Animal rights: Using thematic analysis in focus groups to find out psychology
students views.
Abstract
This study followed a qualitative research approach, this means that it focused on
the opinions and feelings of participants. The participants of the study were four
individuals who were recruited through opportunity sampling. They were asked
questions which related to the basis of animal rights and audio-recorded. The age
range was from nineteen to twenty-two. The design of the study was convenience
sampling with Thematic Analysis used to analyse the data. A total of six themes
and sixteen subthemes were found.
Method
Participants
The participants were four female undergraduate psychology students, recruited
through opportunity sampling. The age range was from nineteen to twenty-two.
The mean was 19.8 and the SD was 1.17.
Design
The design of this study was through a semi-structured qualitative interview to
give the participants a chance to voice their opinions and views, in a comparison
to quantitative which focus on numbers. Thematic analysis will be used to analyse
the data as it is very open in terms of finding a pattern or creating themes to focus
on.
Data Collection
The group were recruited through convenience sampling. The interview took
place in a quiet section of the classroom where the participants were to sign a
consent form and give ethical approval. The topic guide was developed upon the
groups identifying a topic area that everyone showed interest in and projecting
views on it. The researcher then created five open-ended interview questions for
the participants to discuss. The participants were given an estimated five minutes
to discuss each question. The questions had to be open in order for participants
to thoroughly discuss their views, however at the same time they should be
simple to avoid leading the participant into another discussion.
Participants were debriefed and given information on the research product at the
end of the study.
, Thematic Analysis
In any case, the researcher needs to break down and connect with the transcript
by noting down trends and patterns within the results that can assist with data
familiarisation. This was done by taking notes and highlighting important quotes.
The next step was to make codes, this is information that the researcher feels is
important, codes can be made in any way best for the researcher (numerical,
letters, names, and so on) but should give an insight into the context.
Following on, finding themes and subthemes is the next step, this is done by
categorizing data into themes and then finding individual differentiations
between the themes to create more topics. The fourth step is to review the
information which implies that the researcher is required to have a profound view
of the themes and question whether to combine, separate or dispose of themes.
The final step is naming and defining themes, supporting them with extracts from
the transcript. It must go beyond a description and provide an analysis supported
with empirical evidence to address the theme question.
Results
Table A: Themes and subthemes.
Theme Subtheme
Utility of animals Food
Clothing
students views.
Abstract
This study followed a qualitative research approach, this means that it focused on
the opinions and feelings of participants. The participants of the study were four
individuals who were recruited through opportunity sampling. They were asked
questions which related to the basis of animal rights and audio-recorded. The age
range was from nineteen to twenty-two. The design of the study was convenience
sampling with Thematic Analysis used to analyse the data. A total of six themes
and sixteen subthemes were found.
Method
Participants
The participants were four female undergraduate psychology students, recruited
through opportunity sampling. The age range was from nineteen to twenty-two.
The mean was 19.8 and the SD was 1.17.
Design
The design of this study was through a semi-structured qualitative interview to
give the participants a chance to voice their opinions and views, in a comparison
to quantitative which focus on numbers. Thematic analysis will be used to analyse
the data as it is very open in terms of finding a pattern or creating themes to focus
on.
Data Collection
The group were recruited through convenience sampling. The interview took
place in a quiet section of the classroom where the participants were to sign a
consent form and give ethical approval. The topic guide was developed upon the
groups identifying a topic area that everyone showed interest in and projecting
views on it. The researcher then created five open-ended interview questions for
the participants to discuss. The participants were given an estimated five minutes
to discuss each question. The questions had to be open in order for participants
to thoroughly discuss their views, however at the same time they should be
simple to avoid leading the participant into another discussion.
Participants were debriefed and given information on the research product at the
end of the study.
, Thematic Analysis
In any case, the researcher needs to break down and connect with the transcript
by noting down trends and patterns within the results that can assist with data
familiarisation. This was done by taking notes and highlighting important quotes.
The next step was to make codes, this is information that the researcher feels is
important, codes can be made in any way best for the researcher (numerical,
letters, names, and so on) but should give an insight into the context.
Following on, finding themes and subthemes is the next step, this is done by
categorizing data into themes and then finding individual differentiations
between the themes to create more topics. The fourth step is to review the
information which implies that the researcher is required to have a profound view
of the themes and question whether to combine, separate or dispose of themes.
The final step is naming and defining themes, supporting them with extracts from
the transcript. It must go beyond a description and provide an analysis supported
with empirical evidence to address the theme question.
Results
Table A: Themes and subthemes.
Theme Subtheme
Utility of animals Food
Clothing
