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Using thematic analysis in psychology 95

convincing analysis can also stem from a The fifth involves a mismatch between
failure to provide adequate examples from theory and analytic claims, or between the
the data / for example, only one or two research questions and the form of thematic
extracts for a theme. This point is essen- analysis used. A good thematic analysis
tially about the rhetorics of presentation, needs to make sure that the interpretations
and the need for the analysis to be convin- of the data are consistent with the theoretical
cing to someone who has not read the entire framework. So, for instance, if you are work-
data set: ‘The ‘‘analysis’’ of the material... is ing within an experiential framework, you
would typically not make claims about the
a deliberate and self-consciously artful crea-
social construction of the research topic, and
tion by the researcher, and must be con-
if you were doing constructionist thematic
structed to persuade the reader of the
analysis, you would not treat people’s talk
plausibility of an argument’ (Foster and
of experience as a transparent window on
Parker, 1995: 204). In so doing, one avoids
their world. Finally, even a good and inter-
(the appearance of) what Bryman (1988) has
esting analysis which fails to spell out
referred to as ‘anecdotalism’ in qualitative
its theoretical assumptions, or clarify how it
research / where one or a few instances of a
was undertaken, and for what purpose, is
phenomenon are reified into a pattern or
lacking crucial information (Holloway and
theme, when it or they are actually idiosyn- Todres, 2003), and thus fails in one aspect.
cratic. This is not to say that a few instances
cannot be of interest, or revealing; but it is
important not to misrepresent them as an
overarching theme. What makes good thematic analysis?
The fourth pitfall is a mismatch between
the data and the analytic claims that are One of the criticisms of qualitative research
made about it. In such an (unfounded) from those outside the field is the percep-
analysis, the claims cannot be supported tion that ‘anything goes’. For instance, this
by the data, or, in the worst case, the data sentiment is echoed in the first sentence of
extracts presented suggest another analysis Laubschagne’s (2003) abstract: ‘For many
or even contradict the claims. The re- scientists used to doing quantitative studies
the whole concept of qualitative research is
searcher needs to make sure that their
unclear, almost foreign, or ‘‘airy fairy’’ / not
interpretations and analytic points are con-
‘‘real’’ research.’ However, although ‘quali-
sistent with the data extracts. A weak
tative’ research cannot be subjected to the
analysis does not appear to consider other
same criteria as ‘quantitative’ approaches, it
obvious alternative readings of the data, or
does provide methods of analysis that
fails to consider variation (and even contra-
should be applied rigorously to the data.
diction) in the account that is produced. A
Furthermore, criteria for conducting good
pattern in data is rarely, if ever, going to be
qualitative research / both data collection
100% complete and non-contradicted, so an
and analysis / do exist (eg, Elliott et al.,
analysis which suggests that it is, without a
1999; Parker, 2004; Seale, 1999; Silverman,
thorough explanation, is open to suspicion. 2000; Yardley, 2000). The British Psycholo-
It is important to pick compelling examples gical Society offers relatively succinct on-
to demonstrate the themes, so give this line guidelines for assessing quality in qua-
considerable thought. litative research (see http://www.bps.org.