Thematic analysis

Part 1: What is thematic analysis?

Topic overview
o Understanding the key features of thematic analysis
and specifically of the Braun & Clarke reflexive
approach to thematic analysis.
o Understanding how to undertake a reflexive
thematic analysis of qualitative data, including
coding and theme generation.
o Understand how to conduct a high quality thematic
analysis and avoid common problems.

o There are some Alerts! to highlight key points

Lecture overview
o Part 1: What is thematic analysis?
o Part 2: Thematic analysis is uniquely flexible
o Part 3: Six phases of reflexive thematic analysis
o Part 4: Avoiding common problems
Braun and Clarke – thematic
analysis
Successful Qualitative Research:
A Practical Guide for Beginners
Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide
and other more recent publications
• ‘How to’ chapters (e.g. Braun & Clarke, 2021a,
2021b, 2021c).
• Commentaries – on saturation (Braun & Clarke,
2021), on why reflexive TA (Braun & Clarke,
2019), on why statistical models for ‘sample
size’ don’t work (Braun & Clarke, 2016).
• Papers on quality and common problems in
published TA (Braun & Clarke, 2020), conceptual
and design thinking (Braun & Clarke, 2021),
similarities and differences between TA and
other pattern-based approaches and when and
why to use TA (Braun & Clarke, 2021).
• Interviews (e.g. Braun et al., 2019; Lainson et
al., 2019).
Alert! 1
o Don’t just rely on Braun &
Clarke (2006); read other
more recent publications
too.
o See the University of
Auckland School of
Psychology TA website for a
full list of our publications:
https://www.psych.aucklan
d.ac.nz/en/about/our-
research/research-groups/
thematic-analysis.html
What is thematic analysis?
o Early uses of TA: “Thematic analysis is a poorly demarcated,
rarely acknowledged, yet widely used qualitative analytic
method within psychology” (Braun & Clarke, 2006: 77).
o More recently: “TA has recently been recognized as a
method in its own right” (Joffe, 2012: 210).
o “Thematic analysis is a method for identifying, analysing and
reporting patterns (themes) within data. It minimally
organises and describes your data in (rich) detail. However,
frequently it goes further than this, and interprets various
aspects of the research topic” (Braun & Clarke, 2006: 79).
o But… it’s a bit more complicated…
Is TA one method? (NO!)
o The term ‘TA’ has had lots of different meanings.
o Some claim TA evolved from grounded theory, but it seems
more likely that TA evolved from content analysis.
o Some early versions of TA recognisable as something akin to
TA in the contemporary context.
o It wasn’t until the 1990s that procedures for TA as a
qualitative method began to be discussed.
o In its early development, TA was often discussed as a
phenomenological method. This common linking of TA with
phenomenology continues.
o Now, three broad approaches to TA predominate according to
Clarke et al.’s (2019) typology of TA: coding reliability, reflexive
and codebook.
Different ‘approaches’ to TA now
o Three loosely clustered different
approaches to TA.
o Each has different processes &
assumptions:
o Approaches oriented around ‘coding
reliability’ (e.g., Boyatzis, 1998; Guest
et al., 2012) – a small q approach.
o An reflexive approach based on
‘organic’ coding (e.g. Braun & Clarke,
Hayes, 2000) – a Big Q approach.
o Approaches based on a structured
codebook and qualitative philosophy
(e.g. template analysis, King &
Brooks, 2017) – medium q?
Coding reliability TA
o Deductive (theory-driven)
approach more common
(e.g., Boyatzis, 1998)

Familiarisation
↓
Theme development
↓
Coding (development of
coding frame)
↓
Test reliability of coding
frame
Reflexive TA
o Inductive (data-driven)
approach more common

Familiarisation
↓
Coding (organic and
subjective; one coder)
↓
Theme development (review
initial themes against coded
data and entire data-set;
subjective and interpretive)
Codebook TA
o Encompasses approaches like –
o framework analysis (e.g. Ritchie & Spencer, 1994; Smith & Firth,
2012).
o template analysis (e.g. Brooks, McCluskey, Turley & King, 2015;
King & Brooks, 2017).
o matrix analysis (e.g. Miles & Huberman, 1994; Nadin & Cassell,
2014).
o Use of a structured codebook or coding frame (like coding reliability
TA), and qualitative philosophy (like reflexive TA), but there is often
with pragmatic compromise of some qualitative principles (e.g. in
applied research).
o Some or all themes determined in advance or in the early stages of
analysis.
o Coding is a process of organising the data into these themes (and
possible theme refinement during or after coding).
o The codebook is used to map/chart the developing analysis.
TA – closer to a method than a
methodology
o Most qualitative approaches are
methodologies – theoretically informed
frameworks for research.
o Specifying guiding theoretical assumptions,
suitable research questions, ideal methods of
data collection and data/participant selection
strategies, as well as analytic procedures.
o TA as a generic approach, by contrast, is just
an analytic method, but particular
approaches to TA encode particular
philosophical assumptions and so sit
somewhere between a method and a
methodology.
o In reflexive TA, there’s lots of flexibility and
variability… (see Part 2).
But what is a ‘theme’?
Themes as ‘topic summaries’
(buckets)
o Adolescents’ perceptions of the risks and benefits
of conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes and
marijuana (Roditis & Halpern-Felsher, 2015).
o Reported five themes - e.g. ‘Perceived risks and
benefits of conventional cigarettes compared to
marijuana’.
o “Youth either stated there was nothing good
about using conventional cigarettes or stated
that using cigarettes could help someone relax.
Students easily recited a long list of negative
consequences related to conventional cigarette
use such as the yellowing of teeth, bad breath,
and cancer” (Roditis & Halpern-Felsher, 2015:
182).
‘Fully realised’ (shared meaning)
themes – themes as stories
o Shared meaning underpinned by a
central concept.
o Multi-faceted; tell a story about the
data.
o The meanings of male body hair
(Terry & Braun, 2016).
o Report three themes – e.g. ‘men’s
hair as natural’ captured the way
male body hair was often described
as natural for men and “a dominant
expression of masculine
embodiment” (Terry & Braun, 2016:
17).
Themes – Analytic
input? Output?
o Developed early on and guide
coding.
o Developed later and represent the
outcome of coding.
Themes – Buried treasure or built by
the researcher?
o Themes are often implicitly
conceptualized as buried treasure –
entities that pre-exist the analysis
that the researcher merely
uncovers or discovers in their data.
o In reflexive TA, themes are
understood as actively created of
the researcher – theme generation
occurs at the intersection of the
data and the researcher’s
interpretative frameworks, prior
training, skill, assumptions etc.
References for part 1 – slide 1
• Boyatzis, R. E. (1998). Transforming qualitative information:
Thematic analysis and code development. Sage.
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in
psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2013). Successful qualitative research: A
practical guide for beginners. Sage.
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2016). (Mis)conceptualising themes,
thematic analysis, and other problems with Fugard and Potts’
(2015) sample-size tool for thematic analysis. International Journal
of Social Research Methodology, 19(6), 739-743.
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic
analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise & Health, 11(4),
589-597.
• Braun, V., Clarke, V., & Hayfield, N. (2019). “A starting point for your
journey, not a map”: Nikki Hayfield in conversation with Virginia
Braun and Victoria Clarke about thematic analysis. Qualitative
Research in Psychology. Advance online publication.
References for part 1 – slide 2
• Lainson, K., Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Being both narrative
practitioner and academic researcher: A reflection on what
thematic analysis has to offer narratively informed research.
International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community
Work, 4, 86-98.
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2020). One size fits all? What counts as
quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative
Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328-352.
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis. In H. Cooper,
P. M. Camic, D. L. Long, A. T. Panter, D. Rindskopf, & K. J. Sher
(Eds.), APA handbook of research methods in psychology, Vol.
2: Research designs: Quantitative, qualitative,
neuropsychological, and biological (2nd ed.). American
Psychological Association.
References for part 1 – slide 3
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis. In E. Lyons, A.
Coyle & C. Walton (Eds.), Analysing qualitative data in psychology
(3rd ed., pp. 128-147). Sage.
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis. In J.-F. Morin, C.
Olsson & E. O. Atikcan (Eds.), Research methods in social sciences:
An A-Z of key concepts (pp. 283-288). Open University Press.
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Conceptual and design thinking for
thematic analysis. Qualitative Psychology. Advance online
publication.
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Can I use TA? Should I use TA?
Should I not use TA? Comparing reflexive thematic analysis and
other pattern‐based qualitative analytic approaches. Counselling
and Psychotherapy Research, 21(1), 37-47.
References for part 1 – slide 4
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). To saturate or not to saturate?
Questioning data saturation as a useful concept for thematic
analysis and sample-size rationales. Qualitative Research in
Sport, Exercise & Health, 13(2), 201-216.
• Brooks, J., McCluskey, S., Turley, E., & King, N. (2015). The
utility of template analysis in qualitative psychology research.
Qualitative Research in Psychology, 12(2), 202-222.
• Clarke, V., Braun, V., Terry, G., & Hayfield N. (2019). Thematic
analysis. In Liamputtong, P. (Ed.), Handbook of research
methods in health and social sciences (pp. 843-860). Springer.
• DeSantis, L., & Ugarriza, D.N. (2000). The concept of theme as
used in qualitative nursing research. Western Journal of
Nursing Research, 22(3), 351-372.
• Guest, G., MacQueen, K. M., & Namey, E. E. (2012). Applied
thematic analysis. Sage.
References for part 1 – slide 5
• Hayes, N. (2000). Doing psychological research. Sage.
• Joffe, H. (2012). Thematic analysis. In D. Harper & A. R.
Thompson (Eds.), Qualitative methods in mental health and
psychotherapy: A guide for students and practitioners (pp. 209-
223). Wiley.
• Kidder, L. H., & Fine, M. (1987). Qualitative and quantitative
methods: When stories converge. In M. M. Mark & L. Shotland
(Eds.), New directions in program evaluation (pp. 57-75). Jossey-
Bass.
• King, N. & Brooks, J. M. (2017). Template analysis for business
and management students. Sage.
• Miles, M. B. & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data
analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Sage.
References for part 1 – slide 6
• Nadin, S. & Cassell, C. (2014). Using data matrices. In C.
Cassell & G. Symon (Eds.), Essential guide to qualitative
methods in organisational research (pp. 271-287). Sage.
• Roditis, M. L. & Halpern-Felsher, B. (2015). Adolescents’
perceptions of risks and benefits of conventional cigarettes,
e-cigarettes, and marijuana: A qualitative analysis. Journal of
Adolescent Health, 57, 179-185.
• Smith, J., & Firth, J. (2011). Qualitative data approaches: The
framework approach. Nurse Researcher, 18(2), 52-62.
• Terry, G., & Braun, V. (2016). ‘I think gorilla-like back
effusions of hair are rather a turn-off’: ‘Excessive hair’ and
male body hair (removal) discourse. Body Image, 17, 14-24.