Term 2 - 2020/2021
Qualitative Methods in Media &
Communication (CM2006)
WEEK 7
Reading 1 on Thematic Analysis
- One of the most common methods but also lacks clear oder and systemisation
- Focus lies on examining and converting research data to identify and report on key
patterns within data
- Themes identify how a context, situation or phenomenon can be described
- Occurs in a deductive and inductive manner
• The creation of relevant categories can occur through an emergent evaluation of the
data, or these categories may be developed based on an underlying theory from the field
or the research question.
- Involves coding and categorising
- How to do a thematic analysis?
• The codes may emerge from the data itself in an inductive manner, so it is important to
keep yourself open to what the data itself tells you
• In practice, they do not include more than about 10 to 20 main categories which are
then further developed and differentiated based on another careful examination of the
data.
• Think of the process as one ofcondensingthe data into themes, thenexpandingeach
main theme to capture its complexity.
- Thematic analysis, while arguably a “foundational method for qualitative analysis” (Braun
and Clarke 2006, p. 78), has been become both more usable and rigorous with the
introduction of phases that help make the approach more “theoretically and
methodologically sound” (ibid.).
- Phases of Thematic Analysis
- Immersion in the data (reading and re-reading, accompanied by writing down initial ideas)
- Generating initial codes (coding all data)
- Merging similar codes and placing them into larger categories leading to initial themes
- Revising and improving the themes (refine each theme, develop clear definition of what
each theme pertains to, ensure you have not missed any relevant data snippets. At this
stage, you also pay attention to nuances, contradictions, and differenceswithineach
theme).
Laura Sehnem
, Term 2 - 2020/2021
- Coding will to some extent depend on whether the themes are more “data-driven” or
“theory-driven” (Braun and Clarke)
- That is, whether your research is more inductive and focused on developing codes from the
data, or moredeductiveand focused on specific questions that you may wish to code
around.
- Advantages & Disadvantages
• Large amounts of data - advantage
• Multiple researchers - advantage
• Focus on Developing categories - advantage
• Concerns with reliability - disadvantage
• Concerns with verification of themes - disadvantage
• Potential of overlooking key pieces - disadvantage
• Flexibility - both
- it requiresreflexivityon the part of the researcher and a clear process of analysis that
can stand up to scrutiny lest the research be seen to be unreliable.
When and why should yo use Thematic Analysis?
- Looking for patterns in the data
- When you have a lot of data
Tips for Doing Thematic Analysis
- Use a software like NVivo or Atlas.ti
- Allows merging codes
- Look for new themes
- Know the context of your data
Reading 1 on (Constructivist) Grounded Theory
- It was developed in opposition to two common research practices and relationships to
theory held at the time.
- First, the authors believed that empirical research in social science no longer needed be
about testing pre-formulated theories.
Laura Sehnem
Qualitative Methods in Media &
Communication (CM2006)
WEEK 7
Reading 1 on Thematic Analysis
- One of the most common methods but also lacks clear oder and systemisation
- Focus lies on examining and converting research data to identify and report on key
patterns within data
- Themes identify how a context, situation or phenomenon can be described
- Occurs in a deductive and inductive manner
• The creation of relevant categories can occur through an emergent evaluation of the
data, or these categories may be developed based on an underlying theory from the field
or the research question.
- Involves coding and categorising
- How to do a thematic analysis?
• The codes may emerge from the data itself in an inductive manner, so it is important to
keep yourself open to what the data itself tells you
• In practice, they do not include more than about 10 to 20 main categories which are
then further developed and differentiated based on another careful examination of the
data.
• Think of the process as one ofcondensingthe data into themes, thenexpandingeach
main theme to capture its complexity.
- Thematic analysis, while arguably a “foundational method for qualitative analysis” (Braun
and Clarke 2006, p. 78), has been become both more usable and rigorous with the
introduction of phases that help make the approach more “theoretically and
methodologically sound” (ibid.).
- Phases of Thematic Analysis
- Immersion in the data (reading and re-reading, accompanied by writing down initial ideas)
- Generating initial codes (coding all data)
- Merging similar codes and placing them into larger categories leading to initial themes
- Revising and improving the themes (refine each theme, develop clear definition of what
each theme pertains to, ensure you have not missed any relevant data snippets. At this
stage, you also pay attention to nuances, contradictions, and differenceswithineach
theme).
Laura Sehnem
, Term 2 - 2020/2021
- Coding will to some extent depend on whether the themes are more “data-driven” or
“theory-driven” (Braun and Clarke)
- That is, whether your research is more inductive and focused on developing codes from the
data, or moredeductiveand focused on specific questions that you may wish to code
around.
- Advantages & Disadvantages
• Large amounts of data - advantage
• Multiple researchers - advantage
• Focus on Developing categories - advantage
• Concerns with reliability - disadvantage
• Concerns with verification of themes - disadvantage
• Potential of overlooking key pieces - disadvantage
• Flexibility - both
- it requiresreflexivityon the part of the researcher and a clear process of analysis that
can stand up to scrutiny lest the research be seen to be unreliable.
When and why should yo use Thematic Analysis?
- Looking for patterns in the data
- When you have a lot of data
Tips for Doing Thematic Analysis
- Use a software like NVivo or Atlas.ti
- Allows merging codes
- Look for new themes
- Know the context of your data
Reading 1 on (Constructivist) Grounded Theory
- It was developed in opposition to two common research practices and relationships to
theory held at the time.
- First, the authors believed that empirical research in social science no longer needed be
about testing pre-formulated theories.
Laura Sehnem
