Analysis & synthesisQualitative analysisCodingInterview analysisTheme developmentEvaluation practice
Thematic Analysis
Thematic Analysis
Also known as: Theme analysis、Thematic analysis approach、TA
Develops themes as patterns of meaning relevant to the question through close reading of narratives or open responses. State the analytical approach and explain links between themes and source data. [1] [2]
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Cost
- Low
- Duration
- Estimate from data volume, analytical approach, rereading and theme refinement work.
Content updated: 2026-09-13Source checked: 2026-09-13 (includes AI cross-checking)No documented human reviewIncludes fictional examples
How it works at a glance
Examples here assume reflexive thematic analysis. Move iteratively between familiarization, coding, developing and reviewing candidate themes, naming and reporting. [1] [2]
Reflect on analysts' interpretations and positions. Reflexive TA does not treat inter-coder agreement as a universal quality criterion and should not be confused with codebook or coding-reliability approaches. [1] [2]
- Familiarization
- Generate initial codes
- Develop themes
- Review and refine themes
- Define and name themes
- Write the report
When to use it and when it is unsuitable
When to use it
- When identifying patterns in beneficiaries' or stakeholders' experiences, perceptions or needs from interview or focus group transcripts
- When systematically analyzing open survey responses to reveal context and reasons absent from quantitative data alone
- When exploring implementation processes, barriers and success factors through stakeholder accounts
- When qualitatively analyzing policy documents or reports to identify patterns in priorities and values
When it is unsuitable
- When the main goal is percentages of people holding a view. Content analysis or descriptive statistics is appropriate.
- When immediate feedback is needed alongside collection. Thematic analysis requires time for iterative reading.
- When analysts are unfamiliar with qualitative research, subjective interpretation and uncertainty, and seek only objective answers
Participants, roles, and deliverables
Participants and roles
Qualitative analysts. Reflexive thematic analysis uses dialogue to deepen interpretation and reflection, not inter-analyst agreement as a universal quality criterion.
Main deliverables
- Code list or codebook: names, definitions and examples
- Theme map linking codes and themes
- Thematic analysis report with quotations
- Answers to evaluation questions
Implementation steps
- FamiliarizationRead all transcripts or texts repeatedly and note initial ideas and insights. Suspend judgments at this stage and focus on understanding the dataset as a whole.
- Generate initial codesState the analytical approach and code meanings relevant to the question. Consider inductive or deductive orientations and record analysts' interpretive roles.
- Develop themesCollect related codes into broader meaning patterns, candidate themes. Review code lists on paper or in software and visually group similar codes.
- Review and refine themesCheck candidate themes against source data. Ask whether they are sufficiently supported, distinct from each other and collectively answer evaluation questions.
- Define and name themesDefine each theme's essence, what it captures, in 1–2 sentences. Use names accurately reflecting data content and organize subthemes where needed.
- Write the reportDevelop an analytical narrative for each theme supported by representative verbatim quotations. Interpret theme meaning rather than merely listing data.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Flexible across epistemological frameworks without requiring one philosophical position.
- Clear procedures allow practitioners with limited qualitative experience to work progressively.
- Captures experiences, perspectives and meanings in context, revealing why beyond quantitative data.
- Records analysts' positions and theme development judgments to explain interpretive evidence.
Limitations
- Analyst interpretation influences results, so different analysts may develop different themes from the same data.
- Themes alone are sometimes presented as analysis, but interpretive descriptions constitute the analysis itself.
- Large datasets, tens to a hundred transcripts, require time and effort. Consider combining text mining.
- Frequency is not equivalent to theme meaning or importance. Explain purpose and counting units if counts are reported.
Common pitfalls
- Confusing codes with themes. “Did not know how to take the bus” and “Access barriers” have different abstraction levels. Themes capture shared meaning, not merely accumulations of codes.
- Treating frequent topics as themes. Relevance to evaluation questions, not frequency, defines themes; even 1 person's account may be important.
- Listing quotations without interpretation. Evaluators' analytical comments about meaning are essential beyond reporting what participants said.
Conditions of use and evidence
Examine the meaning of “No time”
A fictional illustrative example examining two statements from invented interviews about using plans after training.
Scroll horizontally to view the table
| Fictional statement | Initial code | Candidate theme |
|---|---|---|
| Could not get it onto the meeting agenda | No route into consideration | Difficulty connecting individual learning to workplace decisions |
| Could discuss it at the meeting after showing my supervisor first | A person mediating opportunities for consideration | Difficulty connecting individual learning to workplace decisions |
Common errors in judgment
Common mistake
Using question items directly as theme names
How to revise
Name themes after examining shared meanings between codes.
ReasonTopic summaries alone may not adequately analyze the question.
Common mistake
Requiring kappa because the method is Braun and Clarke's
How to revise
Choose quality checks aligned with the TA approach.
ReasonReflexive TA does not aim to maximize agreement.
Organize your thinking by writing
Thematic analysis coding worksheet
A practical template is available to fill in and print on A4 paper.
Open worksheetRelated methods
References and checked sections
- Doing Reflexive TAVirginia Braun and Victoria Clarke
- Section consulted
- The Reflexive TA process / Six phases for analysis
- How it relates to the text
- Reflexive TA and coding reliability TA differ in assumptions; inter-analyst agreement is not required for all thematic analysis.
- Got questions about Thematic Analysis?Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke
- Section consulted
- Why don’t we advocate multiple-coders and inter-rater reliability for reflexive TA?
- How it relates to the text
- Reflexive TA and coding reliability TA differ in assumptions; inter-analyst agreement is not required for all thematic analysis.
Editorial and checking information
How to cite this page
EvalCompass Editorial Team. “Thematic Analysis”. EvalCompass, updated 2026-09-13. https://evalcompass.jun-nakatani.com/en/methods/thematic-analysis/
Add the date you accessed the page. Text created by this site is available under CC BY 4.0. Quotations, external materials, and bundled fonts have their own terms of use. When reusing content, credit the source, link to the license, and indicate any changes.
Change history
- — Checked sources for definitions and applicability conditions, and added fictional examples, reasons for judgments and examples for every worksheet field. Revised unverified claims about history and adoption. Also reviewed existing procedures and cautions, and adjusted fixed participant counts and thresholds and generalizations about institutions. Preserved field positions, types and counts while revising fixed conditions and thresholds in the forms.