Thematic Analysis Flashcards
Interpretation
we are continuously making interpretations and judgements and learning as we go
the performance of interpretation in analysis needs to be conscious, so we write a lot about it upfront, rather than have it be intuitively, we are writing down what we are doing its a bit abstracted
interpretation is a construction of meaning, its not just describing or reproduciong, its about explaning elucidating and understanding, making something new, a new meaning, needed to understand meanings and significance of things
interpretation should answer the questions we ask. we ground our interpretations in the research questions we are asking, and interpretation should always complement the epistemology and methodology you are using
how you interpret needs to be rigorous, relevant and the right level of depth.
Method of thematic analysis
Braun & Clark’s method (2006 p.87)
1. familiarize yourself with your data and transcribe reading and re-reading, noting down your initial ideas (because these will change as you read and re read, you begin your ideas already at the research question stage), informal stage, feels overwhelming, emersing yourself in the data
- generate initial codes, coding interesting features of the data in a systematic fashion across the entire data set (code = single unit of meaning) collating data relevant to each code
- searching for themes; (themes = interpretation of what is important) collating codes into potential themes gathering all data relevant to each potential theme. Start using one colour of highlighter to collate bits of code into themes
- reviewing themes; check if they work in relation to the coded extracts and generate a thematic map of the analysis. check in reference to individual themes and also overall check back to the data that you havn’t over-emphasised themes and things
- ongoing analysis to refine the specifics of each theme and think about the overall story the analysis tells generating clear definitions and names for each theme.
- producing the report; final opportunity for analysis, select vivd compelling extracts and examples to demonstrate the themes, relating back to the analysis of the research question and literature, producing a scholarly report of the analysis.
realism/positivism and TA
willig argues these three epistemologies work with TA, whereas it doesn’t work with focodian discourse analysis and power which is very different
strait forward surface level break down of themes inherant in the data
phenomenology and TA
an individuals latent meaning
social constructionism and TA
the latent meanings as social understandings/constructions
findings might be;
intended meanings strait forward
might find a difference b/w on top and latent meaning
might look at the psychological function of what is being expressed or the social function of what is being expressed
might look at unconscious meanings
might look at the social political historical cultural context that made the text and the understandings within it possible
might tell us about human experiences or psychology generally
a random set of TA themes without careful consideration of the epistemological approach of the researcher creates a superficial shopping list of themes based on their agenda. transparency and careful thought about epistemology is essential.
coding
you code what implicitly seems important
what is often expressed
what is said rarely but seems vital
what is emphasized
relates to your lit review and questions
is vastly different to what others have said
was surprising to you
has been directly expressed
has been indirectly expressed (latent meaning)
what is constructed (willig on discursive analysis) in the text, what is being created by the authors, whats the context
why am i reading the text in a certain way
what features of the text produce that reading
