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86 V Braun and V Clarke

although in such instances, no analysis has (Ryan and Bernard, 2000: 780). Analysis
really been done at all! involves a constant moving back and for-
To sum up, thematic analysis involves the ward between the entire data set, the coded
searching across a data set / be that a extracts of data that you are analysing, and
number of interviews or focus groups, or a the analysis of the data that you are produ-
range of texts / to find repeated patterns of cing. Writing is an integral part of analysis,
meaning. The exact form and product of not something that takes place at the end, as
thematic analysis varies, as indicated above, it does with statistical analyses. Therefore,
and so it is important that the questions writing should begin in phase one, with the
outlined above are considered before and jotting down of ideas and potential coding
during thematic analyses. Those appro- schemes, and continue right through the
aches which consider specific aspects, la- entire coding/analysis process.
tent themes and are constructionist tend to There are different positions regarding
often cluster together, while those that when you should engage with the literature
consider meanings across the whole data relevant to your analysis / with some
set, semantic themes, and are realist, often arguing that early reading can narrow your
cluster together. However, there are no hard- analytic field of vision, leading you to focus
and-fast rules in relation to this, and differ- on some aspects of the data at the expense
ent combinations are possible. What is of other potentially crucial aspects. Others
important is that the finished product con- argue that engagement with the literature
tains an account / not necessarily that can enhance your analysis by sensitizing
detailed / of what was done, and why. So you to more subtle features of the data
what does one actually do? We now provide (Tuckett, 2005). Therefore, there is no one
what is, we hope, a straightforward step- right way to proceed with reading for the-
by-step guide to conducting thematic ana- matic analysis, although a more inductive
lysis.
approach would be enhanced by not enga-
ging with literature in the early stages of
analysis, whereas a theoretical approach
Doing thematic analysis: a step-by-step requires engagement with the literature
guide prior to analysis.
We provide an outline guide through the
Some of the phases of thematic analysis are six phases of analysis, and offer examples to
7
similar to the phases of other qualitative demonstrate the process. The different
research, so these stages are not necessarily phases are summarized in Table 1. It is
all unique to thematic analysis. The process important to recognize that qualitative ana-
starts when the analyst begins to notice, lysis guidelines are exactly that / they are
and look for, patterns of meaning and not rules, and, following the basic precepts,
will need to be applied flexibly to fit the
issues of potential interest in the data /
this may be during data collection. The research questions and data (Patton, 1990).
endpoint is the reporting of the content Moreover, analysis is not a linear process of
and meaning of patterns (themes) in the simply moving from one phase to the next.
data, where ‘themes are abstract (and often Instead, it is more recursive process, where
fuzzy) constructs the investigators identify movement is back and forth as needed,
[sic] before, during, and after analysis’ throughout the phases. It is also a process