Thematic Analysis | Explanation and Step by Step Example

Learn the 6 steps of thematic analysis and see an example of how to do thematic analysis using qualitative coding software.
Thematic analysis is a qualitative data analysis method that involves reading through a data set, and identifying patterns in meaning across the data to derive themes.
Download a FREE Thematic Analysis Guide: delvetool.com/blog/thematican...
Start a free trial of Delve qualitative coding tool at www.delvetool.com/getstarted
Learn about other Qualitative Research Methodologies: delvetool.com/learn
In this video:
Step by step breakdown of thematic analysis
How to turn data into transcripts
How to derive themes from data
How to craft a narrative from themes
Example of thematic analysis in practice
6 steps of thematic analysis:
1. Familiarize yourself with the data
2. Create your initial codes
3. Collate codes with supporting data
4. Group codes into themes
5. Review and revise themes
6. Write your narrative
Resources from Virginia Braune and Victoria Clarke:
Using thematic analysis in psychology by Virginia Braun & Victoria Clarke: www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1...
Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide by Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke: us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/them...
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[@cleofebabyleam.5749]

I'm using phenomenology as a quali research design, and this is very useful. Thank you!!

[@DelveTool]

Glad it was helpful!

[@babaganaabba8050]

I am also using a mixed Phenomenology (IPA) and Thematic Analysis in my PhD with qualitative approach. Any chance for us to interact and help each other?

[@davidogundairo8941]

This was so explanatory and simple. Thanks

[@DelveTool]

Glad you found the video helpful!

[@co8930]

Excellent video and so well explained, thank you!! Made me excited to start :)

[@DelveTool]

That’s great to hear! Glad it was helpful!

[@axnn1]

This was so simple and so helpful!! Thank you!

[@DelveTool]

We’re really glad the video was helpful!

[@ben_imaging]

Excellently presented. Really helpful. Thank you.

[@DelveTool]

Glad it was helpful!

[@leonardoxxx9679]

This is the best example of thematic analysis by using software which I can found in youtube

[@DelveTool]

Thank you! We’re glad you found the video helpful!

[@hopemashile5948]

Which software is that ?

[@DelveTool]

It's the Delve Qualitative Data Analysis Software. You can learn more here: www.delvetool.com/@@hopemashile5948

[@libbygledhill2181]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This has saved me hours of time with regards my thesis for my Masters in Education and the focus goups I have carried out. I'm going to tell all my fellow students about it!

[@DelveTool]

You're welcome! We're so glad to hear it helped save you time. Thank you for sharing this with your fellow students!

[@guhansenthil6060]

you are the GOAT 🐐! came in clutch at the last minute

[@DelveTool]

Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@shiiiomai4675]

i think you're the goat here bruh

[@user-jl5gx8kf6r]

Thank you so much! Very well explained, extremely useful.

[@DelveTool]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jjm1709]

And this was extremely helpful,, thank you very much 🙏

[@DelveTool]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@zxxz220]

The best video ever explaining Thematic Analysis

[@DelveTool]

Thanks! Glad you found it useful

[@abdulazizbashir-boss]

Great, I liked your explanations so much.

[@DelveTool]

Glad to hear that!

[@ichadesanto46]

so easy to understand, thank you :)

[@DelveTool]

You are welcome!

[@simplygirl7318]

Wow! I like your video soooo much! Thank you so much!

[@DelveTool]

You’re welcome! So glad you found the video helpful!

[@Bufferytherisa]

Very helpful video, thanks a lot

[@DelveTool]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thuylethithanh2768]

Thank you for your sharing!

[@DelveTool]

You’re welcome!

[@yurisabado6966]

Is this imrad format or apa?

[@jaysheth1541]

Thank you 😊

[@DelveTool]

Thanks for watching!

[@LauraMissBee]

Thanks for the great video! I also watched one on open coding. What is the key difference between these methods?

[@DelveTool]

Thanks for your interest in the video! To address your question, the key difference between open coding and thematic analysis lies in their scope and role within research methodologies. Open coding is just one component of a larger methodology, such as grounded theory. It involves the initial process of breaking down and analyzing data to generate categories and concepts. Thematic analysis, in contrast, is a comprehensive process that encompasses the entire journey of identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns or themes within data. It includes multiple stages of coding and theme development, making it a broader and more holistic approach compared to the specific task of open coding.

[@jfimes7854]

I have a benefits section and a disruptions section in my diss, could i categorise the benefits and then categorise the disruptions or should i just find main themes and then talk about the positives and disruptions of each theme?

[@spikezonetv]

How about having main and then sub-themes? I think this can be a great way to present your analysis. Disruptions and positive ideas may vary, so go for having sub-themes then.

[@jjm1709]

Can you please do a video of IPA as well? Thank you

[@DelveTool]

Great idea! We will put it on the list

[@kaushikkumar2987]

stuck between thematic analysis and recursive abstraction. which one would be the ideal method when my sample size is around 8-16 participants in an unstructured interview? can you briefly explain? thank you.

[@DelveTool]

The choice between thematic analysis and recursive abstraction depends on your research objectives, not merely the sample size. Thematic analysis identifies and analyzes patterns within data, making it ideal for exploratory work with rich, detailed accounts. Conversely, recursive abstraction involves summarizing and refining data, suitable for generating high-level understanding. With 8-16 participants, either method could work. Thematic analysis might serve better if you aim for a detailed understanding of individual perspectives or anticipate varied data. However, if you seek a distilled, common understanding, recursive abstraction might be more fitting. You could potentially use both methods, starting with thematic analysis and then applying recursive abstraction for further interpretation. Your choice should align with your research goals and be well-justified in your report.

[@jerichotundag8659]

what graph could i use to show the frequencies of themes? i was thinking of pie graph to represent the frequencies of themes in my 90 respondents. however, there are a lot of cases where one respondent can show 2 themes. i wonder how should i present the data in terms of graphs/charts?

[@DelveTool]

So I personally avoid trying to show frequency of themes in thematic analysis. As frequency does not necessarily equate to relevance in Thematic Analysis. (this is not a hard fast rule, but just our preference for TA)

[@selunyct]

Does thematic analysis only work with interviews? Or can it somehow be applied with surveys as well?

[@DelveTool]

You can definitely use thematic analysis for other forms of content. Thematic analysis can definitely be used for open ended survey results!

[@machineoferos340]

How does one make use of thematic analysis when it comes to films? Is it possible?

[@DelveTool]

The process would be the same except that you may do some specific steps to process the data from films. You could analyze the film's transcripts, or video clips, but once you have the core data pieces, the thematic analysis process is the same.

[@zuzzanneespadilla6604]

Can you help me? Our research title is "Impact of Watching Korean Dramas to the Standard of Junior High School Students towards Men" Should I use the thematic analysis or phenomenology analysis? I don't know what to use. Please help me😭

[@DelveTool]

Honestly it really depends on your research objectives. Our personal preference is thematic analysis, at least if this your first time doing qualitative analysis. Thematic analysis is also very well defined, while phenomenology analysis is very broad in its meaning. Some people would say Thematic analysis can be a form of phenomenology analysis, so the line can be a bit blurry. Also I highly recommend speaking to your research advisor!

[@mackdodoo]

Is this similar to written analysis?

[@DelveTool]

Hey there! Written analysis and thematic analysis are both ways of looking at written material and figuring out what it means. But, they're a bit different from each other. Written analysis is a general term that can mean analyzing anything from the structure, content, language, style, and literary devices of the writing, to identifying themes, symbols and other literary devices. On the other hand, thematic analysis is a specific method used to identify patterns or themes in written material, such as transcripts of interviews or focus groups, or in qualitative research data. It's mainly used to identify key themes, patterns, and concepts and how they are related. So, in short, written analysis is a general term and thematic analysis is a specific method.

[@kingtheking5644]

THANK UUUU

[@DelveTool]

Happy to help!

[@sumbal1950]

How can i download the software?

[@DelveTool]

You can start a free trial of Delve here. delvetool.com/getstarted. There's no need to download since the application is web based.

[@harrisonevans]

What's the difference between this and IPA?

[@DelveTool]

Good question! Thematic Analysis (TA) and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) are ways to study text data. TA finds patterns or themes across different data points and can be based on different ideas. IPA digs into people's personal experiences and feelings in a small group. TA uses coding to find patterns, while IPA is more about understanding each person's experience and what it means to them.

[@SivieSuckerman]

I'm still struggling to fully understand the difference between thematic analysis and grounded theory. It feels like they should be used together or that they overlap.

[@DelveTool]

Great question! Both thematic analysis and grounded theory are inductive approaches, building insights from the data itself. They share similarities in structuring insights, where grounded theory uses open, axial, and selective codes, comparable to the codes, themes, and core themes in thematic analysis. However, thematic analysis focuses mainly on analyzing data, while grounded theory covers the entire process, including data collection. For instance, theoretical sampling in grounded theory involves collecting and analyzing data iteratively using the constant comparison method, which is core to its approach. Grounded theory also has the concept of theoretical saturation, which is the point where no new insights are emerging from the data. While thematic analysis can use iterative data collection and analysis, it doesn't traditionally use the concept of theoretical sampling or saturation. There are many variations of both thematic analysis and grounded theory, so their similarities and differences will vary based on which exact method is being used. But to summarize Thematic Analysis really is a analysis method, while Grounded Theory has a larger scope as a methodology.

[@lukaotovic-nesic952]

wtf are codes

[@DelveTool]

A code in qualitative analysis is like a tag you put on parts of your data (like text or images) to spot patterns or themes. It helps researchers make sense of the info and find insights.

[@DiarrheaChain]

How time-consuming is this analysis, compared to others?

[@DelveTool]

Thematic Analysis is an inductive method (though can contain deductive coding as well). In general inductive takes longer because you are generating a new thematic framework. Vs a method where you are just applying an existing framework

[@DelveTool]

However, if your research objective is to develop themes, Thematic Analysis is really accessible and thus often a good first method to try

[@DelveTool]

It can be faster than other inductive methods like grounded theory, because grounded theory calls for theoretical saturation, which means iteratively collecting data and analyzing it

[@DelveTool]

Thematic analysis doesn’t require this

[@DelveTool]

At the end of the day though, it matters what your research objectives are. What are your research objectives?

[@Godinary]

W❤️W

[@DelveTool]

👍

[@TheGreenLing]

You mispronounced Braun's name. You need to say it more like Brown. She is a bit of a stickler about the pronunciation.

[@DelveTool]

Thanks! We appreciate the correction

[@neoblackcyptron]

This seems really manual. Where is the intelligence to automate all this. 😂 just a fancy ui for manual work 😂😂😂

[@DelveTool]

Thanks for your feedback! This is traditionally how Thematic Analysis has been conducted, and it's true you as the researcher need to make meaning of your data, and that requires doing some manual work! We believe we should not automate researchers out of the qualitative analysis. That being said we do have some AI features to help as an assistant. You can learn more about it here: delvetool.com/delve-ai

[@asmaasalima5289]

You didn't provide a clear example

[@DelveTool]

Thanks for your feedback! This is our quick 8 minute overview of Thematic Analysis. If you want more in depth examples please check out our 30 minute video on thematic analysis. You can find it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fH7LkGWHZ9lpoaMfeature=shared