Thematic Analysis

Question 1

Content Analysis

Answer 1

Count the instances of a particular content categories in a dataset, and report them.

Question 2

Grounded Theory

Answer 2

• A way to analyze data and generate theory. Data collection and analysis are concurrent, until theoretical saturation is reached.
  1. Identify codes (irritated, hostile, frustrated, sad, fatigued, suicidal).

2. Identify Concepts
   (anger and sadness)
3. Identify broad categories
4. Develop theory

Question 3

What is generic thematic analysis? (Braun and Clarke 2006)

Answer 3

“Thematic analysis is a method for identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes) within data. It minimally organizes and describes your data set in rich detail.”

Question 4

3 basic steps in Thematic Analysis

Answer 4

Raw Data –> Codes –> Codes broken down into more broad themes

Question 5

Sample choosing for thematic analysis

Answer 5

• The sample has to be theoretically interesting
• Only exceptional people should be in this sample
• E.g. all have clinical depression, the top 10% on perfectionism

Question 6

Inductive Thematic Analysis

Answer 6

Begin analysis without preconceptions, and simply describe what you find

Question 7

Theoretical Thematic Analysis

Answer 7

Pay special attention to particular themes in the data which you decide on before hand

Question 8

Semantic Themes

Answer 8

Make no inferences, do not look beyond what the participant has said or written
(semantic usually the preferred method in science)

Question 9

Latent Themes

Answer 9

Examine the underlying ideas, assumptions, and conceptualizations shaping the semantic content of the data, usually using theory

Question 10

*Essentialist/Realist Epistemology

Answer 10

Reports the experiences, meanings, and the subjective reality of participants (thematic analysis would almost always take this positions)

Question 11

Constructionist Epistemology

Answer 11

The ways in which events, realities, meanings, experiences, and so on are the effects of a range of discourse operating within society

Question 12

6 Steps in Conducting a Thematic Analysis

Answer 12

1) Familiarizing yourself with the data (read and re-read all of your raw data, and take notes as you go)
2) Generate the initial codes (have to decide on the size of the data items, and then assign a short code which summarizes the content of each data item equally)
3) Searching for Themes (sort the codes into similar groups)
4) Review Themes (cross check codes with new themes, can your themes account for all of your codes?)
5) Defining and Naming Themes (provide short definition that summarizes the data)
6) Produce the report (this step one would start writing the paper)

Question 13

Discourse Analysis

Answer 13

Analyzing the repertoires of discourse a speaker is drawing from, and the kinds of “subject positions” the speaker is doing (e.g. the dutiful daughter, the bad mother, and the damaged child)

Question 14

Deconstructionism

Answer 14

Tool of the postmodernists to critique, giving air to many voices without creating a coherent whole.

Question 15

Mixed Methods: Combining qualitative analysis with quantitative methods

Answer 15

By using mixed methods, researchers can test a-priori theories while retaining the complex richness of qualitative analysis

Question 16

Life Narrative Research

Answer 16

Semi-structured interview, centring on 5 “Critical Events”

1. High Point
2. Low Point
3. Turning Point
4. Morality Story
5. One “other important story”

Question 17

Converting Themes to Quantitative Data

Answer 17

Once themes have been identified, they can be converted into quantitative codes for use in analysis.

• Dichotomous often used.
• Can convert themes into numeric codes and then analyze them like any other quantitative variable

Question 18

Kappa

Answer 18

Categorical

Question 19

Intraclass correlation

Answer 19

Interval or ordinal

Question 20

Evaluating Thematic Analysis: Transcription

Answer 20

Data have been transcribed (putting everything into written form) and checked for accuracy

Question 21

Coding

Answer 21

Equal weighting, avoids using an anecdotal approach, uses all data.

Question 22

Advantages of Thematic Analysis

Answer 22

• Very flexible, can answer a wide variety of questions from a variety of positions.
• Relatively easy and quick method to learn, and do. Accessible to a wide audience.
• Can usefully summarize key features of a large body of data, and/or offer a thick description of the data set

Question 23

Disadvantages of Thematic Analysis

Answer 23

• People often fail to follow a strict set of guidelines, resulting in poor analysis
• Cannot move beyond descriptive statements if not used within a theoretical framework
• Cannot determine cause and effect