THEMATIC ANALYSIS

 

ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN ANALYSING RESEARCH DATA.

 

Three qualities characterise the concerns to evaluate when analysing research data. For starters, it is loosely related to study design, statistical analysis, and reporting of designs, logical choices, and outcomes. Second, the issue focuses on invalidating errors that entail factual inaccuracies or deviate significantly from clearly established processes in ways that, if remedied, could change the conclusions of a publication. Third, the problem focuses on errors in which there is a legitimate expectation that the scientist should or could have known better. It is critical to distinguish between scientific errors and violations of scientific norms. Such infractions are not necessarily invalidating errors, but they may impact trust in or the operation of the scientific enterprise. Some harmful research practices, such as neglecting to disclose conflicts of interest, plagiarism, and failing to get ethical permission, have no bearing on the accuracy or reliability of the methodology or results.

THEMATIC ANALYSIS

ASSESSMENT APPROACH

 

One of the extensively used qualitative analysis approaches is thematic analysis. When utilised appropriately, qualitative thematic analysis can be a powerful analysis methodology.

When is thematic analysis useful?

 

 Thematic analysis is useful in finding elements or relevant or intriguing trends in information and then using such concepts to tackle the research or say something about the subject at hand. A strong thematic analysis does more than summarise the data; it analyses and makes meaning out the data collected.

Problems encountered when using thematic analysis.

 

Because thematic analysis is frequently biased and reliant on the researcher's judgment, the researcher must carefully consider their own choices and conclusions. Researchers must pay great attention to the data to avoid picking up on things that aren't there or hiding available information. Some significant problems in using thematic analysis include inconsistency between research problem and method of approach, a lack of analytical understanding, and a failure to pay attention to the philosophical underpinnings of qualitative approach.

STRENGTHS OF THEMATIC ANALYSIS

 

Due to its academic freedom, the thematic analysis provides a highly adaptable methodology that is changed to meet the objectives of numerous investigations, offering a detailed and in-depth yet complex description of data. Because thematic analysis does not necessitate the comprehensive theoretical and technological understanding required by other qualitative methodologies, it is a more available kind of analysis, particularly for those just starting in their research career. Some of the strengths in the thematic analysis include:

Analysing of Text which can be applied in Different Theories

Various approaches and theories are used while conducting a thematic analysis of a text, resulting in a high-end conclusion from research. We can only get inflexible findings when we do not use an analytic approach to examine language. The reliability of a theme-based analysis study always gives an accurate interpretation of the text. This is amongst the most significant benefits of thematic analysis in psychotherapy.

Thematic analysis encourages team work.

When the concept of thematic analysis is employed in qualitative research, researchers must work as a team. This is because various perspectives of individual persons are quite important while conducting such forms of study. The greater the number of people engaging on textual data, the more accurate the study result. Personal experiences are given the utmost importance in this type of psychology research. This is an additional benefit that can be incorporated to the assessment investigation.

Several Themes can be developed from a Text to understand it

Thematic analysis assists the researcher in identifying several concepts in the texts under consideration for inquiry. It is pointless to read or watch a text if the reader cannot interpret all of the concepts included within it. Personal experiences and diverse approaches to qualitative research on data obtained for analysis can be used to build and understand these aspects. Thematic analysis is the most suited method for conducting qualitative research on any text.

Both Inductive and Deductive Approaches of Research are used.

The most important aspect of conducting a textual analysis in psychotherapy is to use deductive and inductive ways to examine the issue simultaneously. Inductive research is about individual experiences based on viewpoints, whereas deductive research is about a predetermined research approach. As a result, we may conclude that thematic analysis is the greatest method for obtaining comprehensive results from any research text.

Both Theoretical and Personal Knowledge can be applied for research.

In other forms of research, it is critical to adhere to a set pattern of guidelines that are employed to arrive at the research's conclusion. However, the situation does not stay the same for thematic analysis. Of course, the theoretical foundation of the research is important in this type of research, but personal interactions with the topic are also prioritised. As a result, the ideal study result can be viewed, which includes every part of the research issue.

WEAKNESSES OF THEMATIC ANALYSIS

 

Compared to other qualitative research approaches, theme analysis's weaknesses become more obvious. Because there is less documentation on thematic analysis than on grounded theory, ethnography, and phenomenology, inexperienced researchers may be uncertain of how to perform a comprehensive thematic analysis. When contrasted to other methodologies, a basic thematic analysis has a shortcoming in that it does not enable researchers to make claims regarding language use. While thematic analysis is adaptable, this adaptability can lead to inconsistencies and a lack of cohesion when constructing themes based on research findings. Implementing and making public an epistemological viewpoint that can logically explain the survey's empirical statements can help to enhance consistency and cohesiveness.

APPROACH TO THEMATIC DATA ANALYSIS

 

There are different approaches to consider when using thematic data analysis which include:

·         Inductive approach

·         Deductive approach

·         A semantic approach

·         A latent approach

Inductive approach

The inductive approach is a method for examining qualitative data likely to be led by specific assessment outcomes. The basic inductive approach offers a simple and methodical set of guidelines for examining qualitative data to yield accurate and valid results. However, the universal inductive strategy gives a simple, uncomplicated method for obtaining conclusions in the context of targeted assessment questions. Many assessors are likely to discover that adopting a generalised inductive approach to qualitative data analysis is less challenging than utilising other techniques for qualitative data analysis.

Deductive approach

Because thematic analysis is frequently biased and reliant on the researcher's judgment, the researcher must carefully consider their own choices and conclusions. Researchers must pay great attention to the data to avoid picking up on things that aren't there or hiding available information.

A semantic approach involves analysing the explicit content of the data.

A latent approach- involves reading into the subtext and assumptions underlying the data.

After concluding that thematic analysis is the best method for analysing your data and have considered your methodology, you can proceed with the six steps:

1.      Familiarisation

Involves getting through an overview of all data collected before analysing individual items.

2.      Coding

Involves highlighting sections of a text and developing shorthand labels describing data or content.

3.      Generating themes

Involves looking over the shorthand labels created, identifying patterns among them, and starting coming up with themes. Themes are generally broader than codes.

4.      Reviewing themes

Involves ensuring that the themes are useful and are actual demonstrations of the raw data.

5.      Defining and naming themes

It entails creating a collection of themes and naming and characterising each one. Defining themes entails articulating precisely what we mean by each theme and determining how it contributes to our understanding of the data.

6.      Writing up

Finally, write out data analysis. Write a theme analysis, just like any other academic paper, with an introduction that establishes the research question, goals, and approach. This includes a methodology section discussing how the data was gathered and elaborated on the thematic analysis.

ISSUES THE AUTHOR(S) TOOK INTO ACCOUNT WHEN ANALYSING THE DATA THEY HAD COLLECTED.

Authors that wrote about thematic analysis took into account various issues which included:

·         Advantages and disadvantages of Thematic Analysis.

·         Establishing Trustworthiness of thematic analysis in Qualitative Research which included: credibility, transferability, audit trails, and dependability.

·         Toward a Step-by-Step Approach for Conducting a Trustworthy Thematic Analysis

CONCLUSION

 

As qualitative research traditions expand, there is a larger demand for standards and instruments to assist researchers in conducting reliable qualitative research. I sought to provide help using thematic analysis as a research strategy in this post. We hope that by sharing our ideas and real-world examples, the methodology of doing a thorough and trustworthy theme analysis has been described in a way that will assist others who are analysing and summarising textual content. Addressing the process of conducting a reliable thematic analysis may be a good contribution to qualitative research and aid in advancing the elusive methodology: a thematic analysis.