Thematic analysis

Braun, Virginia; Clarke, Victoria; Hayfield, Nikki; Terry, Gareth

Abstract

This chapter introduces the thematic analysis (TA) family of methods, highlights characteristics shared by the various branches of the TA family, as well as important philosophical, conceptual and procedural differences. We discuss various ways of distinguishing between the different branches of the TA family – small q and Big Q TA, scientifically descriptive and artfully interpretative TA, and coding reliability, codebook and reflexive TA. We note that small q, scientifically descriptive and coding reliability approaches cluster together, as do Big Q, artfully interpretative and reflexive – with codebook approaches somewhere in between. To dig deeper into the differences within the TA family we explore competing and conflicting conceptualisations of themes (topic summaries or shared meaning? Diamonds or interpretative stories?) and researcher subjectivity (bias or resource?), and different strategies for determining when sufficient data have been generated (statistical models, saturation or information power?). A common problem in the practice of TA is that the diversity within the TA family is often poorly understood, with researchers ‘mashing together,’ seemingly unknowingly, elements of different, and often incompatible approaches. The aim of this chapter, therefore, is to support researchers in becoming knowing practitioners of TA, who make deliberative choices about which TA approach and procedures best fit their research values, and enacting these coherently to produce TA research with methodological integrity.

• Online Publication Date: Aug 27, 2024
• Publication Date: Aug 27, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jul 16, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 28, 2026
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 238-248
• Edition: 2nd
• Book Title: Advanced Research Methods for Applied Psychology: Design, Analysis and Reporting
• Chapter Number: 18
• ISBN: 9781032424194
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/12367276
• Publisher URL: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003362715-21/thematic-analysis-virginia-braun-victoria-clarke-nikki-hayfield-gareth-terry?context=ubx&refId=248b139c-2f1e-4507-9554-dd66bf290803
• Contract Date: Sep 22, 2022