Qualitative analytic methods - Essay Example

Qualitative Analytic Methods and Thematic Analysis Number Department Qualitative Analytic Methods and Thematic AnalysisQualitative analysis refers to a data analysis method that aims to investigate the in-depth reasons behind human behavior and decision-making processes. Qualitative methods include: discourse analysis, narrative analysis, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), grounded theory and thematic analysis (Glaser, 2004). Discourse analysis is an integrated approach to deciphering written, oral, symbols or semiotic events.

Narrative inquiry focuses on field texts of data, whereas IPA concerns idiographic aspects of data (Silverman, 2010). Grounded theory refers to developing a theory about important data events based on observation. Thematic analysis focuses on investigating, assessing, and noting down large patterns within a particular data. These patterns are referred to as themes (Carla, 2013). Research QuestionWhat is the theoretical and practical understanding of thematic analysis as part of qualitative approaches to data analysis?

Thematic AnalysisAccording to Seidman (2013), themes appearing across categories of data are imperative to the definition of an event and are usually linked to a particular research question under the investigation. These patterns are transformed into the classifications for a more focused analysis. Carla (2013) noted that thematic analysis is undertaken through the painstaking process of grouping data into six codes which create effective, more expressive patterns for easier, further analyses.

Silverman (2010) said these stages are: mastering the data, creating initial codes, looking for themes from the codes, assessing themes, describing and identifying themes, and creating the conclusive report for presentation. Thematic analysis applies in almost every aspect of qualitative research, including grounded theory, phenomenology, interpretivism and positivism and integrates them into one research framework (Braun, & Clarke, 2006). As Carla (2013) said, the methodology has what researchers believe are viable and, perhaps most useful strategies derived from each procedural and theoretical data set and aligns them along research questions in order to facilitate more effective solution finding.

In such scenarios, Merriam (2009) noted that the researcher would assume that guaranteeing the reliability of ultimate deliverables is vital. Achieving this aim would therefore be based on systematic procedures driven by transparency right from data collection through analysis process and presentation. In addition, thematic analysis is a thorough and inductive range of procedures applied in examining themes from word-based data in a manner that is clear and reliable (Carla, 2013). The methodology summons wide conceptual and methodological views to deliver the patterns appearing in the long narratives and experiences of the focus groups or participants, as precisely and elaborately as possible (Seidman, 2013).

As such, thematic analysis is lithe and largely dependent on what researchers intend to do with the thematic patterns once they identify them from long texts. Most researchers use thematic approach to unearth preliminary data and subsequently use the comprehensive patterns to arrive at more precise data, which create a deeper understanding of the data (Braun, & Clarke, 2006). In light of this process, researchers who examine broader themes in their studies and use the data to conduct more focused analyses usually use thematic approach as an initial step to research before narrowing down the research to the research question and the roadmap to expected deliverables.

Thematic analysis, therefore, applies in different epistemologies and disciplines.ReferencesBraun, V., & Clarke, V., 2006. Using thematic analysis in Psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3: 77-101.Carla, W., 2013. Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology. London: McGraw-Hill Education (UK).Glaser, B.G., 2004. ‘Remodeling Grounded Theory.’ Qualitative Social Research [e-journal] Early view article: Published May, 2004. Available at: < http://www.qualitative- research.net/index.

php/fqs/article/view/607/1315> [Accessed 19 March, 2015].Merriam, S.B., 2009. Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation. New York: John Wiley & Sons.Seidman, I., 2013. Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences. New York: Teachers College Press. Silverman, D., 2010. Qualitative Research. New York: SAGE.