L2 - Thematic Analysis

Question 1

Discourse analysis, conversation analysis, ethnography, participant observation, hermeneutic phenomenology, interpretive phenomenological analysis, grounded theory, thematic analysis, framework analysis, content analysis - what type of research do these fall under?

Answer 1

Qualitative Research

Question 2

In Thematic Analysis, do you have a hypothesis or a research question?

Answer 2

Research Question

You do not have a hypothesis in thematic analysis

Question 3

What is a theme?

Answer 3

Something inside the data that relates to the research question

It represents some level of patterned response or meaning within the data set

“a theme captures something important about the data in relation to the research question, and represents some level of patterned response or meaning within the data set”

Question 4

Sampling

What 6 types of data sources can be used for thematic analysis?

Answer 4

Field notes (observational studies)

Transcribed interviews

Focus group interviews

Published papers

Diaries

Case Notes

Question 5

In qualitative research, is the research aimed at being representative?

Answer 5

Never

“We are getting rich deep data that might or might not apply to other groups”

Not saying it applies to everyone

Question 6

When sampling our data using qualitative research, we want it to be ______, not ______

Answer 6

Purposive, not Representative

“We want one group of people we want to look at”

Question 7

In Qualitative Research, we are looking to get “rich deep data” that may not apply to everyone.

True or False

Answer 7

True.

Question 8

What is a sampling frame in thematic analysis?

Answer 8

When selecting participants for qualitative research, you select one person from each trait you want to look at.

Question 9

What is the minimum number of cases you need in order to do qualitative analysis?

Answer 9

1 case

Question 10

Ethics

What is important for privacy ethics in regards to qualitative research?

Answer 10

Anonymity

De-identify the data

Question 11

Can you use a “great quote” for qualitative research if it might reveal the identity of the participant?

Answer 11

No

Question 12

How do you ensure you are ethical in qualitative analysis?

Answer 12

Maintain anonymity and confidentiality

Have you shared results with participants

Ask for their conformation

Ensured that you have been true to their accounts

Not make value judgments about participant accounts by imposing your own values

Question 13

Interviews

What two types of questions can be used in qualitative (thematic analysis) interviews?

Answer 13

Open ended or more directive questions but must allow the subject to speak openly and freely

Question 14

Qualitative questions should enable the participant to speak ____

Answer 14

Freely

Question 15

Is a prescribed list of closed questions better or a general open questions?

Answer 15

Open questions

Question 16

A researcher presents a subject with a list of closed questions, is this qualitative or quantitative analysis?

Answer 16

Quantitative

Qualitative interviews must be open​ questions

Question 17

In qualitative research, how much should the researcher be guiding the interviewee?

Answer 17

As little as possible, subject should do almost all the talking

It should be related to the research question, but be as open as possible.

Question 18

What is a “semi-structured interview” and is it quantiative or qualitative?

Answer 18

Semi-structured interview is when you are looking for specific types of answers and so you will ask specific questions.

It is quantitative, not for qualitative research

Question 19

Data Collection and Analysis

Questions in thematic analysis generally should be as open ended as possible, when are set questions or more directive questions more appropriate?

Answer 19

When you are doing a framework analysis

Question 20

What findings that may be unexpected should be included in your reporting of a thematic analysis?

Answer 20

What the participant mentions without your prompting

Issues that are of salience to them which you may not have considered = new finding

Question 21

What 3 steps are required in quantitative methodology?

Answer 21

Hypothesis

Gather Data

Analysis

If you do anything other than this you can no longer do it - you are not allowed to change your hypothesis after hearing something in the data collective.

Question 22

Are you allowed to change your research question after hearing something new in qualitative research?

Answer 22

Yes, you would do this through an “audit trail”

Question 23

What is an audit trail?

Answer 23

You write down what jumps out at your about the subjects response to your questions

Question 24

How is data collection and analysis done in thematic analysis?

Answer 24

Analysis begins at data collection - “sequential analysis” and “interim analysis”

Immediately after first interview, note down themes, unanswered questions etc - “audit trail”

Subsequent interviews will be informed by the ones that preceded it e.g. addition of other questions

Question 25

What is it called in thematic analysis when you stumble across material **you do not expect**?

Answer 25

These are **deviant cases**

Question 26

Should you remove **deviant cases** in thematic analysis?

Answer 26

No, you note down when new ideas/themes come up - it means there is more to learn

Question 27

When is data analysis “finished” in a thematic qualitative analysis?

Answer 27

When you are listening and then you no longer hear any new themes emerging. This is done through “**constant comparison**”

Question 28

What is the process called when you are comparing what you have heard to what you are now listening to, to see if new themes are emerging?

Answer 28

**Constant comparison**

Question 29

What is it called when **no new themes are emerging** from your data analysis and you are finished with your thematic analysis

Answer 29

**Saturation**

Question 30

How many participants are typically required for “saturation”?

Answer 30

8-12 people

Question 31

How is data analysis done in most qualitative approaches?

Answer 31

The aim is to take “raw” data and organise, sort, edit cose and interpret those data, and coherently communicate to the reader in a way that answers the research question/s You are distilling a large amount of research data to its essence, in the service of the research question

Question 32

Are you looking for “richness” or “representativeness” in qualitative data?

Answer 32

Richness

Question 33

What is **triangulation**?

Answer 33

Collecting data from more than one source, or in more than one way, to enhance rigour and trustworthiness of results E.g. ask students what they think about their teaching and learning and ask teachers

Question 34

If you triangulate you will need *less or more* participants to hit saturation?

Answer 34

More

Question 35

Conducting interviews *and* giving tests or surveys is referred to in qualitative methods as? What type of psychological methodology is this?

Answer 35

Triangulation Mixed Methods

Question 36

What is **mixed methods**?

Answer 36

When you use both qualitative and quantitative data

Question 37

What is the risk of using **mixed methods**?

Answer 37

They both are using different underlying philosophies and therefore it is easy to make a mistake

Question 38

What is **content analysis**?

Answer 38

Where you apply codes to written data, and then you quantify the qualitative data E.g. 15% of the themes were X, 35% were Y etc. This is a quantitative analysis

Question 39

What is an **audit trail**?

Answer 39

A diary (record) of what you have done and why you have done it It is typically a private document, but you may be asked to provide an audit trail if someone queried your data

Question 40

What do you write in an **audit trail?**

Answer 40

Themes that are obvious after an interview, why an interview went badly or well, questions you must remember to ask in the next interview

Question 41

In qualitative research we talk about **rigour and trustworthiness**, what does this refer to?

Answer 41

How **rigorous** (consistent) are your findings. How **trustworthy** (valid) is your findings *Audit trail is used for this*

Question 42

Do you use interrater reliability in qualitative research?

Answer 42

**No** Only trustworthiness and rigour *You would do a reliability check in **content analysis** only - but that's not qualitative*

Question 43

What happens if a second researcher sees different results to the ones you have arrived upon?

Answer 43

Go back to audit trail, why did you settle upon these results Consider your relative perspectives - it may be reflexive that you see different results Come to an agreement through discussion - results through consensus Often done in content analysis

Question 44

What are some benefits of using qualitative research as a **practitioner?**

Answer 44

Question 45

Are you allowed to affirm the subject of a qualitative interview by nodding your head?

Answer 45

No, that is the researcher influencing the results Research should be interviewee led

Question 46

In quantitative research they operate under the belief that we are trying to be “**objective and bias free**”. What is the philosophy surrounding this in qualitative research?

Answer 46

There is no such thing as “bias free research”

Question 47

What is **reflexivity**?

Answer 47

When you reflect upon your research and why you are doing it?

Question 48

Is **reflexivity** important in qualitative and quantitative research?

Answer 48

Only in qualitative research Being able to be reflexive about your methods, your analysis and yourself is a valuable skill for qualitative research

Question 49

What is Tracy S.J (2010) Qualitative Quality **8 “Big-Tent”** criteria for excellent qualitative research

Answer 49

**Worthy topic** - *is it releveant/interesting* **Rigour** - *is there theoretical basis for study. Rich data. Content explained.* **Sincerity** - *Have you been honest (e.g. biases, methods, strengths/weaknesses of study)* **Credibility** - *Have you shown what you've found?* **Resonance** - *Are findings evocative? Does it fit with other findings? Do they make sense?* **Significant contribution** - *Have you shown something new?* **Ethical** - *Maintained participant confidentiality. No ethics breaches.* **Meaningful coherence** - *Did you do what you said you would? Does it fit with literature?*

Question 50

What is a **framework analysis**

Answer 50

A variant of thematic analysis used in public health related research

Question 51

In thematic analysis, can you have a priori preconceived ideas when conducting an analysis?

Answer 51

No You can in **framework analysis**

Question 52

In framework analysis, in what two ways are the themes derived?

Answer 52

From the data = inductive From preconceived ideas a priori = deductive

Question 53

What are the **5 stages of framework analysis**?

Answer 53

Familiarisation Identification of thematic framework Indexing Charting Mapping and interpretation *Same and Braun and Clarke steps*

Question 54

What is the framework analysis approach?

Answer 54

Heavily based in the accounts and observations of participants (inductive) However, allows for deductive starting point (aims and objectives can be clearly articulated from the outset) It is a **systematic** process.