How to use thematic analysis in qualitative research

Abstract

Thematic analysis has received increased attention from the research academic community, echoing Braun and Clarke’s (2006) influential argument of its theoretical accessibility and flexibility. Along with its current status, dilemmas have arisen in regard to its practice as a result of escalated demand for analytical software programs. Synchysis, the rhetorical practice of creating bewilderment by scattering words, endures in critical reviews and in the analysis of data derived from social media platforms. This paper departs from a simple replication of existing studies by addressing current issues as a result of the evolution of thematic analysis. Furthermore, it outlines specific implications (step-by-step gui-dance) while incorporating the somewhat overlooked phase of the creation of conceptual diagrams and theory-development during the stages of conducting a rigorous thematic analysis.