Top Research Papers on Thematic Analysis

Terry, G. and Hayfield, N. (forthcoming, July 2021) Essentials of thematic analysis. American Psychological Association.

Thematic analysis is an increasingly popular method for analysing qualitative data within the social sciences. Current guides for conducting thematic analysis promote the method’s broad flexibility across research designs, which has resulted in criticism that the method lacks the rigour and structure necessary for credible academic research. Recognizing the challenges faced by qualitative scholars, I developed and present an 8-step prescriptive approach specific to abductive methodologies incorporating many concepts from seminal works in thematic analysis, and importantly maintaining the balan...

Thematic analysis (TA) is widely used in qualitative psychology. In using TA, researchers must choose between a diverse range of approaches that can differ considerably in their underlying (but often implicit) conceptualizations of qualitative research, meaningful knowledge production and key constructs such as themes, as well as analytic procedures. This diversity within the method of TA is typically poorly understood and rarely acknowledged, resulting in the frequent publication of research lacking in design coherence. Furthermore, because TA offers researchers something closer to a method (...

Thematic analyses can take multiple forms, some of them systematic, others intuitive. In practice, published research that involves thematic analysis comes is all sorts of shapes and styles: some good, some bad, and some just plain ugly. In this article, I attempt to clarify the nature and practice of thematic analysis. I offer concrete examples of what I consider to be good practice, highlighting instances where I think the thematic analysis has been conducted in an appropriately rigorous way, yielding rich, informative findings. First, different types of thematic analyses are identified and ...

Thematic analysis (TA) is one of the most widely utilized methods for analyzing qualitative data, offering a structured yet flexible framework for identifying, analyzing, and interpreting patterns of meaning within datasets. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis framework, which includes (1) familiarization with data, (2) generating initial codes, (3) searching for themes, (4) reviewing themes, (5) defining and naming themes, and (6) writing the report. Additionally, it presents a 16-item checklist to ensure adherence to the established ...

This article discusses one approach to conducting thematic analysis using structured qualitative data collected from focus groups. Thematic analysis is one of the most used but often poorly defined approaches in the qualitative research community. The method is principally concerned with the identification of patterns which are then reported as researcher-generated themes. In this article, I use data obtained from the Qualitative Data Repository to demonstrate how secondary qualitative data can be analyzed to produce themes. I note the ways in which this process unfolds as well as how it diffe...

While research in the diversity and leadership literatures has given attention to the concept of inclusive leadership, work in these areas has progressed within relatively independent theoretical streams with little integration of findings. To integrate findings from these literatures and develop theory on inclusive leadership, this study explores the concept and enactment of inclusive leadership from the leader’s perspective. Through manual and assisted thematic analyses of 27 leaders’ written responses to questions regarding how they perceive and demonstrate inclusive leadership, we investig...

The hospitality and tourism industry for a variety of reasons is vulnerable to crises of various origins and scope. Thereby, research regarding crises in this industry has received significant attention among scholars. This study presents the results of a qualitative thematic analysis (TA) of the literature concerning crisis management in hospitality and tourism. A total of 207 research publications from 1986 to 2019 were analyzed. The findings revealed eight major themes that emerged in the literature over time. We critically discuss these themes with suggestions and directions for future res...

Purpose This study aims to conduct a systematic review and critically analyze the sentiment analysis literature in hospitality and tourism from methodological (data sets and analyzes) and thematic (topics, theories, key constructs and their relationships) perspectives. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative thematic review and quantitative systematic review were performed on 70 papers obtained from hospitality and tourism categories of two databases, namely, Web of Science and Scopus. Findings A total of 5 topics and 27 sub-topics were identified and the major theme is market intelligence. Se...

Recent decades have seen a more thoughtful discussion regarding the inclusion of children and youth in research and decision making, challenging how we conduct child and youth-focused studies. Included is a focus on Youth Participatory Action Research approaches and how they facilitate engagement of child and youth voice. Similarly, there is a smaller yet equally important questioning of how we understand “voice,” drawing attention to the conceptualization of “voice,” and the need to account for its social positioning and construction. Despite these various advances, current discussions focus ...

Thematic analysis is outlined, positioning it in relation to other methods of qualitative analysis, and described when it is appropriate to use the method under a variety of epistemological frameworks, as this term is often misapplied.

This paper describes how a multidisciplinary graduate student group of applied health researchers utilized Braun and Clarke’s approach to reflexive thematic analysis and highlights the experiences through each phase, outline strategies to support analytic quality, and share practical activities to guide the use of reflexivethematic analysis within an applied health research context and when working within research teams.

The Reflexive Thematic Analysis Reporting Guidelines (the RTARG) are developed, informed by this review, other reviews the authors have done and their values and experience as qualitative researchers, to support qualitative researchers in producing coherent and reflexively open reports of reflexive thematic analysis.

:Thematic analysis (TA) is unique in that it does not come with a predetermined theoretical framework, leaving the researcher accountable to articulate methodological decisions made. As a community of qualitative scholars, we need to clearly articulate and define the theoretical foundations, assumptions, and parameters that guide our work and analysis. We also need to be transparent about our reflections during data analysis, sharing our tensions, struggles, and realizations. While the flexibility of TA can lead to poorly constructed and executed analysis, it also offers the ability to develop...

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a novel brand of transport that promises to replace private cars with multimodal personalised mobility packages enabled by a digital platform capable of integrating travel planning, booking and ticketing, and real-time information services. It is an intervention that through its digitisation, connectivity, information and sharing merits intends to inspire and support the transition to a more sustainable mobility paradigm. Recent research suggests, however, that the potential uptake of MaaS might not be overwhelming; current car drivers could face considerable di...

Thematic analysis (TA) is one of the most popular methods in social science. There are several different approaches to TA that hold different ontological commitments, ranging from positivistic coding reliability TA to constructivist reflexive TA. However, there has been less focus on developing an approach that is informed by critical realism, with the notable exception of Wiltshire and Ronkainen. The first part of this paper proposes a five-step critical realist approach to TA. This approach aims to produce nuanced causal explanations of events, countering the mistaken assumption that qualita...

Interest in applied educational research methodology is growing as educators and researchers strive to seek empirical evidence about what is effective teaching within distinctive contexts. However, for beginner researchers who are interested in conducting case studies within educational settings and are looking for an appropriate starting point, there is limited literature that shapes comprehensively the theory and application of a rigorous research design. This article outlines the theoretical foundation, philosophical assumptions and application of a research design suitable for implementati...

Abstract Since the publication of their inaugural paper on the topic in 2006, Braun and Clarke’s approach has arguably become one of the most thoroughly delineated methods of conducting thematic analysis (TA). However, confusion persists as to how to implement this specific approach to TA appropriately. The authors themselves have identified that many researchers who purport to adhere to this approach—and who reference their work as such—fail to adhere fully to the principles of ‘reflexive thematic analysis’ (RTA). Over the course of numerous publications, Braun and Clarke have elaborated sign...

Inductive/deductive hybrid thematic analysis offers significant opportunities for researchers, but its application within integrative mixed methods research has yet to be fully explored. Firstly, this article contributes by demonstrating the compatibility of inductive/deductive hybrid thematic analysis with quantitative work in a mixed methods approach to research. Secondly, the article then innovates by highlighting the value of this approach within a critical realist meta-theoretical perspective. Here, the critical realist concepts of abduction and retroduction are crucial, both in terms of ...

In this article I present a structured approach to thematic analysis that is designed for working with brief texts. It is grounded in both the ecumenical thematic analysis of Boyatzis and the reflexive thematic analysis of Braun and Clarke. The process of structured tabular TA (ST-TA) is best conducted in spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel. As with other forms of thematic analysis, it permits inductive, deductive or hybrid approaches to theme development and analysis. Its logistical processes are well suited to working with the large samples that can be achieved when gathering brief ...

The author, having drawn examples from her doctoral study, describes how a thematic analysis approach was employed to interpret raw data in her doctoral study which explored the impacts of a high-stakes test on students and parents in Nepal. As the main purpose of this paper is to provide some guidelines for English language teaching (ELT) practitioners and early career researchers to rigorously apply a thematic analysis approach, this paper presents a step-by-step guideline for the application of the approach. It also presents detailed examples of the processes the author followed during the ...

The concept of saturation in qualitative research is a widely debated topic. Saturation refers to the point at which no new data or themes are emerging from the data set, which indicates that the data have been fully explored. It is considered an important concept as it helps to ensure that the findings are robust and that the data are being used to their full potential to achieve the research aim. Saturation, or the point at which further observation of data will not lead to the discovery of more information related to the research questions, is an important aspect of qualitative research. Ho...

Abstract Using the concept of methodological congruence—where the different elements of a study ‘fit’ together—we explore both problematic and good practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis (TA) as reported in Health Promotion International (HPI). Aligning with the importance we place on ‘owning your perspectives’ we situate this exploration in relation to our understanding of the variation in approaches to TA and qualitative research more broadly. This contextualization is necessary for highlighting why we judge practices to be in/congruent, and to facilitate more knowing congruence in future...

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the range of activities undertaken by universities for their social responsibility initiatives and how these activities make an impact on the stakeholders. A systematic literature review is conducted from eleven databases. A search for the term “university social responsibility” came up with results that pertain to specific social responsibility initiatives in higher education institutions. The articles were further screened to filter the relevant literature that refers to the application of social responsibility initiatives in different contexts and t...

Through a thematic analysis on major themes researched in network governance and collaborative governance, this paper identifies the entangled relationship between these two research streams. We note the common and distinct themes in these two research streams that reveal four entanglements in the research and practice of network governance and collaborative governance. We propose future research could focus more on the implementation and comparative studies, adopting microperspectives of collaborative governance and network governance at the grass-root level in juxtaposition with interorganiz...

“digital storytelling” and its associated components such as “virtual reality,” “critical thinking,’ and “serious games” are the emerging themes of the smart learning environments but need to be further developed to establish more ties with “smart learning”.

The study aims to understand the general perception of electric vehicles among consumers and the barriers to their widespread adoption. The study focuses on identifying and understanding the factors involved in their purchase with a wider range of expression using thematic analysis unlike traditional survey techniques. Further, the role of emotions is also considered in the study which is normally overlooked. eWOM is used as data for the study as it is relevant for electric vehicles as people majorly use internet mediums to freely share their thoughts. This method helps in finding all gaps (ta...

It is concluded that ChatGPT can and should be used for learning, however, students should be aware of its limitations.

Overall, this study extensively investigates customer experience literature in the hospitality and tourism, providing a holistic understanding of customer experience, illustrate the topic’s scholarly evolution, and reveal key directions for future research.

Practical thematic analysis is offered as a step-by-step approach to qualitative analysis for health services researchers, with a focus on accessibility for patients, care partners, clinicians, and others new to thematicAnalysis.

This comprehensive and well-established cartography textbook covers the theory and the practical applications of map design and the appropriate use of map elements. It explains the basic methods for visualizing and analyzing spatial data and introduces the latest cutting-edge data visualization techniques. The fourth edition responds to the extensive developments in cartography and GIS in the last decade, including the continued evolution of the Internet and Web 2.0; the need to analyze and visualize large data sets (commonly referred to as Big Data); the changes in computer hardware (e.g., th...

Thematic analysis (TA), as a qualitative analytic method, is widely used in health care, psychology, and beyond. However, scant details are often given to demonstrate the process of data analysis, especially in the field of education. This article describes how a hybrid approach of TA was applied to interpret multiple data sources in a practitioner inquiry. Particular attention is given to the inductive and deductive coding and theme development process of TA. Underpinned by the constructivist epistemology, codes were driven by both data per se and theories, through a “bottom-up” and “top-down...

Women in the perinatal period are uniquely impacted by the current pandemic, and the lack of nuanced and timely information may exacerbate the risk of psychological and psychosocial distress in this vulnerable, high-risk group.

Thematic analysis is a highly popular technique among qualitative researchers for analyzing qualitative data, which usually comprises thick descriptive data. However, the application and use of thematic analysis has also involved complications due to confusion regarding the final outcome’s presentation as a conceptual model. This paper develops a systematic thematic analysis process for creating a conceptual model from qualitative research findings. It explores the adaptability of the proposed process across various research methodologies, including constructivist methodologies, positivist met...

Developing a universal quality standard for thematic analysis (TA) is complicated by the existence of numerous iterations of TA that differ paradigmatically, philosophically and procedurally.

Involuntary celibates, or “incels,” have received increased public attention in past years, likely as a result of media reports that link incels to incidents of mass violence. Although prior research has examined various elements of the online community, none have directly engaged with incels to understand the causes and effects of their inceldom. Using a hegemonic masculinity framework, this article analyzes data from interviews with incels (N = 10) to identify emergent themes about their situations, attitudes, and experiences. The data reveal that the participants feel that they 1) experienc...

Scant research exists on those who classify as involuntarily celibate. Research in the past has focused on groups such as people celibate in marriage, those with chronic disease or illness, and the elderly. However, the recent media attention given to involuntary celibate males, or “incels,” and their role in violence against women has gained national attention. Research on involuntary celibates has found a new group of individuals emerging who have a strong desire for a sexual connection and are disturbed by the lack of interpersonal sexuality in their lives. With the gap in literature surrou...

Investigating the types of everyday social support that can be received from artificial agents in everyday contexts found that Replika provides some level of companionship that can help curtail loneliness, provide a “safe space” in which users can discuss any topic without the fear of judgment or retaliation, and provide helpful information/advice when normal sources of informational support are not available.

The COVID-19 pandemic influenced people’s everyday lives because of the health emergency and the resulting socio-economic crisis. People use social media to share experiences and search for information about the disease more than before. This paper aims at analysing the discourse on COVID-19 developed in 2020 by Italian tweeters, creating a digital storytelling of the pandemic. Employing thematic analysis, an approach used in bibliometrics to highlight the conceptual structure of a research domain, different time slices have been described, bringing out the most discussed topics. The graphical...

This systematic review and thematic synthesis identified useful design features that make an mHealth intervention more user friendly and should be guided by the design of future mHealth interventions.