrative analysis and interpretative phenomenological analysis - which can be described as methodologies or
theoretically informed frameworks for research (they specify guiding theory, appropriate research questions and
methods of data collection, as well as procedures for conducting analysis).
Three main Types of Thematic Analysis:
Thematic analysis is best thought of as an umbrella term for a variety of different approaches, rather than a
singular method. Different versions of thematic analysis are underpinned by different philosophical and
conceptual assumptions and are divergent in terms of procedure. Leading thematic analysis proponents,
psychologists Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke distinguish between three main types of thematic analysis:
1. Coding Reliability Approaches
2. Code Book Approaches
3. Reflexive Approaches
General Overview of Thematic Analysis:
Thematic analysis is used in qualitative research and focuses on examining themes or patterns of meaning
within data. This method can emphasize both organization and rich description of the data set and theoretically
informed interpretation of meaning.
1. Explores Meanings within The Data:
Thematic analysis goes beyond simply counting phrases or words in a text (as in content analysis) and explores
explicit and implicit meanings within the data.
2. Coding:
Coding is the primary process for developing themes by identifying items of analytic interest in the data and
tagging these with a coding label-either through numerical values or highlighters of different colors.
In some thematic analysis approaches coding follows theme development and is a deductive process of
allocating data to pre-identified themes (this approach is common in coding reliability and code book
approaches), in other approaches - notably Braun and Clarke's reflexive approach - coding precedes theme
development and themes are built from codes.
Phas
Process Result Reflexivity Journal Entries
e
P-II Generate the initial codes by documenting Comprehensive codes Provide detailed information as to
Qualitative Research |Notes by Usama Mujahid Siddiqui |
Page 9 of 10
where and how patterns occur. This happens
through data reduction where the researcher
how and why codes were combined,
collapses data into labels in order to create
of how data answers what questions the researcher is
categories for more efficient analysis. Data
research question. asking of the data, and how codes
complication is also completed here. This
are related.
involves the researcher making inferences
about what the codes mean.