Thematic Analysis

Question 1

What is thematic analysis

Answer 1

A method used to identify and analyse patterns of meaning across a text-based data set – not one interview.

Question 2

What type of method is a thematic analysis

Answer 2

Foundational method that underpins many other approaches in qualitative research.

Question 3

What type of approach is a thematic analysis

Answer 3

A flexible approach - can be used with a wide range of data sources and epistemological standpoint

Question 4

What are the strengths of thematic analysis

Answer 4

Clear guidelines, it is a systematic conduct analysis

Question 5

Define a theme

Answer 5

a patterned response in your data set that has meaning in relation to the research question; recurring patterns that relate to the research question

Question 6

Are there any rules for themes

Answer 6

NO

Question 7

May prevalence be important in a theme

Answer 7

May or may not be dependent on the research question

Question 8

What are the two types of thematic analysis

Answer 8

Inductive

Deductive

Question 9

Describe Inductive TA

Answer 9

data-driven with extracted themes grounded in the data (while acknowledging researcher subjectivity

Question 10

What coding is conducted on a inductive TA

Answer 10

An accurate representation of the content in the entire data set is coded

Question 11

Describe deductive TA

Answer 11

uses existing theory to guide analysis and the extraction of themes. It moves beyond the semantic meanings offered in the data set.

Question 12

How is coding done in a deductive TA

Answer 12

Detailed and nuanced approach to coding with one theme or a small group of themes across the whole data set.

Question 13

Who came up with the 6 phrases of thematic analysis

Answer 13

Braun and Clarke 2006

Question 14

What are the 6 phases of TA

Answer 14

Familiarising yourself with your data
Generating initial codes
Searching for themes
Reviewing themes
Defining and naming themes 
Producing the report

Question 15

Describe the familiarisation of TA

Answer 15

Transcribing data, reading and re-reading the data, noting down initial ideas

Question 16

Describe the generation of initial codes in TA

Answer 16

Coding interesting features of the data in a systematic fashion across the entire data set, collating data relevant to each code.

Question 17

Define coding

Answer 17

Process of identifying aspects of the data that relate to the research question

Question 18

What should the codes be

Answer 18

inclusive through and systematic

Question 19

What do the codes provide

Answer 19

the building blocks of analysis

Question 20

What does the approach of coding depend on

Answer 20

Type of TA

Question 21

What are the two levels of codes

Answer 21

Semantic codes

Latent codes

Question 22

Define semantic codes

Answer 22

Provide a succinct summary of the explicit content of the data.

Question 23

What are semantic codes based in

Answer 23

Semantic meaning of the data

Question 24

What do the semantic codes stay close to

Answer 24

The content of the data and the participants meanings

Question 25

Define latent codes

Answer 25

Go beyond the explicit content of the data & provide an interpretation about the data content.

Question 26

What do the latent codes evoke

Answer 26

The researcher’s conceptual & theoretical frameworks to identify implicit meanings within the data.

Question 27

Define searching for themes

Answer 27

Collating codes into potential themes, gathering all data relevant to each theem

Question 28

How is searching for themes done

Answer 28

Reviewing codes & collated data relating to each code to identify similarity and overlap between codes:
Broad topics or issues around which codes cluster?

Question 29

What is the basic process of generating themes and subthemes

Answer 29

Cluster codes - sharing some unifying feature, so they reflect & describe a coherent and meaningful pattern in the data.

Question 30

What do you start to explore when searching for themes

Answer 30

explore relationship between themes & how themes will work together to tell an overall story about the data.

Question 31

How do you end the searching for themes phase

Answer 31

A thematic map/table outlining candidate themes. Collate all data extracts relevant to each theme

Question 32

Define reviewing the themes

Answer 32

Checking if the themes work in relation to the coded extracts and the entire data set, generating a thematic ‘map’ of the analysis

Question 33

What question should be asked when reviewing the themes

Answer 33

Do your tentative themes form a coherent pattern?

Question 34

How should the codes within a theme fit

Answer 34

Meaninfully and relevantly

Question 35

What should each theme be distinct from

Answer 35

Each other theme

Question 36

Define defining and naming themes

Answer 36

On going analysis to refine the specifics of each theme, and the overall story the analysis tells; generating clear definitions and names for each theme

Question 37

Why do you need clearly defined themes

Answer 37

To be able to clearly state what is unique & specific about each theme & determining what aspect of the data each theme captures.

Question 38

Define producing the report

Answer 38

The final opportunity for analysis. Selection of vivid, compelling extract examples, final analysis of selected extracts, relating back of the analysis to the research question and literature, producing a scholarly report of the analysis

Question 39

What is thematic analysis NOT

Answer 39

A descriptive process

Question 40

What type of narrative for your lab reports needs to be developed

Answer 40

A narrative that explains the theoretical signficnace of your themes

Question 41

What needs to be provided with the theemes

Answer 41

Support, limited but vivid data extracts to support your argument