One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis?

ABSTRACT

Developing a universal quality standard for thematic analysis (TA) is complicated by the existence of numerous iterations of TA that differ paradigmatically, philosophically and procedurally. This plurality in TA is often not recognised by editors, reviewers or authors, who promote ‘coding reliability measures’ as universal requirements of quality TA. Focusing particularly on our reflexive TA approach, we discuss quality in TA with reference to ten common problems we have identified in published TA research that cites or claims to follow our guidance. Many of the common problems are underpinned by an assumption of homogeneity in TA. We end by outlining guidelines for reviewers and editors – in the form of twenty critical questions – to support them in promoting high(er) standards in TA research, and more deliberative and reflexive engagement with TA as method and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Codebook
• coding frame
• coding reliability
• consensus coding
• framework analysis
• inter-rater reliability
• qualitative paradigm
• reflexivity
• template analysis
• theme

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

¹ See www.thematicanalysis.net

² Latent should not be understood as – only – referring to unconscious meaning, a common misconception among relationally and psychoanalytically oriented psychological practitioners.

³ We have chanted the mantra ‘themes don’t emerge’ so often the Etsy shop Science on a Postcard has created a ‘Themes. Do Not. Emerge.’ badge. And we’re happy to see it’s a ‘bestseller’! https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/635756651/themes-do-not-emerge-qualitative.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Virginia Braun

Virginia Braun is a Professor in the School of Psychology at The University of Auckland, Āotearoa/New Zealand. She is a feminist and critical (health) psychologist, and her research explores the intersecting areas of gender, bodies, sex/sexuality, health, and (now) food. She also has an ongoing interest in qualitative research and (with Victoria Clarke) wrote the award-winning textbook Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners (SAGE). They have written extensively on thematic analysis , and are finishing a new book, Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide, for SAGE. She co-edited Collecting Qualitative Data (Cambridge University Press) with Victoria and Debra Gray – which introduces a range of methods for collecting qualitative data beyond the widely-used interview or focus group – and is interested in other methods like qualitative story completion (see http://www.storycompletion.net). She is on Twitter@drvicclarke.

Victoria Clarke

Victoria Clarke is an Associate Professor of Qualitative and Critical Psychology at the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. Her research interests focus on the intersecting areas of sexuality and gender, appearance and embodiment, and family and relationships. With Virginia Braun and others, she has written extensively about thematic analysis and is currently finishing a new book with Virginia, Thematic Analysis: a Practical Guide, for SAGE. Her other books including Successful Qualitative Research (SAGE) and Collecting Qualitative Data (Cambridge). She also has a particular interest in developing survey and story completion methods for qualitative research, and recently created a story completion website with Virginia and others (see www.storycompletion.net). You can follow her on Twitter@drvicclarke where she regularly tweets about thematic analysis and qualitative research.