Thematic Analysis of Qualitative Data: Identifying Pattern That Solve Many Unresolved Industrial Questions / Challenges - Phdassistance
                     Thematic Analysis of  
Qualitative Data: 
Identifying  Pattern that 
Solve Many  Unresolved 
Industrial  Questions / 
Challenges
An Academic presentation by
Dr. Nancy Agnes, Head, Technical Operations, Phdassistance 
 Group www.phdassistance.com
Email: [email protected]
Today's Discussion
OUTLINE Introduction
Familiarizing with the data  
Assigning preliminary code 
 Searching for themes.
Reviewing Themes
Defining and naming themes 
 Producing the report
INTRODUCTION
To make a sense of data is cumbersome,  
especially when the information it contains is  
overwhelming.
However, patterns derived out of data can help  
build personas, and design decisions.
Proper analyzes of interviews is important for  
the validation of results.
The major setback on analyzes could be  
overlooking information.
Contd...
A proper analysis will ensure that you go through your data in a 
 systematic and thorough manner.
A proper analysis is definitely time- consuming if the purpose is broad 
 and explorative.
But if given a limited time, the scope is narrowed down.
The method chosen to do qualitative data analysis primarily depends 
 on the actual purpose of study.
A thematic analysis identifies patterned responses or
meaning  derived from the interview data that informs critical research 
question.
Thematic analysis is flexible enough to be used both for  
explorative studies with no clear idea of what patterns to look for 
 or for deductive studies with clear cut ideas of what to look for.
Different research fields use thematic analysis, but the steps are 
 always the same .
The most important thing in thematic analysis is to represent  
the interview as honestly as possible.
This will make it easier for people to trust the validity of results.
Thematic analysis describes a process of converting a messy  
data to a chart of the most important themes found in the data.
Contd...
Themes can be as either semantic (also labeled as manifest), which  
address explicit surface meanings of data items or latent, which  
reflects deeper, more underlying meanings, assumptions, ideologies.
Themes, and their subdivisions including subcategories and  
subthemes are the outcome of qualitative data analyses.
The process contains the following important six steps: Familiarizing  
with the data, assigning preliminary codes to data to describe the  
content, searching for patterns or themes across the interviews,  
reviewing themes, defining and categorizing themes, and producing  
your report.
FIGURE 1.  THEMATIC ANALYSES SUMMARY
FAMILIARIZING WITH THE DATA
To familiarize with the data, audio recordings have to be  
transcribed.
Taking notes, and marking preliminary ideas help becoming  
familiar with the data through ‘repeated reading’ of the data  
and reading the data in an active way -searching for subjective  
meanings, cultural-contextual message of data, patterns and 
 so on.
It is good idea to start taking notes or marking ideas for coding.
In some cases, when the interview is a minor part,  
summarizing specific themes can be sufficient.
ASSIGNING PRELIMINARY CODE
A code organizes data into significant groups.
Coding depends on whether an exploratory analysis or a  
deductive analysis is performed.
It is the most essential thing to match the code to the  
section of the interview that it refers to.
You can code with common points where similar pieces 
 of data can be tied together and within which the  
researcher may answer the question “Why”? Next step is 
 to organize all the sections that fit into each code.
PHYSICIAN FEELINGS TOWARD PATIENTS
‘So, I think there’s a couple of families that I’ve taken  
ownership on, and part of it is, I think – like, I just like them 
 so much.
They’re such nice people.
Not that like, I don’t take ownership of the patient families that 
 aren’t nice, but the ones that I like, truly felt like.
CODING MANUAL EXAMPLES
Physician feelings toward patients: the feelings, either positive 
 or negative, that a physician has toward his or her patients
Intrinsic sense of responsibility: ‘Not that like, I don’t take  
ownership of the patient families that aren’t nice, but the  
ones that I like, truly felt like,
CODING MANUAL EXAMPLES
Intrinsic sense of responsibility: the sense of responsibility that 
 a physician feels toward his/her patient, as opposed to the  
requirements imposed upon them by attending physicians,  
systems, or clinic-wide expectations or policies.
SEARCHING FOR THEMES
A look at the list of codes and their associated extracts  
lead to broader themes that say something interesting  
about the data.
Codes that seem redundant may be placed in a  
temporary mixed.
REVIEWING THEMES
Reading through the extracts relating to the codes, one can 
 cross check whether the themes support, contradict or overlap.
If the theme is too broad, it can be split into separate themes or 
 moved to some existing theme where they fit better.
Subthemes can be created to prevent your theme
from  becoming incoherent.
DEFINING AND NAMING 
 THEMES
Theme names need to be descriptive and engaging.
If the themes are too diverse, they can be reworked.
PRODUCING THE 
REPORT
Report should have enough information for the reader to  
evaluate.
Using quotes of what the participants said needs to be done  
only with the participant’s consent.
There is no consensus on which concepts should be used 
 regarding validity in qualitative and phenomenological  
research.
However, scientific rigor and phenomenological validity is  
discussed in relation to reflexivity, credibility and transferability.
Contd...
Reflexivity connects to previously described  
methodological principles of a reflective attitude and  
questioning one's pre‐understanding.
Credibility refers to the meaningfulness of the findings 
 and whether these are well presented.
Transferability refers to the usefulness and relevance of  
the findings.
Thematic analysis is thus a process that offers insights into different 
areas,  and makes interviews meaningful and effective.
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