Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide

• Consider the theoretical foundations and assumptions underlying your approach to TA.

• Focus on interpretation rather than just description in your analysis.

• Use quality criteria specific to qualitative research rather than quantitative criteria.

• Code for meaning rather than just summarizing content.

• Allow codes to evolve organically as you work through the dataset.

• Aim for a balance between semantic and latent coding.

• Focus on shared meaning united by a central organizing concept when developing themes.

• Use visual mapping techniques to explore relationships between potential themes.

• Be prepared to revise and refine themes multiple times.

• Structure your analysis around fully developed themes, not just topic summaries.

• Use data extracts strategically to illustrate and support your analytic claims.

• Edit and refine your writing to create a compelling analytic narrative

This practical guide equips researchers with the knowledge and skills to conduct high-quality reflexive thematic analysis. Emphasizing reflexivity and researcher subjectivity, the authors provide an approach that aligns with contemporary qualitative research values. The book serves as an invaluable resource for both novice and experienced qualitative researchers across disciplines.

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