What is thematic analysis?

A method of analyzing qualitative data to identify common themes

A method of analyzing quantitative data

A method of analyzing survey data

What is the six-step process commonly followed in thematic analysis?

Observation, experimentation, analysis, conclusion, hypothesis, theory

Literature review, research design, data collection, data analysis, findings, conclusion

Data collection, data analysis, interpretation, conclusion, reporting, presentation

Hypothesis testing, data collection, data analysis, results, conclusion, discussion

What is the main goal of thematic analysis?

To identify common themes in qualitative data

To generate random patterns in data

To conduct statistical analysis on quantitative data

Who originally developed the six-step process for thematic analysis?

Albert Bandura and B. F. Skinner

Why is thematic analysis considered a flexible method that can be adapted to various types of research?

Because it can be applied to many different kinds of data and research questions

Because it is a rigid method with specific rules that cannot be modified

Because it requires advanced statistical knowledge to implement

Because it is primarily used for psychology research only

What is the role of coding in thematic analysis?

To systematically organize and categorize data based on recurring patterns and themes

To summarize the findings of the research study

To conduct statistical tests on the data

To generate graphical visualizations of the data

What is one of the key benefits of following the six-step process in thematic analysis?

Avoiding confirmation bias when formulating analysis

Reducing the amount of data to be analyzed

Speeding up the research process

Increasing the complexity of data analysis

Thematic Analysis Thematic analysis is a method of analyzing qualitative data. It is usually applied to a set of texts, such as an interview or transcripts. The researcher closely examines the data to identify common themes – topics, ideas and patterns of meaning that come up repeatedly. There are various approaches to conducting thematic analysis, but the most common form follows a six-step process: familiarization, coding, generating themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and writing up. Following this process can also help you avoid confirmation bias when formulating your analysis. This process was originally developed for psychology research by Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke. However, thematic analysis is a flexible method that can be adapted to many different kinds of research.

When to use thematic analysis? Thematic analysis is a good approach to research where you’re trying to find out something about people’s views, opinions, knowledge, experiences or values from a set of qualitative data – for example, interview transcripts, social media profiles, or survey responses. Some types of research questions you might use thematic analysis to answer: • How do patients perceive doctors in a hospital setting? • What are young women’s experiences on dating sites? • What are non- experts’ ideas and opinions about climate change? • How is gender constructed in high school history teaching? To answer any of these questions, you would collect data from a group of relevant participants and then analyze it. Thematic analysis allows you a lot of flexibility in interpreting the data, and allows you to approach large data sets more easily by sorting them into broad themes. However, it also involves the risk of missing nuances in the data. Thematic analysis is often quite subjective and relies on the researcher’s judgement, so you have to reflect carefully on your own choices and interpretations. Pay close attention to the data to ensure that you’re not picking up on things that are not there – or obscuring things that are.

Steps in Thematic Analysis. Step 1: Familiarization The first step is to get to know our data. It’s important to get a thorough overview of all the data we collected before we start analyzing individual items. This might involve transcribing audio, reading through the text and taking initial notes, and generally looking through the data to get familiar with it. Step 2: Coding Next up, we need to code the data. Coding means highlighting sections of our text – usually phrases or sentences – and coming up with shorthand labels or “codes” to describe their content. Let’s take a short example text. Say we’re researching perceptions of climate change among conservative voters aged 50 and up, and we have collected data through a series of interviews. Step 3: Generating themes Next, we look over the codes we’ve created, identify patterns among them, and start coming up with themes. Themes are generally broader than codes. Most of the time, you’ll combine several codes into a single theme.

Steps in Thematic Analysis.Step 4: Reviewing themes Now we have to make sure that our themes are useful and accurate representations of the data. Here, we return to the data set and compare our themes against it. Are we missing anything? Are these themes really present in the data? What can we change to make our themes work better? If we encounter problems with our themes, we might split them up, combine them, discard them or create new ones: whatever makes them more useful and accurate. For example, we might decide upon looking through the data that “changing terminology” fits better under the “uncertainty” theme than under “distrust of experts,” since the data labelled with this code involves confusion, not necessarily distrust. Step 5: Defining and naming themes Now that you have a final list of themes, it’s time to name and define each of them. Defining themes involves formulating exactly what we mean by each theme and figuring out how it helps us understand the data. Naming themes involves coming up with a succinct and easily understandable name for each theme. For example, we might look at “distrust of experts” and determine exactly who we mean by “experts” in this theme. We might decide that a better name for the theme is “distrust of authority” or “conspiracy thinking”. Step 6: Writing up Finally, we’ll write up our analysis of the data. Like all academic texts, writing up a thematic analysis requires an introduction to establish our research question, aims and approach. We should also include a methodology section, describing how we collected the data (e.g. through semi-structured interviews or open-ended survey questions) and explaining how we conducted the thematic analysis itself. The results or findings section usually addresses each theme in turn. We describe how often the themes come up and what they mean, including examples from the data as evidence. Finally, our conclusion explains the main takeaways and shows how the analysis has answered our research question. In our example, we might argue that conspiracy thinking about climate change is widespread among older conservative voters, point out the uncertainty with which many voters view the issue, and discuss the role of misinformation in respondents’ perceptions.

Different approaches to thematic analysis Once you’ve decided to use thematic analysis, there are different approaches to consider. There’s the distinction between inductive and deductive approaches: • An inductive approach involves allowing the data to determine your themes. • A deductive approach involves coming to the data with some preconceived themes you expect to find reflected there, based on theory or existing knowledge. Ask yourself: Does my theoretical framework give me a strong idea of what kind of themes I expect to find in the data (deductive), or am I planning to develop my own framework based on what I find (inductive)? There’s also the distinction between a semantic and a latent approach: • A semantic approach involves analyzing the explicit content of the data. • A latent approach involves reading into the subtext and assumptions underlying the data.

Slide 1: • Title slide with the presentation topic: "Understanding Context in Film Analysis" Slide 2: • Introduction to the importance of context in film analysis. • Engaging visuals to capture students' attention. • Emphasize that context provides a deeper understanding of a film's meaning. Slide 3: • Definition of Context: • Context refers to the surrounding circumstances or conditions that influence the creation, interpretation, and reception of a film. • Analyzing context helps uncover layers of meaning, societal influences, and enhances critical thinking skills. Slide 4: • Historical Context: • Definition: Historical context refers to the specific time period in which a film was created and/or set. • Importance: Understanding the historical context helps us connect the film to its time period and comprehend the influence of historical events, social norms, and cultural movements. • Example: Analyzing the historical context of "Gone with the Wind" (1939) allows us to appreciate how the film reflects the post-Civil War era in the United States and addresses themes of race, class, and gender. Slide 5: • Social Context: • Definition: Social context refers to the social structures, norms, and values prevalent during the time of a film's creation and/or setting. • Importance: Examining the social context helps us understand how societal attitudes and values shape the film's narrative, characters, and themes. • Example: Analyzing the social context of "The Breakfast Club" (1985) reveals how the film explores the social dynamics and stereotypes within a high school setting, reflecting the cultural climate of the 1980s. Slide 6: • Political Context: • Definition: Political context refers to the political climate and ideologies present during the time of a film's creation and/or setting. • Importance: Understanding the political context helps us uncover political messages, power dynamics, and social commentary within the film. • Example: Examining the political context of "V for Vendetta" (2005) allows us to appreciate how the film critiques totalitarianism and explores themes of government control and individual freedom. Slide 7: • Authorial/Directorial Context: • Definition: Authorial/Directorial context refers to the background, artistic choices, and intentions of the director or filmmaker. • Importance: Analyzing this context helps us understand the director's unique vision, influences, and storytelling techniques, which shape the film's style and thematic focus. • Example: Exploring the authorial/directorial context of "Pulp Fiction" (1994) reveals Quentin Tarantino's nonlinear storytelling, pop culture references, and exploration of morality and violence. Slide 8: • Importance of considering multiple contexts together: • Analyzing multiple contexts together provides a comprehensive understanding of a film's meaning and impact. • Exploring the interplay between historical, social, political, and authorial/directorial contexts deepens our insights and enhances critical analysis skills. Slide 9: • Case studies: • Present two different films as case studies. • Example 1: Analyzing the historical context, social context, and authorial/directorial context of "Black Panther" (2018) provides insights into its exploration of Afrofuturism, cultural identity, and representation. • Example 2: Examining the historical context, political context, and authorial/directorial context of "Citizen Kane" (1941) reveals its commentary on power, media, and the American dream. Slide 10: • Summary slide: • Recap the main points about context in film analysis. • Encourage students to apply these concepts to their own analysis.

Thematic Vocabulary 2

Thematic Unit Review

INSIDER THEMATIC VOCABULARY 1

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