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Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology www.QualResearchPsych.com Qualitative Research in Psychology 2006; 3: 77Á/101 Using thematic analysis in psychology Virginia Braun1 and Victoria Clarke2 1University of Auckland and 2University of the West of England Thematic analysis is a poorly demarcated, rarely acknowledged, yet widely used qualitative analytic method within psychology. In this paper, we argue that it offers an accessible and theoretically flexible approach to analysing qualitative data. We outline what thematic analysis is, locating it in relation to other qualitative analytic methods that search for themes or patterns, and in relation to different epistemological and ontological positions. We then provide clear guidelines to those wanting to start thematic analysis, or conduct it in a more deliberate and rigorous way, and consider potential pitfalls in conducting thematic analysis. Finally, we outline the disadvantages and advantages of thematic analysis. We conclude by advocating thematic analysis as a useful and flexible method for qualitative research in and beyond psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology 2006; 3: 77Á/101 Key words: epistemology; flexibility; patterns; qualitative psychology; thematic analysis Thematic analysis is a poorly demarcated plication and evaluation of thematic ana- and rarely acknowledged, yet widely used lysis, and one which does so in a way qualitative analytic method (Boyatzis, accessible to students and those not parti- 1998; Roulston, 2001) within and beyond cularly familiar with qualitative research.1 psychology. In this paper, we aim to fill That is, we aim to write a paper that will what we, as researchers and teachers in be useful as both a teaching and research qualitative psychology, have experienced tool in qualitative psychology. Therefore, as a current gap Á/ the absence of a paper in this paper we discuss theory and which adequately outlines the theory, ap- method for thematic analysis, and clarify Correspondence: Virginia Braun, Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. E-mail: [email protected] # 2006 Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa 78 V Braun and V Clarke the similarities and differences between manifestations of the method, from within different approaches that share features in the broad theoretical framework. Second, common with a thematic approach. there are methods that are essentially in- Qualitative approaches are incredibly dependent of theory and epistemology, and diverse, complex and nuanced (Holloway can be applied across a range of theoretical and Todres, 2003), and thematic analysis and epistemological approaches. Although should be seen as a foundational method often (implicitly) framed as a realist/experi- for qualitative analysis. It is the first ential method (Aronson, 1994; Roulston, qualitative method of analysis that re- 2001), thematic analysis is actually firmly searchers should learn, as it provides core in the second camp, and is compatible with skills that will be useful for conducting both essentialist and constructionist para- many other forms of qualitative analysis. digms within psychology (we discuss this Indeed, Holloway and Todres (2003: 347) later). Through its theoretical freedom, the- identify ‘thematizing meanings’ as one of a matic analysis provides a flexible and use- few shared generic skills across qualitative ful research tool, which can potentially analysis.2 For this reason, Boyatzis (1998) provide a rich and detailed, yet complex, characterizes it, not as a specific method, account of data. but as a tool to use across different meth- Given the advantages of the flexibility of ods. Similarly, Ryan and Bernard (2000) thematic analysis, it is important that we are locate thematic coding as a process per- clear that we are not trying to limit this formed within ‘major’ analytic traditions flexibility. However, an absence of clear and (such as grounded theory), rather than a concise guidelines around thematic analysis specific approach in its own right. We means that the ‘anything goes’ critique of argue thematic analysis should be consid- qualitative research (Antaki et al., 2002) may ered a method in its own right. well apply in some instances. With this One of the benefits of thematic analysis is paper, we hope to strike a balance between its flexibility. Qualitative analytic methods demarcating thematic analysis clearly Á/ ie, can be roughly divided into two camps. explaining what it is, and how to do it Á/ and Within the first, there are those tied to, or ensuring flexibility in relation to how it is stemming from, a particular theoretical or used, so that it does not become limited and epistemological position. For some of these constrained, and lose one of its key advan- Á/ such as conversation analysis (CA; eg, tages. Indeed, a clear demarcation of this Hutchby and Wooffitt, 1998) and interpre- method will be useful to ensure that those tative phenomenological analysis (IPA; eg, who use thematic analysis can make active Smith and Osborn, 2003) Á/ there is (as yet) choices about the particular form of analysis relatively limited variability in how the they are engaged in. Therefore, this paper method is applied, within that framework. seeks to celebrate the flexibility of the In essence, one recipe guides analysis. For method and provide a vocabulary and others of these Á/ such as grounded theory ‘recipe’ for people to undertake thematic (Glaser, 1992; Strauss and Corbin, 1998), analysis in a way that is theoretically and discourse analysis (DA; eg, Burman and methodologically sound.3 As we will show, Parker, 1993; Potter and Wetherell, 1987; what is important is that as well as apply- Willig, 2003) or narrative analysis (Murray, ing a method to data, researchers make 2003; Riessman, 1993) Á/ there are different their (epistemological and other) assump- Using thematic analysis in psychology 79 tions explicit (Holloway and Todres, 2003). So in Virginia’s example, if she was inter- Qualitative psychologists need to be clear ested in how ‘sexual pleasure’ was talked about what they are doing and why, and to about, her data set would consist of all include the often-omitted ‘how’ they did instances across the entire data corpus that their analysis in their reports (Attride- had some relevance to sexual pleasure. Stirling, 2001). These two approaches might sometimes In this paper we outline: what thematic be combined to produce the data set. Data analysis is; a 6-phase guide to performing item is used to refer to each individual thematic analysis; potential pitfalls to piece of data collected, which together avoid when doing thematic analysis; what make up the data set or corpus. A data makes good thematic analysis; and advan- item in this instance would be an indivi- tages and disadvantages of thematic analy- dual surgeon interview, a television docu- sis. Throughout, we provide exam- mentary, or one particular website. Finally, ples from the research literature, and our data extract refers to an individual coded own research. By providing examples, we chunk of data, which has been identified show the types of research questions and within, and extracted from, a data item. topics that thematic analysis can be used to There will be many of these, taken from study. throughout the entire data set, and only a Before we begin, we need to define a few selection of these extracts will feature in of the terms used throughout the paper. the final analysis. Data corpus refers to all data collected for a particular research project, while data set refers to all the data from the corpus that What is thematic analysis? are being used for a particular analysis. There are two main ways of choosing the Thematic analysis is a method for identify- data set (which approach you take depends ing, analysing and reporting patterns on whether you are coming to the data (themes) within data. It minimally orga- with a specific question or not Á/ see ‘A nizes and describes your data set in (rich) number of decisions’ below). First, the data detail. However, frequently if goes further set may consist of many, or all, individual than this, and interprets various aspects of data items within your data corpus. So, for the research topic (Boyatzis, 1998). The example, in a project on female genital range of different possible thematic ana- cosmetic surgery, Virginia’s data corpus lyses will further be highlighted in relation consists of interviews with surgeons, to a number of decisions regarding it as a media items on the topic, and surgeon method (see below). websites. For any particular analysis, her Thematic analysis is widely used, but data set might just be the surgeon inter- there is no clear agreement about what views, just the websites (Braun, 2005b), or thematic analysis is and how you go about it might combine surgeon data with some doing it (see Attride-Stirling, 2001; Boyat- media data (eg, Braun, 2005a). Second, the zis, 1998; Tuckett, 2005, for other exam- data set might be identified by a particular ples). It can be seen as a very poorly analytic interest in some topic in the data, ‘branded’ method, in that it does not appear and the data set then becomes all instances to exist as a ‘named’ analysis in the same in the corpus where that topic is referred. way that other methods do (eg, narrative 80 V Braun and V Clarke analysis, grounded theory). In this sense, it can be misinterpreted to mean that themes ‘re- is often not explicitly claimed as the side’ in the data, and if we just look hard enough they will ‘emerge’ like Venus on the half shell. method of analysis, when, in actuality, we If themes ‘reside’ anywhere, they reside in argue that a lot of analysis is essentially our heads from our thinking about our data and thematic Á/ but is either claimed as some- creating links as we understand them. (Ely et al., thing else (such as DA, or even content 1997: 205Á/6) analysis (eg, Meehan et al., 2000)) or not At this point, it is important to acknowledge identified as any particular method at all Á/ for example, data were ‘subjected to quali- our own theoretical positions and values in tative analysis for commonly recurring relation to qualitative research.
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